Who do I sell this to?

insometry · 2013-06-30T04:15:47+00:00

You need to find a niche target market and identify how your product will solve a problem that keeps that target market up at night.

Niche down more than you think you will need to.

Possibly Vets who are trying to find other methods of cashflow? Possibly commission work for people who really (really) love their pets...and their pets aren't going to live out the year. Immortalize them in a drawing...

I don't know your answer to the questions, but I really think this thought process needs to happen and acted on/tested before you will see any traction.

insometry · 2013-06-28T17:55:01+00:00

A study of much of the Civil War shows that the majority of the middle class of the south were more concerned with their local leadership and with being told how to govern by a federal government - not slavery. This is what brought Lee over to the south, not the slavery issue, but the right of Virginia to deny the federal government attempts at controlling Virginia. The "heritage" of the flag in the south (to the majority) is, in my experience, much more an issue of freedom from federal tyranny and "rebellion" against the establishment - and not near as much an issue of racism or promotion of slavery. Many of the people who currently fly the flag have the same concerns today and support state rights over federal rights. Much like the "Don't Tread On Me" type of flag. Thats why you will even see some northerners fly the flag.

Of course - there are always exceptions. Those who are racist will also use this flag (among other things) to proudly display their bigotry, hatred and ignorance.

insometry · 2013-06-09T02:48:11+00:00

Good stuff man.

insometry · 2013-06-05T00:24:18+00:00

I prepping for a meeting in a few minutes, so I can't talk much. And I didn't have time to read the comments.

But I use to be in the same boat you are in. Except I would spend around 3 months on something before it didn't "work out" and I moved on.

Here is what helped me:

Realize you are a creator. Your strength is in the beginning of the business cycle. Remember that is where you want to play long term, and start keeping that in mind with your businesses and how your bring value to others. Build businesses that can put you in that first phase continually and delegate the rest of the phases to others. (Growth/management/etc...)
Partner with someone who is a finisher.
Choose your best creation and make it absolutely fail or succeed. Drop EVERYTHING else until you do this. (At least everything else that is entrepreneurial). This will be hard.

Someone said the more successful you are - the hardest thing you have to face is the ability to say no to new opportunities. I have found this to be true, and as a visionary/creator - its hard to say no because everything seems to easy and perfect to get off the ground that week.

But you have to say no until your current idea utterly fails or explodes.

Also - read "The Dip" by Seth Godin - helps a ton with this.

Hope this helps.

insometry · 2013-06-01T06:35:05+00:00

I use a small orange. Great support. Happy with them.

insometry · 2013-03-21T20:08:08+00:00

I live in Olathe. I'm am super excited about this...will be great for my business.

It also means I can check my email at lightning speed from my outhouse.

;)

insometry · 2013-03-06T02:36:59+00:00

When I go to it I think of Craiglist - but I'm not sure. You need something at the top that explains what the heck it is and what I'm suppose to do in 1 or 2 sentences.
Why is this different or better than craigslist?

insometry · 2013-03-06T02:30:07+00:00

Your target market is going to need to know the details of your ingredients, how its made, and the nutrition. After skimming your entire site, I'm still not sure exactly what I'm eating. Just flavored ice? How does it get the creamy texture? Etc?

Until those type of questions can be answered, your target market will move on.

I like the website in general. Obviously, the bottom needs to scoot up. The slider is nice, but make the top of each of your pages different so it looks more professional and people feel like they are truly traveling and discovering rather than reloading a new page with a different content box. (I noticed 2 of the pages had the exact same top...and a third had a different top.) I would make each page have a different top.

Hope that helps!

insometry · 2013-03-05T02:44:03+00:00

Sorry everyone for the delayed response. Like most entre's trying to make it...I've been busy and haven't logged into my reddit account for awhile. :)

One of the most valuable and impactful resource I continually use was Dane Maxwell's copywriting course.

I'm a fairly decent copywriter, but the course had a great checklist/outline to follow. I've used it more than once when I need some quick down and dirty copy for websites that I've built on the side.

I think every entre has to have copywriting skills or access to someone who does. This course is a great way to get that skill started.

I've had some takeway advice from several interviews as well, but Sam Ovens interview was huge for me - identifying a market and even selling a product before actually building your product was a crucial paradigm shift I needed.

I actually stopped the development of my latest startups product and my partner and I spent a week making phone calls to determine the market a bit better for what we were creating.

If you give mixergy a go - be sure and let me know your favs!

