Steve Blank talks to entrepreneurs about the customer development process

marketing.fm

27 points·EGF··2 comments

I just watched Part 1 on my lunch break and took the following notes. BTW, that scrolling twitter widget is really annoying, but you can just jQuery(".widget").hide() if you're using Firebug.

Enterprise software

1/20 prospects will meet all 5 characteristics & therefore are earlyvangelists

1. have a problem

2. know they have a problem

3. actively looking for a solution

4. already cobbled a solution out of piece parts

5. have or can acquire a budget

Giving away betas don't get you relationships. You need to have an Early Access Program, they pay full price, make them partners, have them help you "define features"...that you were going to build anyway

VCs fund hockey stick growth

Make sure that your goals for profitability & your investor's goals for profitability are aligned. e.g. don't want $10mm/yr when your investors want $100mm/yr

Early adopters who use product but don't pay are part of your MARKETING BUDGET but are not customers. They have not given you money.

You have no idea who on the org chart will buy until you confirm your hypothesis by trying to sell

Notes on part 2 after lunch tomorrow ;)

Thanks for these notes - it would have been helpful for me to document each video but I wanted to get them online and posted. Sorry about the widget - viewing in full screen or listening to the audio should solve this issue. Looking forward to seeing the second video notes.

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