1. Final Presentation for E245 Winter 2012
Total Expert Interactions: 10
Total Interviewed: 74
Total Survey: 103
Tuesday, March 6, 12
2. We’re simplifying communication
and intimately connecting couples’
lives for healthier relationships
Service Obtainable Market: ~330M
Tuesday, March 6, 12
3. The Team SYNC
Healthier Relationships
Elie Noune Stacy Johnson
•EE, Music Tech •MBA1 at GSB
•Apple •B.S. in Computer Science from RPI
•Role: Need finder, Interviewer, •Software Engr for 4yrs at Cisco
iOS Engineer, Tester •Role: Tester, Prototyper
Daniel Strazzulla Sandhya Hegde
•CS/HCI Masters •MBA1, GSB
•IBM, Apple •Sequoia Capital
•Role:Developer, Design, Tester •EE, IIT Bombay
•Role: UI Design, Demand
Generation, Tester, Interviewer
Tuesday, March 6, 12
4. Our Journey
• We can’t find ppl
Happiness to pay for virtual •Strong demand by LDRs
quotient gifts/dates •All couples liked free
• B2B won’t work version
• ~$13 CLV • Web won’t work
• 24% testers willing Mar 5
to pay for travel recs •Freemium
Jan 31 •Mobile tests
• Good, couples Feb 7
don’t talk on • 1-click Microupdates
Facebook over MOBILE
• We will monetize • Mobile apps to •10-11% web
dates, TRAVEL, LEADs distance couples
Jan 24 • Army? conversion •24.6% web
• 1-click rate
microupdates conversion rate
• We will monetize virtual
gifts, dates might be MVP Feb 14 Feb 28
• Prototype? •Mobile App
Jan 17 •Target all Couples
•We will sell a WEB APP to
distance couples &
companies they work for
•Not learning
Feb 21
• Web App
Tuesday, March 6, 12
5. Phase 1:
Understanding the
Customer
Tuesday, March 6, 12
6. Confident
SYNC: INITIAL BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS Unsure
Don’t know
Key Key Value Customer Customer
Partners Activities Propositions Relationships Segments
Amazon Design One-to-one private Self service College/graduate
Marketing space for sharing students in long
GDS/ITA all media and distance
messages Customer support relationships
Customization
Integration
Tailored services
Enterprises with
(Dates, Gifts and
large commuting
Key , Memories..) for a
healthy relationship Channels employee base
Resources
IT infra White label tool to Web
improve employee
Engineers, retention
Designers Direct sales
Cost Revenue
Structure Streams
Personnel Subscription Licensing
IT Gifts
Tuesday, March 6, 12
7. Confident
SYNC: 1.BUSINESS MODEL Unsure
Don’t know
Key Key Value Customer Customer
Partners Activities Propositions Relationships Segments
Amazon Design One-to-one private Self service College/graduate
Marketing space for sharing students in long
GDS/ITA all media and distance
messages Customer support relationships
Customization
Integration
Tailored services
Enterprises with
(Dates, Gifts and
large commuting
Key , Memories..) for a
healthy relationship Channels employee base
Resources
IT infra White label tool to Web
improve employee
Engineers, retention
Designers Direct sales
Cost Revenue
Structure Streams
Personnel Subscription Licensing
IT Gifts
Tuesday, March 6, 12
8. The Problem
Missing out
Lonely Left aside
Disconnected
Frustrated
Multitasking
I’m busy
Living different lives
Send each other things Laugh less
through email/text
Planning the next visit
Many short call Everything is an effort
throughout day Post-poning couple time Don’t communicate trivial things
Tuesday, March 6, 12
10. Hypothesis - Privacy & Virtual
Hypothesis Tests
LDR couples want to
communicate in a
private space
49 Surveys + 12
30+ minute
interviews
LDR couples would
pay to send virtual
gifts to each other
Tuesday, March 6, 12
11. 49 Surveys + 12 30+
Yes to Privacy, No to Virtual minute interviews
Hypothesis Result
Couples who use Facebook
LDR couples want to 22%
communicate in a
private space No Yes
78%
LDR couples would ...Current behavior !=
pay to send virtual
gifts to each other Virtual ...
