KCC Book Review:  The Lean Startup By Erik Reis

In this book, Eric Ries discusses the lean startup methodology…where the following principles are discussed:

Principles of The Lean Startup

Entrepreneurs are everywhere

You don’t have to work in a garage to be in a startup.

Entrepreneurship is management

A startup is an institution, not just a product, so it requires management, a new kind of management specifically geared to its context.

Validated learning

Startups exist not to make stuff, make money, or serve customers. They exist to learn how to build a sustainable business. This learning can be validated scientifically, by running experiments that allow us to test each element of our vision.

Innovation accounting

To improve entrepreneurial outcomes, and to hold entrepreneurs accountable, we need to focus on the boring stuff: how to measure progress, how to setup milestones, how to prioritize work. This requires a new kind of accounting, specific to startups.

Build-Measure-Learn

The fundamental activity of a startup is to turn ideas into products, measure how customers respond, and then learn whether to pivot or persevere. All successful startup processes should be geared to accelerate that feedback loop.

http://lean.st/

My favorite part of the book was how Erik demonstrates how A/B split testing can be applied to product development in a lean or agile environment using the Build-Measure-Learn continuum.  The benefits include smaller capital costs and faster market introduction. 

- Bottom Line -

If you are a startup or an existing company with a stale product line, you need to read this book.  It will change how you view product development.

Web Design – Offer Confusion Explained

Have you ever gone to a website, looked around, and didn't know what to do? 

It happens all of the time!  What happens next is very predictable.  You click the "x" in the upper right and leave the page.

Why?  You have just experienced offer confusion?

Offer confusion is where a website has way to much information, so that the call to action is not clear or defined.  Generally, there are too many different calls to action…buy now, optin in, signup, contact now, etc.

When prospects and customers are faced with too many options, they leave! 

Web Design – What Is Your Call To Action?

When thinking about desiging a webstie or redesigning a website, you need to define your offer first.  Then the site should be designed around creating a clear call to action for your ideal customer. 

And that call to action should either be an opt-in or a sale…period!

I urge you to review your web design…is the call to action clear or confusing?

Web Design – What Is A Trust Seal?

In some of my web design projects, I recommend trust seals for my clients.  If you don't already know, what is a trust seal?

Trust seals are certification symbols that communicate to potential customers that their data will be safe when they purchase your product from your website. There are hacker safe seals, privacy seals, PCI compliance seals, business validity seals, even industry-specific seals, and more; so you need to determine what seal your online business can profitably use.

Web Design – Do I Need A Web Seal?

If you have an ecommerce website, I would suggest having trust seals. They do increase conversions.

If you have a lead gen site, then you would want to have a clear privacy symbol or certificate that shows the user that their information is safe and that you won't rent, sell, or share their personal information.

And if you have a brochure site, good luck!  It is hard to make money from a brochure site?

Web Design – Is Your Site Performing?

Is your website producing an ROI?  If not, then you need a direct response website…a website that creates leads or sales.  Contact KCC today to learn how you can turn your website into an online sales machine on steriods!

PPC: What Is Trada & Crowdsourced PPC?

"Trada has developed a PPC marketplace that allows agencies and in-house advertisers to leverage the skills of hundreds of the best PPC experts in the world, who in turn earn money risk free by generating clicks and conversions for advertisers."  http://www.crunchbase.com/company/trada

PPC: Does Crowdsourced PPC Work?

I have spoken to Scott Calvert, VP sales at Trada.  Trada is growing like crazy.  They are getting fantastic reviews from their customers, so if you are looking to get instant traffic to you sight you should talk to them.

In addition, Trada is backed by Google Ventures and the Foundry Group, two heavy hitters in the VC world.

Lastly, Trada expanded their PPC platform to Facebook in November…which is pretty cool.

PPC: How to learn more about Trada?

If you want to learn more, you can go to Trada.com.

Go to http://www.trada.com/resources/ for some fantastic resources about and on pay per click advertising.

Also, you can email me at kevin (at) kevincohen (dot) com, and I'll personally introduce you to Scott.

Cheers!