Inbound Marketing, Brian Halligan
1.) What was the general theme or argument of the book?
The general purpose of this book is to serve as a guide and advice book on how to get your company found by users online through outlets such as google. As a product or service, you can only reach success if consumers know about you. This book is to help a business increase its presence on the web.
2.) How did the book, in your opinion, connect with and enhance what you are learning in ENT 3003?
This book actually specifically enhanced my learning for my current internship. It is an internship based around social media so I have already used some of the information in this book as I was reading it. My company also talks a lot about improving our SEO, which is what this book is essentially trying to teach someone.
3.) If you had to design an exercise for this class, based on the book you read, what would that exercise involve?
As an exercise in class, I would have the students teach for different companies online and observe how they improve their presence and brand recognition to consumers. They could then write a paragraph or two on how that business could improve its marketing tactics.
4.) What was your biggest surprise or 'aha' moment when reading the book? In other words, what did you learn that differed most from your expectations?
My biggest moment when reading the book was when I realized how these business tactics could not only be used for companies and the promotion of products, but also for your everyday life. Furthermore, it gave me more insight than I expected when using the information for my current internship. I even shared some of my learnings with my boss - she was impressed.
Monday, August 1, 2016
Venture Concept No. 2
Opportunity
When thinking about my venture concept, I first had to decide what group or groups of people have an unmet need. My first thought was in regards to pet owners. Therefore, my potential customers are pet owners, or more specifically, new pet owners of usually dogs but sometimes cats or other animals may apply too. The forces that created this opportunity is honestly the ongoing evolution of the "lazy human" or the human that looks for more efficient ways to complete a task. Many customers that apply to this category of human are younger adults in Generation Z, aka people around the ages of 23-35. However, my customer base can actually be universally wide spread to any demographic, because many people want to become pet owners at different stages in their life. My focus though is on the younger generation because they are more prone to using new technologies and they are also known for being lazier. Currently people are satisfying this need through manual labor and ineffective cleaning habits that don't need to be completed by the human race. I would say that they aren't very attached to their current method of combating this opportunity. Therefore, this opportunity is big and has a large window for attracting customers. The only limits would be other companies trying to replicate my idea and then creating too much competition in my new market.
Innovation
My idea is radically innovative as I am creating a robot to perform tasks that are usually performed by a human. My big innovative idea is to essential have a "puppy clean up" robot. As in it's name, it will clean up puppy, or other types of pets, messes and make the lives of pet owners easier and more efficient. It will have different aspects to its design that allow it to be flexible and adaptable to its environment. Users will be able to choose their own cleaning supplies that the robot will use - in case a consumer is loyal to their current brands. However, the robot will do all of the cleaning and can be utilized for different surfaces and types of messes. This product will begin to sell at a higher price before it becomes popular and can start making a return profit. Then, hopefully after a couple of months the price will be lowered so that your everyday consumer has the ability to purchase this product. I would say around $50-$60. However, it will last the lifetime of the pet and is very durable.
Venture Concept
My innovative idea will address the opportunity I have previously presented in a way that it will make the everyday person, consumer, and pet lover's life better, easier, cleaner and more efficient. So much time and stress is put into cleaning up after your pet in the early stages of their life. Instead, that time and energy should be put into bonding with and loving your pet. Training it to sit and lay down, that sort of thing. Customers will want to by my product simply because no one likes to clean up pet messes. It will be affordable enough that the supply and demand ratio will be easily fulfilled for the people in todays world. The only worries I would have when presenting my product to consumers is the threat of already present cleaning machines that don't limit themselves to pet messes. Furthermore, I may have trouble conforming older people that don't like using new technologies. Another type of person that may be harder to sell to is a pet owner that has had a pet previously and already went through the difficulties of having a new pet with messes, didn't think it was that big of a deal, and then decides that if they did it once, they can do it again. However, this can also have the opposite effect in that if someone has had a pet previously and said never again because of the messes, my innovation would encourage them to get another pet.
As stated in a previous post, my best resource for making my product a success would be my entrepreneur attitude and people skills to get my idea across to consumers and make them excited to buy my product. I will also be focusing on doing a partnership with a pet store such as petco in order to sell my product through their already credible establishment. When answering the "what's next" for my product, I would say that it can always be improved and new features could always be added to it as the consumers need developed.
