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Redesigning with a Purpose

TechCrunch had this gem talking about Mint’s recent redesign (bolding mine):

That normally isn’t big news, but what caught my attention is that Mint has been bucket testing various redesign formats with some users and is seeing conversion rates increase by 20% over the current site.

That equals “hundreds of thousands” of more registered users over the course of a year given their current growth rates, says CEO Aaron Patzer. When we last checked in with them, they had 350,000 registered users and were tracking $11 billion in assets. Those numbers are likely substantially higher now.

But then followed it up with this amazingly misguided statement:

Most startups have very limited resources and are so busy building and maintaining core features that they can’t spend too much time doing user testing on various concepts. Sometimes it makes sense to just take a step back and think about usability, though. It can pay off in the end.

As that same article says, Mint has $17 million in funding. One full time, well versed marketer could be running these split tests all day and continuously accelerating Mint’s user-base growth.

Even if they were paying someone a lucrative $100K per year, that is a virtual drop in the bucket 0.59% of their total funding.

20% growth prospects doesn’t seem like a bad ROI on that 0.59%. I’d say that definitely “pays off in the end.” More proof that Silicon Valley needs more direct response kung fu.

2008 08 18 Mike marketing Comments (0) Permalink

Direct Sales in the Tech Industry

This post by Scoble about the Google Keyword Tool fascinates me to no end. Does Silicon Valley know anything about marketing on the internet?

The overt focus on bleeding edge technology and fancy UI’s seems to have overshadowed that it’s not how much TechCrunch likes your design, it’s how well it works. Rarely have I read commentary in the blogosphere (or anywhere for that matter) pondering the true effectiveness of a design, rather than academically discussing its simplicity and ease of use.

If someone as knowledgeable as Scoble is just now talking about the keyword tool, then there’s a wide friggin’ hole for direct response gurus to bust in there and use some serious kung fu trickery to help these start-ups grow.

In an industry where so much value is placed on user counts or a derivative thereof, and when well-designed tests can yield 10, 20, and 30+ percent improvements in signup rates, I’m contuously amazed at how apparently little importance is placed on start-ups finding someone who’s a master of this domain.

I guess it goes without saying that email marketing is probably wide open as well. :)

2008 08 17 Mike marketing Comments (1) Permalink

What’s the point?

What’s the point of your project? Of your company? Of getting out of bed today?

If your company were to disappear, would anyone notice? Would someone get upset? What is the one thing at the very core that makes what you’re doing worth the blood, sweat, and passion you’re putting into it?

And I don’t think it can be about money. Money doesn’t make most people get up in the morning. Contributing to the greater good, somehow making something better today than it was yesterday; that’s why most people get up.

And I think the more direct that link is the better. You can’t bullshit your employees or customers or partners for very long, using some vague, mumbled connection to improving peoples’ lives or whatever higher purpose you’ve chosen.

People want to do good, and I think people work best when they know how and why and to what extent they’re doing it. As a leader, I think it’s your job to understand the Point, and then rally everyone else around it.

Update: Hugh adds two more kinds of people you might be leading.

2008 08 17 Mike musing Comments (0) Permalink

Make the box small, and check it

As Gary V says in the video above: Big dreams are a dime a dozen, perpetually on sale, in readily available in the free-bin at Salvation Army.

The small accomplishments, the baby steps, the tiny victories… those are the unsung, unsexy heroes. And consequently, those are the steps to the dreams.

(Gary’s blog is worth checking out.)

2008 08 13 Mike musing Comments (0) Permalink

Competition: Friendly vs Cut Throat

Jason Calacanis cites hating as one of the reason’s he no longer blogs. How sad.

There are two ways to look at your competition. They’re either your sworn enemies, in which case you probably see your market as only large enough for one of you.

Or, they can be avenues for your own expansion and a potential relationship that could help you both grow. Your market is big and only getting bigger. Share the wealth, live and let live, and grow together.

Gaining market share doesn’t mean you must take away someone else’s. In fact, working–not fighting–together is probably the easiest way to gain.

And if that doesn’t work, you could at least be friends.

2008 08 10 Mike musing Comments (0) Permalink

To Win It, You Gotta Be In It

If you aren’t an artist, you probably won’t start a successful art website.

And you probably can’t run a software company if you (at the very least) haven’t been around a lot of hackers.

And it’s unlikely you can instantly whip up a travel writing career if you’ve been tossing salads all your life.

You’ll notice I never said “impossible,” but each of those 3 transitions probably gets pretty close. And here’s my point, if you want to be successful at Something, you need to immerse yourself in the industry, skillset, and network that that Something is in.

I’ll be switching career gears very soon, and this consideration played a part in my decision.

If I wish to pursue the self-employment Dream, I must surround myself with others taking a similar plunge, going through similar tribulations, and making mutually beneficial realizations. If I want to do freelance marketing, potential clients are only a the surface of the network I’ll need for a healthy, sane experience.