Only 26% have used
Tuesday, March 6, 12
12. Customer Archetype
Have
Money
NO
* Teens to Mid-30s
* College Students
Source for picture: http://realtimemg.com
YES
* Mid-20s to Mid-40s
* Working Professionals
* Frequent Traveler
Source for picture: http://theperfectcharlie.com
Have
YES NO
Time
Tuesday, March 6, 12
13. Phase II:
Generating demand
Tuesday, March 6, 12
14. Confident
SYNC: IV. BUSINESS MODEL Unsure
Don’t know
Key Key Value Customer Customer
Partners Activities Propositions Relationships Segments
Single-click sharing
AWS Design in a private space Self service College/graduate
Marketing students in long
App Stores distance
Virtual dates and
custom gifts relationships
GDS/ITA
Travel
recommendations
Key Manufacturers/
Channels
Resources High conversion retailers of gifting
leads items (flowers,
Web chocolates)
IT infra
Mobile
Engineers,
Designers
Direct sale
Cost Revenue
Structure Streams
Personnel Customer Acquisition Subscription Custom Gifts
IT Lead generation
Tuesday, March 6, 12
15. What We Did: Web Prototyping and Demand Creation
Tuesday, March 6, 12
16. What We Did: Landing Page + Web App
Tuesday, March 6, 12
17. What We Found: People are interested & referring us
4 day progress report
Overall Signup progress
1258
31 filled 5-min
136 survey
10.8%
Tuesday, March 6, 12
18. What we did: Targeted women, all couples Demand generation test
Hypothesis: Women-in-relationships are likelier to click through,
irrespective of distance status
Tested for $30 Facebook click through & conversion from FB
impressions
Ad-1 Ad-3
Ad-4
Ad-2
Tuesday, March 6, 12
19. What we found: Clicks, no web app usage Demand generation test
Funnel: “Couples” campaign
$ 29.7 this week
304,286 0.01 c
impressions
122 uniques 0.35 c/new
85 new
30 sign-up 0.99 c
clicks
Tuesday, March 6, 12
20. What we found: Clicks, no web app usage Demand generation test
Funnel: “Couples” campaign
$ 29.7 this week
304,286 0.01 c
impressions
122 uniques 0.35 c/new
85 new
24.6% conversion
30 sign-up 0.99 c
clicks
but one used web app
Tuesday, March 6, 12
21. What We Found: different distance types
Customer Archetypes: Distance is both physical and emotional
busy co-located couples
Emotional
YES
0.01 c
0.35 c/new
committed long distance couples
NO 0.99 c
NO YES
Physical
Tuesday, March 6, 12
22. What We Found: different distance types
Customer Archetypes: Distance is both physical and emotional
busy co-located couples
Emotional
YES
0.01 c
0.35 c/new
committed long distance couples
NO 0.99 c
NO YES
Physical
Tuesday, March 6, 12
23. What We Did: Tested Travel Component
Test Results
Would be fun and Marketing Partners
useful...won’t pay
Spend a lot on
travel - avg ~ DATING Sites &
TRAVEL HOTELS CORP.
$3100/yr Blogs
United Match.com Starwood Consulting
10%
Not Pay
24% $ 5-10 Expedia,
$ 1-5 eHarmony Marriott Airlines
Kayak
66%
JetBlue OkCupid.com Sheraton Sales
Tuesday, March 6, 12
24. What We Learnt: Gifts, not travel Partner, revenue
Travel business model not feasible due to poor click through rate
over mobile
Partner Example Type/Canvas Takeaway Feasible?
Expedia/Travelocity Affiliate Poor/No click through
rates would get us
kicked out!
1-800-Flowers Customer 6-9% of sales
(and competition) Avg sale > $30
Other Top “Gift” Categories:
Electronics, Candy, Wine
Customer Karma model? TBD
Tuesday, March 6, 12
31. User Behavior
Same location
Registered Long-distance
on TestFlight
16 Installed Sync
14 Came back
12
10
8
2
Tuesday, March 6, 12
32. User Interviews (5)
2 Long-distance, 3 Same Location
“The one-to-one idea is
awesome!”
“I definitely want to know
that information”
“Same effort as texting, could you make it
automatic?”
Tuesday, March 6, 12
33. Survey Data (7 users)
• 5 Long-distance, 2 Same Location
• 2 Complaints about Visual Design
Tuesday, March 6, 12
34. Survey Data (7 users)
• 5 Long-distance, 2 Same Location
• 2 Complaints about Visual Design
• Were Push Notifications helpful?
7 0
Tuesday, March 6, 12
35. Survey Data (7 users)
Do you want to continue using Sync?
Tuesday, March 6, 12
36. Survey Data (7 users)
Do you want to continue using Sync?
