Oh, shit!

I actually have to build something.

Dumb Idea Bad Product

Make Less Bad

Make Less Dumb

 Launch your
company for
under $2,000.
 Step 1: Domain & Email

• GoDaddy Your Domain

– Get Misspellings
– Get .com, .org, .net

• Set-up Google Apps

– Email
– Calendaring
– Documents

• Smart Email Signature

Email Professionalism

Cost $160
 Step 2: Wireframe

• Define 3 “Screens”
– Show Key Functionality
– Keep Features Simple
– Pretend to Use
– Sleep & Iterate

Mockups
www.balsamiq.com
Cost FREE www.creately.com
 Step 3: Logo & Materials

• Use a 99Designs w/ $250-500

– Private Contest
– Continual Feedback
– Different Sizes: Small to Huge
– Black & White Version
• Engage Winner w/ $500-1,000
– Business Cards
– PowerPoint Backdrop
– 3 Screen Mockups
• VistaPrint Business Cards

Real World Professionalism

Cost $750 www.99designs.com

 Step 4: Pitch Deck

• PowerPoint Pitch Deck

– Not Keynote…
– Constantly Refine

• Minimum Slides
– Vision
– Market
– Product
– Revenue
– Team

Pitching Professionalism

Cost FREE PowerPoint

 Step 5: Landing Page

• Page Contents
– Professional Logo
– Company Description
– Screenshots (optional)
– “Coming Soon”
– Email Signup Form

• Tactics
– A/B Test Variants

Online Professionalism

Cost $60 www.unbouce.com

 Step 6: Blog

• URL
– blog.YourCompany.com
• Frequency
– Post 1-2 times per week
• Content
– Links to Competitors
– Repost Industry News
– Add Industry Analysis
– Document Product Progress

Market Visibility
www.posterous.com
Cost FREE www.wordpress.com
 Now,
you just look
professional.
Total Cost $970
 Step 7: Test Marketing

• Targeting
– Specify Target Markets
– Identify Specific People
– Develop Creative Keywords
• Messaging
– Create 6 to 10 Messages
• Purchasing
– Facebook and Google AdWords
• Refinement
– Track Results and Reiterate
Successful Messaging
www.facebook.com
Cost $250 adwords.google.com
 Step 8: Customers

• Surveys
– Use Marketing Leads
– Identify Demographics
– Clarify Pain Points
– Find “Top Two Boxes”
• Interviews
– 30 Min Calls
– Listen to Needs
– Ask for Leads
– Get Beta Customers!

Customer Testimonials

Cost $200 www.surveymonkey.com

 Step 9: Roadmap

• The Sticky Roadmap

– Write Down All Features
– Organize in Groups
– Left = Important Groups
– Top = Important Features
• Minimum Viable Product
– 3 or Less Groups
– Fewest Stickies
• What’s the Big “Unkown???”

Professional Plan

Cost $100
 Step 10: Ghetto Launch

• Test the Big Unkown(s)

– Identify Metrics
– Collect Data
• The Solution
– Cheap Hosting
– Open Source Technology

Data Validation

Cost $250
 Now,
you are real,
but you suck.
Total Cost $800
 Now,
the real development begins…