Rude Q&A
http://blog.asmartbear.com/devils-advocate.html
You need more than a "devil's advocate," you need ruthless abuse.
Here's how to dole it out to yourself so that normal sales calls and company pitches seem easy by comparison.
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A Smart Bear
Startups + Marketing + Geekery. From someone who's been there: Jason Cohen, founder of Smart Bear Software.
A Tradeshow Checklist, born of experience
http://blog.asmartbear.com/tradeshow-tips-checklist.html
Tradeshows are a combination of high-level strategy and low-level minutiae, so a checklist comes in handy.
Here's a bunch of advice learned the hard way -- through making mistakes and seeing what worked.
Download "A Tradeshow Checklist, born of experience"
Why I feel like a fraud
http://blog.asmartbear.com/self-doubt-fraud.html
I felt like a fraud during the early days of Smart Bear, and in many ways I still feel like one today.
It turns out this is a common phenomenon among entrepreneurs and others. If you have these emotions, this might provide some solace.
Download "Why I feel like a fraud"
A tour of my Wordpress plugins
http://blog.asmartbear.com/wordpress-plugins.html
I get asked all the time which Wordpress plugin I use for this thing or that.
Here's a complete list of how I've customized my blog, and why.
Download "A tour of my Wordpress plugins"
Uncommon Interview: Bob Walsh, Digital Entrepreneur
http://blog.asmartbear.com/bob-walsh-digital-entrepreneur-startuptodo.html
Startup expert, mentor, and writer Bob Walsh talks about what's most important for success, the role of social media at a new startup, productivity for startup founders, and why his new tool for startup founders is useful.
12:25Download "Uncommon Interview: Bob Walsh, Digital Entrepreneur"
Painful, Surreal, and Surprisingly Effective: The Personal Checklist
http://blog.asmartbear.com/personal-checklist.html
Tired of articles instructing you to break down large projects into smaller, more annoying and less interesting tasks?
The technique I'm about to tell you about is weird, and not in a good way. More like a painful, aggravating way. I know, I did it myself.
But it really does work. You'll measurably improve your productivity.
Download "Painful, Surreal, and Surprisingly Effective: The Personal Checklist"
Startup Therapy: Ten questions to ask yourself every month
http://blog.asmartbear.com/startup-business-plan.html
Therapists don't tell you what to do. Rather, they ask probing questions that get you to discover for yourself what is true for you, your situation, and what you want.
Similarly, these ten questions will force you to make the important decisions about your business. Ask them of yourself every month instead of writing a useless business plan.
Download "Startup Therapy: Ten questions to ask yourself every month"
Don't write a business plan
http://blog.asmartbear.com/business-plan.html
As they say, businesses don't plan to fail, they fail to plan! Who could argue with such a clever turn of phrase?
Me. Business plans are always wrong, and they're not even very helpful when you're raising money.
Download "Don't write a business plan"
How I got 6000 RSS subscribers in 12 months
http://blog.asmartbear.com/blog-subscribers.html
Is it repeatable?
Yes and no. Here's what I did; it's up to you to decide how much of it applies to you.
Download "How I got 6000 RSS subscribers in 12 months"
Really give thanks this time
http://blog.asmartbear.com/give-thanks-on-thanksgiving.html
On Thanksgiving we give thanks,
but to whom?
I guess it's nice to be reflective at least once a year. But what good is it, casting our thanks into the void?
So this year, let's give thanks to people.
Download "Really give thanks this time"
New empirical data for SEO and social media marketing strategies
http://blog.asmartbear.com/seo-social-media-marketing-strategy.html
Strategies for social media and SEO are so... squishy.
Recently, however, I've come across several sources of empirical, experimentally-sound data sources that tell us how to be awesome at both SEO and social media.
Download "New empirical data for SEO and social media marketing strategies"
Hiring Employee #1
http://blog.asmartbear.com/startup-hiring-advice.html
If you want another pair of hands to screw things up, the question is how to acquire resumes, how to pair them down, and how to identify someone who is going to work well in your company.
Here's a load of advice. Includes my favorite articles from around the Internet as well as my own advice that you might not have heard before.
Rich vs. King in the Real World: Why I sold my company
http://blog.asmartbear.com/rich-vs-king-sold-company.html
I sold my company, Smart Bear, in December of 2007. I haven't talked about it at all on this blog, and it's time I spill my guts about the whole affair.
Now that almost two years have passed, I can relate exactly why "selling my baby" was right for me. Hopefully this thought process is interesting to you and possibly useful in the happy event that you're faced with the same choice, but the truth is I just need to get this off my chest.
Download "Rich vs. King in the Real World: Why I sold my company"
Ask your startup questions on OnStartups Answers
http://blog.asmartbear.com/startup-question-answers-onstartups.html
I'm giddy about this new project!
Dharmesh Shah of OnStartups started a new website for entrepreneurs, and he graciously invited me to co-moderate the site.
Download "Ask your startup questions on OnStartups Answers"
Response: Sacrifice your health for your startup
http://blog.asmartbear.com/sacrifice-health-startup.html
A lot has been said in response to Jason's post about sacrificing your health for your startup. Some think his position is excessive; some say it depends on your goals. Can you run a lifestyle business that doesn't require so much personal sacrifice?