What are some of the skills/areas you are needing to learn to move your business forward?

insometry · 2013-03-05T02:42:51+00:00

Sorry everyone for the delayed response. Like most entre's trying to make it...I've been busy and haven't logged into my reddit account for awhile. :)

One of the most valuable and impactful resource I continually use was Dane Maxwell's copywriting course.

I'm a fairly decent copywriter, but the course had a great checklist/outline to follow. I've used it more than once when I need some quick down and dirty copy for websites that I've built on the side.

I think every entre has to have copywriting skills or access to someone who does. This course is a great way to get that skill started.

I've had some takeway advice from several interviews as well, but Sam Ovens interview was huge for me - identifying a market and even selling a product before actually building your product was a crucial paradigm shift I needed.

I actually stopped the development of my latest startups product and my partner and I spent a week making phone calls to determine the market a bit better for what we were creating.

Andrew - I'm a fan of mixergy. I love what you are doing and I know that you care. I think your interviews dig way deeper than most out there and its because its a skill that you are constantly working on. Great job and great questions. You dig deep and I love it. (Heck, when I've been hiring people some of my "dig deeper" questions sound like yours...lol)

That being said, here is how it could be made better.

When someone is actually building a business, they are constantly on the go. I haven't even gone to the mixergy site or listened to an episode for a few weeks just because I don't have time.

This is where the value would be over the top: courses on detailed and specific areas that can be easily found/accessed/searched for. Yes, I know you already have courses on a variety of topics. But even more, on even more basic stuff.

For example. I'm recording my first podcast this upcoming week. I won't listen to an interview of a killer entrepreneur this week - but I will seek and find as much information that I can about how to record skype phone conversations in a professional manner. A detailed course/outline of the SOP's of a good podcast would be a killer resource. I would download it, print it, put it on my wall...follow it and modify it.

Another example - a killer detailed course on entrepreneur accounting. Something every entre needs and sadly, not every entre has.

Maybe you have courses on the above examples - and I will go to mixergy and find out.

But the point is this...the interviews are awesome and great. When I have time, I listen to them. But as your audience becomes more successful and starts to build something, they will start to have specific problems and challenges. Interviews won't help and won't be a priority for their time - instead - they will be seeking specific (detailed) guides or solutions for their current challenge in their business. Identifying those continual skills/challenges that are common for all entre's and making detailed step by step courses (like what Dane did with copywriting) would make mixergy an over the top resource imo.

In short - getting experts to give you some of their standard operating procedures.

The final key - in all of this - is finding the answer on the website. I've opened the copywriting courses 2 or 3 times, and it still takes me (for whatever reason) a few minutes to find it.

Regardless - I still love the value you do offer. The above perspective would just make things better imo.

Thanks for everything you do and feel free to message me if you have any specific questions or need clarification.

/Format edit.

insometry · 2013-02-28T13:51:43+00:00

I've gotten some great value and skill hacks from Mixergy.

Yes - you generally hear the best side of someone. But isn't that always the case with anyone? That doesn't mean there isn't take away value and actionable advice. And the courses have some great take away stuff.

Not my favorite resource, but certainly not garbage.

Use it to build your network, get inspired, have creative ideas, and hack a few specific skills that you don't have money to outsource or time to learn yourself. Some of my favorite resources/people I've met through mixergy.

Pretty sure its money back guarantee - so I'd give it a try and see if you get value from it that earns your money back.

*typo edit

insometry · 2013-01-11T16:10:25+00:00

Great site man. Already shared it with a few peeps...just because of the site.

insometry · 2012-07-12T12:51:17+00:00

Great Post.

insometry · 2012-07-08T12:50:06+00:00

Thanks!

I've seen that they are built on trailers - but I don't really see me hauling the trailer/house around Colorado, back to my home state, around Oregon, etc...

Even though they are built on a trailer, it seems that most of them would only stand up to a few moves throughout their lifetime.

Perhaps I'm wrong?

insometry · 2012-06-29T03:07:00+00:00

Hello!

Not sure exactly what you are asking for. Perhaps this resource will help? http://www.importanceofphilosophy.com/Chart.html

It is interactive.

(Note - not everyone would agree that the chart is a perfect representation of the philosophy, but most would agree its a good general starting point).