When thinking about my venture concept, I first had to decide what group or groups of people have an unmet need. My first thought was in regards to pet owners. Therefore, my potential customers are pet owners, or more specifically, new pet owners of usually dogs but sometimes cats or other animals may apply too. The forces that created this opportunity is honestly the ongoing evolution of the "lazy human" or the human that looks for more efficient ways to complete a task. Many customers that apply to this category of human are younger adults in Generation Z, aka people around the ages of 23-35. However, my customer base can actually be universally wide spread to any demographic, because many people want to become pet owners at different stages in their life. My focus though is on the younger generation because they are more prone to using new technologies and they are also known for being lazier. Currently people are satisfying this need through manual labor and ineffective cleaning habits that don't need to be completed by the human race. I would say that they aren't very attached to their current method of combating this opportunity. Therefore, this opportunity is big and has a large window for attracting customers. The only limits would be other companies trying to replicate my idea and then creating too much competition in my new market.
Innovation
My idea is radically innovative as I am creating a robot to perform tasks that are usually performed by a human. My big innovative idea is to essential have a "puppy clean up" robot. As in it's name, it will clean up puppy, or other types of pets, messes and make the lives of pet owners easier and more efficient. It will have different aspects to its design that allow it to be flexible and adaptable to its environment. Users will be able to choose their own cleaning supplies that the robot will use - in case a consumer is loyal to their current brands. However, the robot will do all of the cleaning and can be utilized for different surfaces and types of messes. This product will begin to sell at a higher price before it becomes popular and can start making a return profit. Then, hopefully after a couple of months the price will be lowered so that your everyday consumer has the ability to purchase this product. I would say around $50-$60. However, it will last the lifetime of the pet and is very durable.
Venture Concept
My innovative idea will address the opportunity I have previously presented in a way that it will make the everyday person, consumer, and pet lover's life better, easier, cleaner and more efficient. So much time and stress is put into cleaning up after your pet in the early stages of their life. Instead, that time and energy should be put into bonding with and loving your pet. Training it to sit and lay down, that sort of thing. Customers will want to by my product simply because no one likes to clean up pet messes. It will be affordable enough that the supply and demand ratio will be easily fulfilled for the people in todays world. The only worries I would have when presenting my product to consumers is the threat of already present cleaning machines that don't limit themselves to pet messes. Furthermore, I may have trouble conforming older people that don't like using new technologies. Another type of person that may be harder to sell to is a pet owner that has had a pet previously and already went through the difficulties of having a new pet with messes, didn't think it was that big of a deal, and then decides that if they did it once, they can do it again. However, this can also have the opposite effect in that if someone has had a pet previously and said never again because of the messes, my innovation would encourage them to get another pet.
As stated in a previous post, my best resource for making my product a success would be my entrepreneur attitude and people skills to get my idea across to consumers and make them excited to buy my product. I will also be focusing on doing a partnership with a pet store such as petco in order to sell my product through their already credible establishment. When answering the "what's next" for my product, I would say that it can always be improved and new features could always be added to it as the consumers need developed.
Feedback/Change
Most of my feedback was positive. People said that they loved my idea and would definitely use it if my product was a success in the future. One comment that did stand out to me thought was that someone said my price point would probably have to be higher than I originally thought. This is after comparing my product with the price of other cleaning robots. This is what I would change about my idea. I would have to increase the price a little bit to make a profit and to make it competitive.
Final Reflection
1. After looking back on my blog posts from this semester, think my favorite part was the elevator pitch. This is because I enjoy public speaking and also being able to get creative during the speech. If you recall, I put my dog in my elevator pitch to use him as an example. My lease favorite part of these assignments was sometimes having to feel like I was bothering people by asking to interview and video record them. The was probably the most drudgery part.
2. Some of my more memorable moments was getting to reflect on the activities after completing them. Sometimes we forget to stop and think about the things we have done and said and that was nice for me to be able to do and be reminded to do. I also liked reflecting on what my peers had to say from their comments.
3. I think I have definitely gotten closer to having an entrepreneur mindset. Will I become a confident entrepreneur tomorrow? Probably not. But I believe this class helped me get closer to the ideas and passions that may lead me to becoming an entrepreneur one day.
4. For future students, I would recommend that they have fun with the class and the assignments. Get creative and take the extra time to include the details and pictures that make your ideas come alive for others reading your blog.
Monday, July 25, 2016
My Exit Strategy
1. For my exit strategy, I will ideally sell my business in the efforts of getting a greater return on profit.
2. I feel like I will be good at starting up a company and setting the ground for success - but may become bored once the product levels out to a consistent return form the market. I will want to move on to a new environment, business and consumer base because I love to be around new things and change.