7 0
Tuesday, March 6, 12
37. What We Found
Free > Premium
1 Premium
2 Free
Tuesday, March 6, 12
38. SYNC: VII. BUSINESS MODEL
Key Key Value Customer Customer
Partners Activities Propositions Relationships Segments
Mobile advertising
App Stores Design 1-click
Marketing Web sponsored st.
microupdates
AWS
Couples (P)
Private Space Blogs/dating Sites
GDS/ITA
Self service Couples (E)
Premium services
Key
Channels
Resources High conversion Flowers/ Candy
leads
Mobile Gift sites
IT infrastructure
Engineers, Travel/date/trip Web
Designers recommendations
Direct sale
Cost Revenue
Structure Streams
Personnel Customer Acquisition Freemium Lead generation
IT
Custom Gifts
Tuesday, March 6, 12
39. SYNC: VII. BUSINESS MODEL Confident
Unsure
Don’t know
Key Key Value Customer Customer
Partners Activities Propositions Relationships Segments
Mobile advertising
App Stores Design 1-click
Marketing Web sponsored st.
microupdates
AWS
Couples (P)
Private Space Blogs/dating Sites
GDS/ITA
Self service Couples (E)
Premium services
Key
Channels
Resources High conversion Flowers/ Candy
leads
Mobile Gift sites
IT infrastructure
Engineers, Travel/date/trip Web
Designers recommendations
Direct sale
Cost Revenue
Structure Streams
Personnel Customer Acquisition Freemium Lead generation
IT
Custom Gifts
Tuesday, March 6, 12
40. Summary of Key Learnings
Cheap hacks vs. Product
Build MVP for whatever your vision is ASAP
To get “good” result you need GOOD TESTS
Talk to our TARGET CUSTOMER & Put things in
customer’s hand
COMPETITION - not an empty space
Problem != PAYING CUSTOMER
Tuesday, March 6, 12
41. It this viable?
Not yet...
Now what?
We see the need, but need to continue
working on the solution...
Tuesday, March 6, 12
42. Confident
SYNC: 1.BUSINESS MODEL Unsure
Don’t know
Key Key Value Customer Customer
Partners Activities Propositions Relationships Segments
Amazon Design One-to-one private Self service College/graduate
Marketing space for sharing students in long
GDS/ITA all media and distance
messages Customer support relationships
Customization
Integration
Tailored services
Enterprises with
(Dates, Gifts and
large commuting
Key , Memories..) for a
healthy relationship Channels employee base
Resources
IT infra White label tool to Web
improve employee
Engineers, retention
Designers Direct sales
Cost Revenue
Structure Streams
Personnel Subscription Licensing
IT Gifts
Tuesday, March 6, 12
43. Confident
SYNC: II. BUSINESS MODEL Unsure
Don’t know
Key Key Value Customer Customer
Partners Activities Propositions Relationships Segments
One-to-one private
AWS Design space Self service College/graduate
Marketing students in long
App Stores Connect their distance
different Worlds Customer support relationships
Customization
GDS/ITA
Integration Schedule trips and
time for each other Enterprises with
large commuting
Key Meaningful updates employee base
(Easily and frequently Channels
Resources share trivial things)
Tailored services Web
IT infra
(Virtual Dates, Gifts,
Timeline)
Engineers, Mobile
Designers White label tool to
improve employee Direct sales
retention
Cost Revenue
Structure Streams
Personnel Customer Acquisition Subscription
IT Gifts Virtual Goods
Tuesday, March 6, 12
44. Confident
SYNC: III. BUSINESS MODEL Unsure
Don’t know
Key Key Value Customer Customer
Partners Activities Propositions Relationships Segments
Single-click sharing
AWS Design in a private space Self service College/graduate
Marketing students in long
App Stores distance
Virtual dates and
custom gifts relationships
GDS/ITA
Travel
recommendations
Key Manufacturers/
Channels
Resources High conversion retailers of gifting
leads items (flowers,
Web chocolates)
IT infra
Engineers, Mobile
Designers
Direct sale
Cost Revenue
Structure Streams
Personnel Customer Acquisition Subscription Custom Gifts
IT Lead generation
Tuesday, March 6, 12
45. Confident
SYNC: IV. BUSINESS MODEL Unsure
Don’t know
Key Key Value Customer Customer
Partners Activities Propositions Relationships Segments
Single-click sharing
AWS Design in a private space Self service College/graduate
Marketing students in long
App Stores distance
Virtual dates and
custom gifts relationships
GDS/ITA
Travel
recommendations
Key Manufacturers/
Channels
Resources High conversion retailers of gifting
leads items (flowers,
