A recent re-tweet from Pat Phelan was something like :
Have a business that users need, NOT a business that needs users.
It makes perfect sense and may have saved me a lot of money.
One of my ideas was a pared down version of pigsback.com
Users answer simple sponsored questions and get entered into draws for prizes.
There were some more complex things going on also but it’s a classic needs users business model. I had purchased the domain name and even have the twitter account! Littlequiz (.com) is firmly parked for now. I may revamp the idea look into it in the future.
I have one or two new ideas to be looking into for now. I have just recently had my UCC contract extended so I have some extra time to be thinking.
If there’s anyone out there with some ideas, feel free to contact me to discuss, but do try to remember the line “A business that users need!”
5 Responses
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10:59 pm
But Joe, maybe the users here are not consumers but businesses? Your idea is not giving something to consumers per se as giving a deliverable to a business, their brand in front of a member of the public.
5:51 pm
I see what you are saying; my users (the people who pay me) would be businesses. But I couldn’t go near them with out my own users (non-paying traffic). It’s a classic egg/chicken situation. I would need users MORE than the businesses would need me (for branding etc there are SO many options already). In that light I could perhaps change my line to:
Have a business that users need MORE THAN a business that needs users.
I haven’t completely ditched the idea. If I can figure out a good cheap way to get the traffic (and find life on Mars) I may get stuck into it again.
In the mean time I will look into ideas I can work on within UCC, preferably with the backing of UCC. Thanks for the comment Damien.
7:47 pm
Joe, the reason Pigsback works is because it’s different. But it only barely reaches its potential through a variety of factors, resource and money being the main ones. I’ve worked now on at least six websites that would ‘change the way things were done online’ and they all fall prey to the same problems, which is ultimately this – they don’t think of the end user. The person that comes to your website should be your focus at all times and everything should be done with their life cycle in mind.
Unless you’re giving me money that I can see coming into my account – and show others the same is happening – that is a goal that’s an uphill struggle all the way. Why would a company sponsor prizes and why would I enter the competitions? Is it for a money-can’t-buy prize and if so how do I avail of it or how do you get it to me?
Start with a blank piece of paper. Now, imagine yourself in front of the computer. Visualise as much as you can, from when you switch the browser on to entering the web address to what you see on the homepage. Chances are, if it’s not something that you’d need, you’ll find it doubly hard to try sell it to anyone else.
Not knocking you at all Joe, I wish you luck, but starting the right way has got to count for something, eh?
8:29 pm
Thanks a mill for the comment Darragh. Sounds like you’ve some good experience under your belt. Don’t worry about the “knocking”. It’s when people say “Yeah, that’s a great idea” that I get worried! Keep in touch!
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