Let it Rain On My Web 2.0 Startup
July 12, 2007 – 11:13 amOne of my favorite Sales/Marketing books is “How to Become a Rainmaker: The Rules for Getting and Keeping Customers and Clients” by Jeffrey J. Fox. Following is an adaptation of the Railmaker’s Credo for the web 2.0 startup.
The Web 2.0 Rainmakers Credo
1. Love your customers
I had to pleasure to listen to Flikr’s co-founder at the Web 2.0 Expo. He talked of how they personally engaged each new customer gaining valuable feedback and creating a community that became fiercely loyal.
2. Listen to your customers
Provide easy methods such as live help, forums and easy contact forms to gain as much feedback as possible. It is also useful to engage your customers personally if at all possible.
3. Give your customers what they need
Iterate early and often based on customer feedback. Here is where RAD comes in handy.
4. Be clear on pricing
Don’t make it mystical. You should make the value clear and relate it to dollars
5. Teach your customers
In addition to the crowd sourcing tools, provide tutorials and make your system so easy to use that the tutorials become largely obsolete.
6. Go the extra mile
Pleasantly surprise your customers. Stay knowledgeble of what your market’s pain point are and provide services they need before they ask.
7. Remind your customers
Use newsletters and announcements on your website to remind your customers of the tremendous value you bring them and provide easy ways for them to spread the word.
8. Thank you
Thank your customers sincerely and often.
9. Make it easy to pay
Make sure your payment process is super easy. It should not be painful to make a payment to you.
How do you make rain?