3. I think this exit strategy has influenced my opportunity because I have always had this thought in my head that my product will become successful and enticing once it is new and in stores. However, I also feel like with time, it will become a "normal" product to purchase which would leave me at a level of repetition that I probably wouldn't want to stay in forever. There are only so many additions and improvements that can be made. I would rather start a whole new opportunity at that point.
2. I feel like I will be good at starting up a company and setting the ground for success - but may become bored once the product levels out to a consistent return form the market. I will want to move on to a new environment, business and consumer base because I love to be around new things and change.
3. I think this exit strategy has influenced my opportunity because I have always had this thought in my head that my product will become successful and enticing once it is new and in stores. However, I also feel like with time, it will become a "normal" product to purchase which would leave me at a level of repetition that I probably wouldn't want to stay in forever. There are only so many additions and improvements that can be made. I would rather start a whole new opportunity at that point.
Thursday, July 21, 2016
Celebrating Failure
1. I am going to tell you about my recent adventurous failures in cooking chicken. This summer I have been living on my own without a meal plan and therefore ran into the problem of having to feed myself. My mom makes great chicken, my dad makes great chicken, but I for the life of me cannot make enjoyably edible chicken.
I have tried on numerous accounts to make chicken in a pan on top of the oven and in the oven itself. However, each time it either comes out raw, too dry, too chewy, or burnt. I am also not so great at knowing what flavors to include when marinating my chicken. Chicken just does not appear to be my type of cooking food anymore.
2. It's from their failures and experiences with cooking that I have learned to just stick to ramen. Bring left over chicken home from my parents house. Buy pre-made chicken at the grocery store. It has also taught me that living on my own and trying to make myself real, healthy meals is harder and more challenging than I ever thought it would be.
3. In general, I too, like Thomas Edison believe that there is no failure, but discovering a way not to do something. However, I do think that some failures are not overcomable (such as my ability to make chicken). But I will keep trying and I will find new ways to fail because that is how you learn so that is what must be done.
- Thanks for reading.
p.s. I did make a decent chicken eventually (picture below)
I have tried on numerous accounts to make chicken in a pan on top of the oven and in the oven itself. However, each time it either comes out raw, too dry, too chewy, or burnt. I am also not so great at knowing what flavors to include when marinating my chicken. Chicken just does not appear to be my type of cooking food anymore.
2. It's from their failures and experiences with cooking that I have learned to just stick to ramen. Bring left over chicken home from my parents house. Buy pre-made chicken at the grocery store. It has also taught me that living on my own and trying to make myself real, healthy meals is harder and more challenging than I ever thought it would be.
3. In general, I too, like Thomas Edison believe that there is no failure, but discovering a way not to do something. However, I do think that some failures are not overcomable (such as my ability to make chicken). But I will keep trying and I will find new ways to fail because that is how you learn so that is what must be done.
- Thanks for reading.
p.s. I did make a decent chicken eventually (picture below)
What's Next
EXISTING MARKET
Step 1: The kind of product offering I believe should be next is a way for owners to look after their pets when they aren't home. This could be via interactive video, or an even more advanced robot that you can control from miles away.
Step 2: What should we be doing that we aren't planning to do? What do you think of my ideas of what customers might want next?
I had to speak with these people on the phone due to my full time job and lack of accessibility and time to find consumers in person, so I could not audio record them.
Interviewee 1: You should create pet specific robots for different types of pets, not just dogs or even just cats. You could have a dynamic hamster cage cleaning robot. I think your ideas are good though and will add to the product. - College pet owner with a dog and a lizard (a friend)
Interviewee 2: I think something you should think about doing next is have different levels of the product that cost different amounts for the different needs of the consumer. Such as a basic cleaning up robot and one with a lot more fancy features. In regards to your current ideas, I think you have began to think about way to include more customers, but this could be the way to doing that. - My mom
Interviewee 3: A great idea would be to plan to make your product available online or online through amazon since so many people are online shopping these days. Good idea about selling it with a partnership through PetCo though. - my techy boyfriend
Step 3: What makes the most sense for my venture in terms of growing in my existing market is really listening to the demands of the consumer. Because my product is very new and innovative, I have no real idea of how consumers will respond. I think that after seeing my product put into play in the first few months of sales, I will be able to tell how to improve the product based on the needs of the consumer.
NEW MARKET
Step 1: I think my main focus has been on making a profit from consumers in a B2C sense. Even though I have talked briefly about forming a partnership with a current pet store, I never say the pet store as a source of profit. After doing this exercise, I have realized that my product could be more focused in a B2B sense by selling the product completely to another store such as just selling my idea kind. I could also focus on selling my product at dog shows and to vets, animal shelters, pet day cares, and other businesses that take care of animals.