Web chocolates)
IT infra
Mobile
Engineers,
Designers
Direct sale
Cost Revenue
Structure Streams
Personnel Customer Acquisition Subscription Custom Gifts
IT Lead generation
Tuesday, March 6, 12
46. Confident
SYNC: V. BUSINESS MODEL Unsure
Don’t know
E
G Key
Key
Partners A N Activities Value
Propositions
Customer Customer
Relationships Segments
C H Single-click sharing
N OApp Stores
AWS Design
Marketing
in a private space Self service College/graduate
students in long
distance
relationships
GDS/ITA
Travel
recommendations
Key Manufacturers/
Channels
Resources High conversion retailers of gifting
leads items (flowers,
Web chocolates)
IT infra
Mobile
Engineers,
Designers
Direct sale
Cost Revenue
Structure Streams
Personnel Customer Acquisition Subscription Custom Gifts
IT Lead generation
Tuesday, March 6, 12
47. SYNC: VI. BUSINESS MODEL
Key Key Value Customer Customer
Partners Activities Propositions Relationships Segments
AWS Design Self service Couples in distance
1-click
Marketing OR commuting
App stores microupdates
relationships
GDS/ITA Travel/date/trip
recommendations
Manufacturers/
Key retailers of gifting
Channels
Resources items (flowers,
chocolates)
High conversion
IT infrastructure leads Web
Engineers, Mobile
Designers
Direct sale
Cost Revenue
Structure Streams
Personnel Customer Acquisition Subscription Custom Gifts
IT Lead generation
Tuesday, March 6, 12
48. Confident
SYNC: VI. BUSINESS MODEL Unsure
Don’t know
Key Key Value Customer Customer
Partners Activities Propositions Relationships Segments
AWS Design Self service Couples in distance
1-click
Marketing OR commuting
App stores microupdates
relationships
GDS/ITA Travel/date/trip
recommendations
Manufacturers/
Key retailers of gifting
Channels
Resources items (flowers,
chocolates)
High conversion
IT infrastructure leads Web
Engineers, Mobile
Designers
Direct sale
Cost Revenue
Structure Streams
Personnel Customer Acquisition Subscription Custom Gifts
IT Lead generation
Tuesday, March 6, 12
49. SYNC: VII. BUSINESS MODEL
Key Key Value Customer Customer
Partners Activities Propositions Relationships Segments
Mobile advertising
App Stores Design 1-click
Marketing Web sponsored st.
microupdates
AWS
Couples (P)
Private Space Blogs/dating Sites
GDS/ITA
Self service Couples (E)
Premium services
Key
Channels
Resources High conversion Flowers/ Candy
leads
Mobile Gift sites
IT infrastructure
Engineers, Travel/date/trip Web
Designers recommendations
Direct sale
Cost Revenue
Structure Streams
Personnel Customer Acquisition Freemium Lead generation
IT
Custom Gifts
Tuesday, March 6, 12
50. SYNC: VII. BUSINESS MODEL Confident
Unsure
Don’t know
Key Key Value Customer Customer
Partners Activities Propositions Relationships Segments
Mobile advertising
App Stores Design 1-click
Marketing Web sponsored st.
microupdates
AWS
Couples (P)
Private Space Blogs/dating Sites
GDS/ITA
Self service Couples (E)
Premium services
Key
Channels
Resources High conversion Flowers/ Candy
leads
Mobile Gift sites
IT infrastructure
Engineers, Travel/date/trip Web
Designers recommendations
Direct sale
Cost Revenue
Structure Streams
Personnel Customer Acquisition Freemium Lead generation
IT
Custom Gifts
Tuesday, March 6, 12
51. SYNC: VIII. BUSINESS MODEL
Key Key Value Customer Customer
Partners Activities Propositions Relationships Segments
Mobile advertising
App Stores Design 1-click
Marketing Web sponsored st.
microupdates
Couples (P)
Private Space Blogs/dating Sites
Self service Couples (E)
Premium services
Key
Channels
Resources High conversion Flowers/ Candy
leads
Mobile Gift sites
IT infrastructure
Engineers,
Designers
Direct sale
Cost Revenue
Structure Streams
Personnel Customer Acquisition Freemium Lead generation
IT
Tuesday, March 6, 12
52. Confident
SYNC: VIII. BUSINESS MODEL Unsure
Don’t know
Key Key Value Customer Customer
Partners Activities Propositions Relationships Segments
Mobile advertising
App Stores Design 1-click
Marketing Web sponsored st.
microupdates
Couples (P)
Private Space Blogs/dating Sites
Self service Couples (E)
Premium services
Key
Channels
Resources High conversion Flowers/ Candy
leads
Mobile Gift sites
IT infrastructure
Engineers,
Designers
Direct sale
Cost Revenue
Structure Streams
Personnel Customer Acquisition Freemium Lead generation
IT
Tuesday, March 6, 12