Only other freelancers can provide the experiential mentorship, support skills, and general wisdom to make this transition as quick, painless, and profitable as possible.

And I can’t get that here, employed, abroad.

So I think it is time to dive in. Full fucking throttle into a community I know very little about, but respect greatly.

To become insanely successful inside a community, I think you need to eat, sleep, and drink that community and its nuances until you know it upside down, right side up, and all the way across.

Once that happens, you’ll start realizing exponentially beneficial connections, relationships, and opportunities. And that makes things happen more quickly, easily, and pleasurably… which is nice.

2008 07 28 Mike freelance Comments (1) Permalink

Consistency: The Unsung Hero

Our world gives a lot of props to dynamic companies who change with the times, diversify, and remain small.

The ability to change, whether tweaking your direction or changing your market (Nokia didn’t begin a telecommunication company), is much heralded and for the most part this is a good thing. Detroit knows all too well the perils of missing your market’s pulse and what rewards that brings.

But this focus has brought with it an interesting, if unintended consequence: the dilution of how crucial a clear, resolute vision is for the on-the-ground warriors of your company.

What does your company stand for?

Where are you going?

What problems are you willing to stand up against, and (maybe more importantly) what are you not willing to stand up against?

Why does everyone come to work every day?

Many a company stuck to their guns to get through The Dip,  but don’t get the exposure of those who’ve Made It by switching things up. The stories and learnings taken from those experiences are far fewer than those that Won through agility. (Note: I don’t see many blogs about how to persevere).

Finally, and most importantly, your Vision, Values, Ideals, and goals form the foundation for your employees to stand on. They’re the things they rally around.

These attributes tell you who fits (and who doesn’t) in your organization, tell you how to write your website copy, and tell you how everyone treats each other. Change them too fast and the ground is too shaky; no one knows what to think.

What to change, and what not to change within your organization is something worth thinking about.

2008 07 27 Mike musing Comments (0) Permalink

Bob Dylan, Headphones, and Your Story

You might have noticed this should you call Dear Landlord a song pleasant to your ears.

The song is fairly rad, all things equal, but it reaches a special level of unfettered awesomeness when you listen to it with headphones. To me, there are tiny details you can only notice through the audio microscope and they take it to another level of instrumental supremacy.

Dear Landlord is just one case of many. Listen to just about any Pink Floyd album. The closer, more intimate you get to the song, the better it becomes.

At the same time, there are songs where just the opposite happens. The closer you get, the less awesome it is.

The idea translates to your story.

Is it attractive from a distance? When someone takes a quick, tertiary glance, will it pique their interest?

And if it does, what happens when they look more closely? Are your details something to be proud of? When they put on the headphones to listen to your story, does everything dance in harmony?

To develop intimate, trusted supporters, you better sound and look good up close.

And to even take the first step in developing those relationships, you’ve also got to be attractive from a distance.

2008 06 21 Mike marketing Comments (1) Permalink

How Good Can You Get, and How Fast Can You Get Good?

It might be a daily struggle for you to publish that next blog post, put that sales page online, or commit those app changes.

“Just one more tweak, and then we’ll go live.”

What if you didn’t need that tweak? What if your opinion didn’t matter.

There is no progress without struggle, but why confine the struggle to your mind? Why not let users or customers or fans tell you what they want?

Struggle in the right direction.

I don’t think the goal is to release a perfect product. The goal is to release a good product, and mold it into perfect. Over time, you’re starting point, how good it is at release, will get better.

And over time, you should get faster and faster at closing in on perfection.

But you can’t do that without your audience telling what they want. So why prohibit them? Just release it already!

2008 06 17 Mike musing Comments (0) Permalink

$0.10 @ $0.02/piece

1. People DO NOT like to wait for the product they just bought - they want it yesterday.

When they buy it, then want it NOW. When they email you, they want the answer NOW (it doesn’t matter if there is 1 of you and 100 of them). When a client needs you to update the password-reset function, they want it NOW (but don’t ask them for new copy, that won’t come until next month).

1b. This includes email. Use an autoresponder to immediately direct them to your FAQ (hope it’s good!) and also to set the right expectations for timeliness. I’ll gladly wait a day if that means you’ll serve me better.

2. Your company blog and discussion forum require 110% dedication every single day. That means that when you start one, the person running it after you must be just as dedicated as well.

If you don’t deliver that product NOW, expect a nice explosion of discontent breeding and reinforcing itself across the threads in your forum. That beautiful customer relationship and reputation it took you 365+ days to shine up is stained in about 24 hours.

3. Create an impressive product, then add 50% more awesomeness.

4. If your product or web app requires more than an on/off switch, you need explicitly clear instructions. Assume you’re talking to an (illiterate) 3 year old, then dumb it down a little more. [ By the way, this is why it's good to filter customers.]

5. When a lead/prospect emails you, it is totally possible that a response they deem “undesirable” actually leaves them happier than if you hadn’t responded at all. Worth thinking about.

2008 06 11 Mike musing Comments (0) Permalink