Grateful 7 speech thanking everyone that has helped.pdf
In2Lex 2011: Traction and Exit (The End of the Beginning)
1. Traction & Exit…The End of the Beginning In2Lex Startup Advantage Conference 4/18/11 Robert Pease, VP Marketing @Gist -> Marketing at Research In Motion @ReplyToAll
2. Last Slide First Have a plan, make changing it painful, realize it will be wrong Master your funnel mechanics – get traction, scale follows Know your strategic landscape The deal is just the beginning (not the end) #suadv Robert Pease/@ReplyToAll You can thank Zach Nelson CEO of Netsuite for this slide
41. Opportunity…and to make sure you are talking to the right people (product). Robert Pease/@ReplyToAll
42. Let’s make a deal… #suadv This is is not the end. Do or do not. There is no try.* Deals die at least once Plan for it not to happen Keep your team focused. Be as transparent as possible. It will (probably) leak Keep customer & vendor agreements plain vanilla Trust your lawyer or get a new one. It will take longer than you think. Robert Pease/@ReplyToAll *Yoda
43. Closing! Celebrate your success… …but don’t forget about retention, integration, alignment and many, many other things. #suadv Robert Pease/@ReplyToAll
44. A whole new world… #suadv WHO ARE YOU ? Robert Pease/@ReplyToAll
45. Your questions? Robert Pease, VP Marketing @Gist -> Marketing at Research In Motion robertcpease@gmail.com 206.237.0397 @ReplyToAll Slides available: slideshare.net/robertcpease #suadv
Notas do Editor
I am an operatorMy experience, my opinion2-2-1; 10 yr results from the VC fund of “me”
Think thru what you want to do, then start doing it. Pivot is not a point of pride. Iterate and learn but if you are not focused/knowledgeable on a problem out of the gate, then it will be a rough rideMarketing success is best viewed thru the sales pipeline regardless if you have sales people on staff or not – actually your goal is to close customer without a single touch – then swarm them with support. Sales = supportKnow the players, the pieces and the dynamics. When Co A buys B, see if your landscape provide a frame of reference and justificationThis is not about starting a business (startup) this is about running a business and one path out is to become part of someone else. Other paths include a brick wall and doing it alone. Do not be obsessed with exit.
Have a plan and make changing it painfulKnow it and recite it
When you start you have hypothesis and assumptionsYou will overstate your successYou will learn as you goYour forecasts will become better based on your operational knowledgeStartups are hard…
Technical Risk – does it work?Market Risk – does anybody care…and will they pay for it?
Talk to them oftenThey won’t want to hurt your feelingsBefore->During->AfterWrite a narrative…That people care aboutAnd you can cost-effectively reach themIdentify and plan for latent vs. realized demand
There is only 1 silver bullet and it is coors light – marketing will not save youLaunch is a process not an eventIf you product sucks, your product sucks and users will vote with their attention
This ad first appeared in 1958Business fundamentals do not changeDon’t think this time is differentThe tools, tactics, and technology may be but people still make buying decisions
InternalSpread the word – deal team + knows you..Who can you help, what is your expertise, don’t want to be toldYou will have more process than you had before