Step 2: My venture product would create value for this new market by giving them a new product that they previously haven't been offered or had available. It would also make their lives a lot easier, businesses a lot cleaner, and some places could maybe even save money on hiring people to do the job of what my product will be doing.
Step 3: How might my product help you? Do you have any new ideas for adaptations of my product?
I had to speak with these people on the phone due to my full time job and lack of accessibility and time to find consumers in person, so I could not audio record them.
Interviewee 1: You could give a discount if a certain business buys more than one. as an adaptation, you can size them to cover more space when they are cleaning larger areas. - someone that works at a vet office
Interviewee 2: You could have a charity program where you donate a certain number of robots each year to animal shelters that can't afford to buy them. - my friend that volunteers at an animal shelter
Interviewee 3: You idea will help keep my business efficient and keep my profit positive because I think people will want to buy your product. - petco employ I talked to previously about my idea
Step 4: Reflect. I feel like a learned so much from this new market because it was a concept I hadn't thought about previously when imagining the success and evolution of my venture. I think I learned a lot about the advantages of selling to different types of markets and the different advantages that each consumer can have. I also REALLY liked the idea about donating my product to animal shelters in need. I think starting up a program like this will help out a lot and I would love to be a part of something that doesn't only make lives of regular people easier, but betters the greater good of the pet community.
Step 1: The kind of product offering I believe should be next is a way for owners to look after their pets when they aren't home. This could be via interactive video, or an even more advanced robot that you can control from miles away.
Step 2: What should we be doing that we aren't planning to do? What do you think of my ideas of what customers might want next?
I had to speak with these people on the phone due to my full time job and lack of accessibility and time to find consumers in person, so I could not audio record them.
Interviewee 1: You should create pet specific robots for different types of pets, not just dogs or even just cats. You could have a dynamic hamster cage cleaning robot. I think your ideas are good though and will add to the product. - College pet owner with a dog and a lizard (a friend)
Interviewee 2: I think something you should think about doing next is have different levels of the product that cost different amounts for the different needs of the consumer. Such as a basic cleaning up robot and one with a lot more fancy features. In regards to your current ideas, I think you have began to think about way to include more customers, but this could be the way to doing that. - My mom
Interviewee 3: A great idea would be to plan to make your product available online or online through amazon since so many people are online shopping these days. Good idea about selling it with a partnership through PetCo though. - my techy boyfriend
Step 3: What makes the most sense for my venture in terms of growing in my existing market is really listening to the demands of the consumer. Because my product is very new and innovative, I have no real idea of how consumers will respond. I think that after seeing my product put into play in the first few months of sales, I will be able to tell how to improve the product based on the needs of the consumer.
NEW MARKET
Step 1: I think my main focus has been on making a profit from consumers in a B2C sense. Even though I have talked briefly about forming a partnership with a current pet store, I never say the pet store as a source of profit. After doing this exercise, I have realized that my product could be more focused in a B2B sense by selling the product completely to another store such as just selling my idea kind. I could also focus on selling my product at dog shows and to vets, animal shelters, pet day cares, and other businesses that take care of animals.
Step 2: My venture product would create value for this new market by giving them a new product that they previously haven't been offered or had available. It would also make their lives a lot easier, businesses a lot cleaner, and some places could maybe even save money on hiring people to do the job of what my product will be doing.
Step 3: How might my product help you? Do you have any new ideas for adaptations of my product?
I had to speak with these people on the phone due to my full time job and lack of accessibility and time to find consumers in person, so I could not audio record them.
Interviewee 1: You could give a discount if a certain business buys more than one. as an adaptation, you can size them to cover more space when they are cleaning larger areas. - someone that works at a vet office
Interviewee 2: You could have a charity program where you donate a certain number of robots each year to animal shelters that can't afford to buy them. - my friend that volunteers at an animal shelter
Interviewee 3: You idea will help keep my business efficient and keep my profit positive because I think people will want to buy your product. - petco employ I talked to previously about my idea
Step 4: Reflect. I feel like a learned so much from this new market because it was a concept I hadn't thought about previously when imagining the success and evolution of my venture. I think I learned a lot about the advantages of selling to different types of markets and the different advantages that each consumer can have. I also REALLY liked the idea about donating my product to animal shelters in need. I think starting up a program like this will help out a lot and I would love to be a part of something that doesn't only make lives of regular people easier, but betters the greater good of the pet community.
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