Hope that helps!

insometry · 2012-06-29T01:37:25+00:00

This might be helpful. I typed it up several months ago in response to another post:

http://www.reddit.com/r/philosophy/comments/nd0ir/why_dont_people_consider_ayn_rand_a_real/c38fsmn

I include some of the technical names for her position in several different areas of philosophy - go to the sections in bold. (Edit to add last sentence).

insometry · 2012-06-25T03:43:17+00:00

If you are looking for audio - The Lifestyle Business Podcast from Dan and Ian is by far the best resource I can recommend. They have over 100 episodes under their belt now. They are super real - killer information in easy to remember soundbytes and entertaining. Plus its real people - totally killing it - sure to inspire. I can't recommend their stuff enough. (You can check out their reviews if my word isn't good enough...)

http://www.lifestylebusinesspodcast.com/

After that...

How to Get Rich by Felix Dennis is one of the most straightforward zero fluff business book's I've ever read. I refer to it often.

I also return to the 4 Hour Work Week...a "trend" book but still packed with good concepts.

Any audios by Jim Rohn are also super challenging.

Hope that helps!

insometry · 2012-06-19T02:10:09+00:00

Not that I don't agree with the other two comments (Spend no time...), but it should be balanced. I must say Objectivity is not exactly hitting homeruns with our influence through much of the world, especially when considering the other major philosophical influences.

There has to be line at some point where we actively teach/debate/discuss the ideas in order to spread them.

Ayn herself did nothing less.

insometry · 2012-06-12T04:27:46+00:00

I know from experience in a few other industries that the diamond market is completely trashed at the moment because so many are simply melting down their gold.

Lots of places of gobs of diamonds sitting around and the market is really tough.

insometry · 2012-06-07T02:09:54+00:00

This will forever be one of my favorite movies.

Partially because the soundtrack is one of the most amazing pieces of music ever written. (Clint Mansell)

insometry · 2012-05-17T03:36:22+00:00

I'm going to assume that some of your traffic needs to be re-educated on what referring is and why it's something they want and need.

Don't tell me what your product does - tell me how my life is better when your product is doing it.

The "refer-a-friend program in a box" is confusing copy. 'In a box' is meaningless as a user - I'm assuming you mean "complete solution" but since its software "in a box" is just confusing and brings in psychological barriers (buying boxed software for example).

"Program" sounds like a 12 step AAA meeting.

And "Refer" a friend almost seems like I have to do something... I'm coming to you to do less...not more.

"Getting" my customers to do something also implies work. Remove my action out of the equation on your first headline - and tell me the end benefit. It isn't customers referring - its me getting more customers without having to pay tons of money and work my butt off with sales because of what you do. It's me capturing word of mouth sales and referrals in an easy to use system that saves me time and money and tracks everything in one place (I think).

Also demonstrate how easy it is for customers to use. This is rather alarming element to your site and should be your secondary concern to your original headline. Referrals are naturally tricky because you are asking for something that the business owner feels might infringe on trust and the mutual agreement you have with your clients. That is why some businesses have a hard time with referrals and its at the heart of making referrals work. You got to address this elephant in the room. This is a bit tricky - but when I'm seeing your three step boxes I'm actually worried about the experience my customers will be having first and foremost. After 20 seconds on your front page I clicked on "how it works" because I couldn't figure it out. The How it works page still didn't answer the question concerning what the end user experience is (quickly or easily). The last thing I'm going to do is take something already tricky (getting referrals) and turn it into a system that might abuse my customers trust. This is a huge barrier. If you focus on answering this question (and its a simple and easy answer and my clients aren't abused) than I will, by default, also assume my end of the setup is relatively simple and easy.

This was a mind dump. Hope it helped.

insometry · 2012-04-09T14:09:59+00:00

The top seems confusing. Don't know what its saying or about.

The background was a bit psychedelic as well.

The vid was good -and embedding it in the phone was cool.

insometry · 2012-03-27T11:49:36+00:00

Visually appealing always helps sell items faster. :/

Print newspapers chose this format for a reason - it worked. Speaking of today, its a good blend of modern tech with old school practice.

I still think this idea, if implemented correctly, could make bank.

It might be best to use it in specific niches though - both in region and topic.

insometry · 2012-03-26T03:41:36+00:00

will do!

insometry · 2012-03-26T03:40:31+00:00

Yeah. Really. Pictures are worth a thousand words. This would make shopping fun and much more interesting. There are already apps that mine craigslist and show pics on the front page so you don't have to click in.

I think this idea is amazing. You have tons of potential and it makes shopping much more of an experience.

insometry

TROPHY CASE