y combinator startup class #7 : how to build products users love (part 1)

How to Build Products Users Love

Kevin Hale@ilikevests

Conversion

Churn

Growth!

W2006

Education

Research

Real Estate

Marketing

Sales

Banking

Healthcare

IT

Designers

Small Businesses

Non-Profits

Startups

Students

Engineers

676%

29,561%

$25.3 MAverage Startup

$118KWufoo

We were fanatical about creating meaningful relationships with

our users.

Existing Users :: MarriageNew Users :: Dating

FIRST!IMPRESSIONS

Homepage Landing Pages Plans / Pricing

Login Signup

First Email Account Creation

Blank / Starting Interface Login Link

Ad Link First Support

����� atarimae hinshitsu

����� miryokuteki hinshitsu

ResourcesHTML Email Templates Chimplets MailChimp Research Academy Videos Experts

Transactional Email Email on Mobile Devices Email Marketing Field Guide Getting Started WithMailChimp

MailChimp Mobile How to Manage Your List MailChimp For High-VolumeSenders

MailChimp International

How to Use Hairball How To Use GoogleAnalytics With MailChimp

How to Select an Email-Marketing Agency

Spam Lawsuits

Understanding Reports Email Security How To Use Templates MailChimp For Designers

Let's Get Social Common Rookie Mistakes How To Create An EmailMarketing Plan

MailChimp for Music

MailChimp For OnlineSellers

MailChimp for Bloggers MailChimp For Churches MailChimp for Nonprofits

Your First Email MarketingProject

Constant Contact SwitchersGuide

How to Use Merge Tags Warning Signs That YourClient Is Spamming

Email Delivery For ITProfessionals

How To Avoid Spam Filters Email Jitsu Love What You Do (ColoringBook)

MailChimp Guides

About Us

About MailChimpJobsStoriesPress ResourcesPress ReleasesIntegration FundBrand Assets

Connect With Us

Mandrill Transactional EmailIntegrations & PluginsMailChimp APIMailChimp Labs

Contact Us

Contact MailChimpPartner With UsAbuse DeskMailChimp StatusFind an Expert

Legal Info

Terms of UsePrivacy PolicyCopyright Policy

© 2001-2013 All Rights Reserved. MailChimp® is a registered trademark of The Rocket Science Group

Log In

PricingPricing FeaturesFeatures ResourcesResources SupportSupport BlogBlog Enter your search !

Resources

Transactional Email Email on Mobile Devices Email Marketing Field Guide Getting Started WithMailChimp

MailChimp Mobile How to Manage Your List MailChimp For High-VolumeSenders

MailChimp International

How to Use Hairball How To Use GoogleAnalytics With MailChimp

How to Select an Email-Marketing Agency

Spam Lawsuits

Understanding Reports Email Security How To Use Templates MailChimp For Designers

Let's Get Social Common Rookie Mistakes How To Create An EmailMarketing Plan

MailChimp for Music

MailChimp For OnlineSellers

MailChimp for Bloggers MailChimp For Churches MailChimp for Nonprofits

Your First Email MarketingProject

Constant Contact SwitchersGuide

How to Use Merge Tags Warning Signs That YourClient Is Spamming

Email Delivery For ITProfessionals

How To Avoid Spam Filters Email Jitsu Love What You Do (ColoringBook)

MailChimp Guides

About Us

About MailChimpJobsStoriesPress ResourcesPress ReleasesIntegration FundBrand Assets

Connect With Us

Mandrill Transactional EmailIntegrations & PluginsMailChimp APIMailChimp Labs

Contact Us

Contact MailChimpPartner With UsAbuse DeskMailChimp StatusFind an Expert

Legal Info

Terms of UsePrivacy PolicyCopyright Policy

© 2001-2013 All Rights Reserved. MailChimp® is a registered trademark of The Rocket Science Group

Log In

PricingPricing FeaturesFeatures ResourcesResources SupportSupport BlogBlog Enter your search !

iPhone App Android App

Wordpress Plugin

John Gottman

1 Hour = 94%15 Minutes = 85%

Everyone fights.

Cost / Billing Users’ Clients Performance Roadmap Others

Money Kids Sex

Time Others

10%

100%

7%

1%

5%

.3%

Website Visitors

Signup to Trial

Login to Account

Active Users

Paying Users

Staying Users

Software engineers and designers are

often divorced from the consequences of their actions.

Before Launch 100%

Create Software

Create Software

Customer Support

Business Crap

CrapHiring Crap

Fix Crap

After Launch

Software Development

Responsibility Accountability Humility{

Support Driven Development

S D D

You make everyone do customer support.

Creators = Supporters

1Support Responsible Developers and Designers

Give the Best Support

Criticism Contempt

Defensiveness Stonewalling

The Four Horsemen

+500,000 users ~5 million people

~400 issues +800 emails 7-12 minutes

Joe Gebbia

75.8%

78.1%

Emotional State

Browser Type

Confused

Angry

Panicked

Excited

Upset

Worried

44%

4%22%

11%

8%

12%

2Support Responsible Developers and Designers

Create Better Software

Direct Exposure Minimum Every Six Weeks

At Least Two Hours

None All

Current Target

Knowledge Gap

Knowledge Spectrum

?What happens when you make everyone responsible

for giving remarkable support every single week?

5,250

10,500

15,750

21,000

Jun-06 Dec-08 Jun-11

Subscribers New Users Downgrades

0

100

200

300

400

4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 2 4 6

Wufoo Support Requests

ATROPHYRELATIONSHIPS

We made everyone say thank you.

Best Price Best Product

Best Overall Solution

Kevin Hale@ilikevests