I did. I started Fork In The Road, a wee little healthy dinner delivery business. I actively chose to stay small and was profitable and happy for years. So what about sacrifice? Here's my story.
Download "Response: Sacrifice your health for your startup"
Find what's blocking sales with under a day of work
http://blog.asmartbear.com/more-sales-customer-feedback.html
It's unfair of me to say "find out what's stopping sales" and then not tell you how to go about it.
So here are eleven ways to collect empirical data about why people are checking out your product but not buying it, most of which can be implemented in less than a day.
Download "Find what's blocking sales with under a day of work"
Why I switched to Wordpress
http://blog.asmartbear.com/switch-to-wordpress.html
A few people were wondering why I switched blogging platforms from Squarespace to Wordpress.
07:36Download "Why I switched to Wordpress"
Put down the compiler until you learn why they're not buying
http://blog.asmartbear.com/put-down-the-compiler-until-you-learn-why-theyre-not-buying.html
I'm involved with several little companies right now. They all have the same problem, and they're all avoiding the clearest, fastest path to fixing it.
Their problem is: We don't have nearly enough sales.
Download "Put down the compiler until you learn why they're not buying"
Uncommon Interview: Balsamiq Studios
http://blog.asmartbear.com/balsamiq-studios-uncommon-interview.html
I hate most interviews, and I think everyone else does too. They're rarely actionable or insightful. You want to learn and get specific ideas from interesting, thoughtful people, not read a biography.
This interview is different.
I'm starting the Uncommon Interview: Five questions that solicit deep answers with actionable advice, examples, and insight. Answers in paragraphs, not one-liners. Depth, not breadth. (Leave a comment and tell me if you want more of these.)
Download "Uncommon Interview: Balsamiq Studios"
If Kindergarten were like Social Media Marketing
http://blog.asmartbear.com/blog/if-kindergarten-were-like-social-media-marketing.html
What if we ran kindergarten classes with the same rules as social media marketing?
03:09Download "If Kindergarten were like Social Media Marketing"
You're a little company, now act like one
http://blog.asmartbear.com/blog/youre-a-little-company-now-act-like-one.html
I talk to a lot of companies that are still hunting for customer #1, or a few sales have been made but the ball isn't rolling yet.
Most of them are making the same mistake: Their public persona is exactly wrong.
Download "You're a little company, now act like one"
Business Advice Plagued by Survivor Bias
http://blog.asmartbear.com/blog/business-advice-plagued-by-survivor-bias.html
Do you read business blogs where the author has failed three times without success?
No, because you want to learn from success, not hear about "lessons learned" from a guy who hasn't yet learned those lessons himself.
Download "Business Advice Plagued by Survivor Bias"
90-minute podcast on creative marketing
http://blog.asmartbear.com/blog/90-minute-podcast-on-creative-marketing.html
Everyone says "be remarkable" is the best marketing advice.
01:20Download "90-minute podcast on creative marketing"
Tips for increasing software conversions, parts 1 & 2
http://blog.asmartbear.com/blog/tips-for-increasing-software-conversions-parts-1-2.html
I've been guest-posting over at the Avangate blog on the subject of increasing sales conversions for software sold over the web.
This five-part series covers downloading, installers, follow-up, and user interface design.
Download "Tips for increasing software conversions, parts 1 & 2"
Darwinian explanation and advice for "Going Viral"
http://blog.asmartbear.com/blog/darwinian-explanation-and-advice-for-going-viral.html
Everyone wants to "go viral" these days. A viral video, blog post, news announcement, who cares so long as it's viral!
I still can't stand the phrase, personally. "Dude, we're going viral tonight." Sounds like a one-night stand without protection.
Some of my articles have "gone viral," so I'd like to offer up my own perspective about how to make something viral: The Darwinian Theory of Going Viral.
Download "Darwinian explanation and advice for "Going Viral""
Why business blogs should focus on cheerleaders, not lead-generation
http://blog.asmartbear.com/blog/why-business-blogs-should-focus-on-cheerleaders-not-lead-gen.html
It's not clear that company blogs are a good idea, despite arguments for social media generally.
I'll give you the bad news first, dispelling some common myths about what corporate blogs can achieve, but then I'll show you how a corporate blog can significantly increase revenue, even without 10,000 RSS subscribers.
Download "Why business blogs should focus on cheerleaders, not lead-generation"
Get 5 seats of Code Reviewer for $5
http://blog.asmartbear.com/blog/get-5-seats-of-code-reviewer-for-5.html
I've never posted commercial crap about "special offers" or other thinly-veiled advertisements, but considering this one is from my own company, and considering it is really is pretty awesome, I wanted to share.
02:02Download "Get 5 seats of Code Reviewer for $5"
Sacrifice your health for your startup
http://blog.asmartbear.com/blog/sacrifice-your-health-for-your-startup.html
The Internet is full of good advice about how to lead a healthy, balanced work/home life.
If you don't have your health and your family, nothing else matters. On your deathbed will you wish you had worked longer hours or been a better parent? Will you wish you had spent more time Twittering or more time exercising, extending your life by five years?
Compelling. And yet, in my experience this attitude is not the path to success in small business.
Download "Sacrifice your health for your startup"
