Bootstrapping to 100 Customers + SaaS Best Practices

Bootstrapping to 100 + SaaS Best Practices Sahil Parikh Founder, DeskAway Author, The SaaS EdgeBootstrapping to 100 + SaaS Best Practices / @sahilparikh / TiESiG /Mumbai

What type of business to build? product recurring revenue self-service Scalable global teams, smbs can run from anywhere = SAAS Bootstrapping to 100 + SaaS Best Practices / @sahilparikh / TiESiG /Mumbai

First 6 months = 0 customers Mistakes… #1 offline strategies to build online biz #2 Indian customers = handholding, presentations, demos, negotiat ions Bootstrapping to 100 + SaaS Best Practices / @sahilparikh / TiESiG /Mumbai

Bootstrapping to 100 (pre social media era)Bootstrapping to 100 + SaaS Best Practices / @sahilparikh / TiESiG /Mumbai

Bootstrapping to 100 Free Accounts Proto EventBlog Comments (GAlerts, Feedrinse) Forums (LinkedIn)Bootstrapping to 100 + SaaS Best Practices / @sahilparikh / TiESiG /Mumbai

(cont) Bootstrapping to 100 Viral Loop ** Blog Reviews ** Writing – get people on your side We hit 100 customers in Sept 2008 Bootstrapping to 100 + SaaS Best Practices / @sahilparikh / TiESiG /Mumbai

How we acquire customers today 23% Direct (Social Media) 32% Search 45% Referring Sites (Blogs etc.) “Make it easy for people to find you” Bootstrapping to 100 + SaaS Best Practices / @sahilparikh / TiESiG /Mumbai

Recommendation Age Participate on social networks via keywords. Listen & respond. Save keywords via twitter search.Bootstrapping to 100 + SaaS Best Practices / @sahilparikh / TiESiG /Mumbai

People still search for… “best project management tool” “alternative to basecamp” “free project collaboration app”“review of project management apps” Bootstrapping to 100 + SaaS Best Practices / @sahilparikh / TiESiG /Mumbai

SaaS Best Practices Stuff I learnt over the years…Bootstrapping to 100 + SaaS Best Practices / @sahilparikh / TiESiG /Mumbai

1. Start Small keep it simple and focused more features != successBootstrapping to 100 + SaaS Best Practices / @sahilparikh / TiESiG /Mumbai

2: Early Feedback 100 free accounts Fix bugs, pitch and visionBootstrapping to 100 + SaaS Best Practices / @sahilparikh / TiESiG /Mumbai

3: Slim Team wear multiple hats dev, design, marketing, supportBootstrapping to 100 + SaaS Best Practices / @sahilparikh / TiESiG /Mumbai

4: User Interface sleek, crisp, sexy people like it if it feels goodBootstrapping to 100 + SaaS Best Practices / @sahilparikh / TiESiG /Mumbai

5: Charge Early break-even/ profitable learn why people don’t payBootstrapping to 100 + SaaS Best Practices / @sahilparikh / TiESiG /Mumbai

6: WOM Online reduce CAC social media, SEO, email, blogs build an email list early-onBootstrapping to 100 + SaaS Best Practices / @sahilparikh / TiESiG /Mumbai

7: Let others work for you build an affiliate program 1 to many is better than 1 to 1Bootstrapping to 100 + SaaS Best Practices / @sahilparikh / TiESiG /Mumbai

8: Metrics Matter beauty of a web business traffic tosite, signups, conversions, churn, ren ewals, advance segments.Bootstrapping to 100 + SaaS Best Practices / @sahilparikh / TiESiG /Mumbai

9: Manage the funnel Do you have a leaky bucket? Forentrepreneurs.com has great content on this subjectBootstrapping to 100 + SaaS Best Practices / @sahilparikh / TiESiG /Mumbai

10: Hire your English teacher blog writing, help faqs, online community management, customer service and outreach Bootstrapping to 100 + SaaS Best Practices / @sahilparikh / TiESiG /Mumbai

11: Who loves you? Testimonials, stories, videos comfort visitors with successBootstrapping to 100 + SaaS Best Practices / @sahilparikh / TiESiG /Mumbai

12: Say no to features “It comes from saying no to 1,000things to make sure we don’t get on the wrong track or try to do too much” - Steve JobsBootstrapping to 100 + SaaS Best Practices / @sahilparikh / TiESiG /Mumbai

13: Don’t make everyone happy “I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.” - Bill Cosby Bootstrapping to 100 + SaaS Best Practices / @sahilparikh / TiESiG /Mumbai

14: DevelopersDo not hire web developers from the service era. Hire real programmers, hackers who love to build shit.Bootstrapping to 100 + SaaS Best Practices / @sahilparikh / TiESiG /Mumbai

15: Managed HostingGet managed hosting. Let the experts take care of your infrastructure. Focus on the software & user exp. Bootstrapping to 100 + SaaS Best Practices / @sahilparikh / TiESiG /Mumbai

the good stuff… BVP SaaS Page http://www.bvp.com/saas/ Thank you!Bootstrapping to 100 + SaaS Best Practices / @sahilparikh / TiESiG /Mumbai

Bootstrapping to 100 Customers + SaaS Best Practices

by spparikh on Jan 31, 2012

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