How did you market GetSatisfaction when you first started it?

Our marketing rule when we launched Get Satisfaction was simple: Great philosophy, great product, and great parties.

Though that might sound facetious and self-serving (and, ok, it was a little), it’s not entirely. Back in 2007 we identified the startup community that was growing up all around us as a major source of both initial customers — especially since our product at the time was completely free and focused on initial growth and scale — as well as a major source of potential marketing.

And the benefit of creating a product that’s about helping other firms interact with their customers is that it’s highly promotable — a company needs to tell its customers it’s available for feedback and community, and in the process points everyone to our product. Want one of your own for your own company? Well, look, there’s a simple 3 minute sign-up right there on the page.

The “Feedback” tab (you know, the one on the right-hand side of this page) was just an acceleration of that plan that came about a year in

Founders who are talking

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How do you know when you've achieved product/market fit?

Answered by Raymond Luk – Partner, Year One Labs

I think you know you have product/market fit when you've found a well-defined market segment to target and your pitch and product do not change every sales call. In other w... (more)

What's the one thing you wish you had known when you were starting your first business?

Answered by Scott Rutherford – Founder, UserVoice

That the group buying of coupons was a good idea :) Actually, I assumed there was some magic thing that entrepreneurs knew, something that could be learnt maybe, some reaso... (more)

Hi April, As a new company with a new product, much weight is given to identifying a target/niche market so as to gain better traction and be heard. example: (product is fo...

Answered by April Dunford – Product Marketing Expert. Posted in Product Development

That's a great question and a common concern when you start dividing up your market. First of all you need to have a hard look at your target market and figure out if it's ... (more)

Hey, I'm only 17 and only get a few clients every few weeks. How did you guys get clients early on and how would recommend getting some today?

Answered by Daniel Burka – Co-founder of Pownce and Milk.

Superb question. When you first start out as a designer/developer it's a real chicken-and-egg problem. I helped start silverorange when I was 18, with some friends who wer... (more)

The first time you raised money, was the idea so incredible that people were throwing money at you? Or did you have to scratch and claw to get attention? What stage was y...

Answered by Micah Baldwin – Founder, Graphic.ly

Graphicly is actually the first company I have directly raised for (I have been involved in the raise of +$350mm over the years). Vary rarely are ideas BOOMTASTIC!. Very ... (more)

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