if you build it... they won't come: achieving adoption
DESCRIPTION
Most vendors of enterprise social software have sales pitches that are basically BS. Based on my experience, I explain what is going through the vendors' heads, and then I go through what you're supposed to do if you want to build an actually profitable company. Presented at EnterpriseCamp, Toronto, May 29, 2007.TRANSCRIPT
If you build it… they won’t come
Achieving Adoption
2Sunir Shah, [email protected]
If you build it, they will come
Pitch
The community will “just happen”.
3Sunir Shah, [email protected]
If you build it, they will come
Vendor belief
Sell the customer, then
abandon the customer.
4Sunir Shah, [email protected]
If you build it, they will come
Vendor belief
Renewals happen automagically
aka “Free money!”
5Sunir Shah, [email protected]
If you build it, they will come
Truth
Nobody $%!#ing cares about you.
6Sunir Shah, [email protected]
If you build it, they will come
Truth
Customers keep paying only for what they use.
7Sunir Shah, [email protected]
If you build it, they will come.
HomerunAdd value or move on.
•Painkillers, not vitamins.•Low hanging fruit.•Committed founder
8Sunir Shah, [email protected]
If you build it, they will come
HomerunVisible pulse
•Show others (like me) using it•1:1 mentoring, buddy system•Day-glo orange invite button
9Sunir Shah, [email protected]
If you build it, they will come
Homerun
Don’t sell walled gardens.•Build along intersecting workflows.•Email is the still the killer app.•Open the interface
11Sunir Shah, [email protected]
Shiny!
Vendor belief
More shiny features = More buzz!
More features = More sales
12Sunir Shah, [email protected]
Shiny!
Truth
Early stageShininess attracts early
adopters* who help you refine your product.
* Your friends and their friends
13Sunir Shah, [email protected]
Shiny!Truth
You can’t sell on features alone.
(The feature treadmill is price war with escalating dev costs
=> Bankruptcy)
14Sunir Shah, [email protected]
Shiny!
Truth
Later stageReference customers* who actually use and love your business create traction.
* Your customers and their friends
15Sunir Shah, [email protected]
Shiny!Truth
Customers who buy on thewhole customer
experiencesee your value, and stick! =>
Success!
16Sunir Shah, [email protected]
Shiny!
Homerun
Create spectacles.•Shiny features for techies.•Awesome case studies for customers.•Compelling stories for media.
17Sunir Shah, [email protected]
Shiny!Homerun
Establish relationships.•Techies create an after market.•Customers evangelize you to their market.•Media amplify your voice in a market.
19Sunir Shah, [email protected]
I am not a number
Vendor belief
We have customer support!
outsourced automatedunskilledcheap
20Sunir Shah, [email protected]
I am not a number
Truth
Customers that complainare customers that care.
21Sunir Shah, [email protected]
I am not a numberHomerun
•Respond to them. Immediately.•Follow up to see if things went well.•Phone them. Proactively. Now.•Feedback everywhere. (e.g. logout)
22Sunir Shah, [email protected]
I am not a numberHomerun
•Blog, converse, involve, decide together.•Publish their feedback and act on it.•Solicit user studies. Fix breakdowns.•Customer advisory board.
23Sunir Shah, [email protected]
Our customers love us
Pitch
Our customers love us.We have great testimonials!
24Sunir Shah, [email protected]
Our customers love us
Vendor belief
Customer testimonials are just marketing collateral.
(Look how awesome I am!)
25Sunir Shah, [email protected]
Our customers love us
Truth
Customers love referring you because
it makes them look smart.
27Sunir Shah, [email protected]
Our customers love us
Homerun•Encourage testimonials…
•Ask for them!•Thank your customers! Profusely!•Don’t correct them!
28Sunir Shah, [email protected]
Our customers love us
Homerun•… as the start of a strong relationship
•Your customers are people too.•Tell your customers’ stories.•Bring your customers together.•Help them, unexpectedly.
29Sunir Shah, [email protected]
We are all cogs in a machine
Homerun•Add value outside your main business.
•Add partners where you can’t add value.
•Have a cause. (Pick an enemy.)
•You + customers make the world better, how?
30Sunir Shah, [email protected]
Summary
•Commit.•Painkillers, not vitamins.•Visible pulse.•Invest in spectacular relationships.•Have a cause. Improve the world.