It really depends on what you're looking to offer, but generally you should allow people to try before they buy, encourage and help them while they try it out and then ask for the business.
There is really no single "best strategy" that will guarantee success (i.e admission to one of the top accelerators). That said, over the years, a lot of lessons have been learnt about must-haves in your application to give yourself the best possible shot. For e.g. [1] http://ycuniverse.com/yc-...
The core underlying factor for this is that platforms and behaviors took hold which did two crucial things for commerce, communication, and entertainment driven companies. The first was provide a graph to leverage for quick scale, Zynga on Facebook being the best example. Many others were able to...
(built Spheric / 30+ person consultancy / sold in 4 years) I'm going to assume you're thinking of starting a service company vs. a product company (even though most service companies do have ambitions of some day having a product, it's best to stay focused on this for now - they are totally diff...
Mark is correct that the best advisors should have skin in the game but that advice is applicable only when you and your business are obviously investable. I've engaged advisors at times when I knew I wasn't ready to ask for their money and I've often begun advisory relationships in the earliest...
I've been using UW for a few years. It is very useful but you have to be careful. Lot of unreliable people out there. Over the years, I've narrowed a couple of people I keep using. And have excluded others. Few things: 1- It's best to give clear instruction. I tend to build GSheet on what I need,...
Cool concept, but yeah, it can be time consuming. While there may be automated ways to do this, another way to consider the demands of the individualized approach is to think of the effort as an investment in the relationship. Down the road, this investment could pay dividends, including: * when ...
I've done a lot of work in this space (created the new art of conference network: Hashtags to handshakes). Here are a few thoughts for you: -get clear on you goal(s) and the type of people who can help you. -take inventory of what you have to offer(use this acronym Work history, Hobbies, Educatio...
When the cost to acquire each additional paid user: -is less than the prior user you are in viral growth. -is equal to the prior user you are growing. -is more that the prior user than you are starting to reach maturity (but possibly not there yet). -is equal to what you are willing to pay then...
I would love to advise a few ideas to get your online business going. With a background and expertise in Internet Marketing, I believe that a blog could be a great way to increase your client way. Additionally, with content marketing, you can offer your services and clinical advise across the Bay...