Revenue revolution

Have a great idea for something people want, but not sure how to make money from it? Consider the following business models:
FreemiumIf what you’ve got is really great, give it away. No, seriously. Let them have a taste, build a relationship with them, and only then offer an upgraded paid experience. Maybe the free version comes with adverts, or the paid version has extra features that they’ll want once they really start using the service. This model works best where customer acquisition costs are high, but the marginal cost of serving an extra customer is low.
Add-OnsHave you bought an airline ticket lately? If you bought it online, you probably saw some great low prices… prices which had nothing to do with the eventual amount you paid after fees, taxes, surcharges, etc. For a less rancorous example, consider a night out at the movies. Did you know that the theater makes more money from popcorn and sweets than from the ticket price?

Image from Scott Adams, Dilbert
Somali Pirate business model!OK, don’t really consider this for yourself, but even pirates have a system for generating value. Pirates are great at creating a problem and then solving it (ransom, “protection,” etc.). If you’re not meeting an existing need, perhaps you are creating a new one, or pointing out a need that your customers don’t even know they have, until you show up with your parrot and your eye-patch… kidding.
Don’t get stuck getting your business started just because it doesn’t fit neatly into an existing, familiar, business model. The best new businesses out there are innovating in on everything from product and service offerings to pricing structures to customer relationships. If you can imagine it, you can do it.

Outline for a Marketing Plan

by Tim Berry

The exact nature of your business, your marketing strategy, and the uses for your marketing plan dictate its contents. You add detail or take it away to suit your needs. In the real world you’ll want to customize your outline according to whether you are selling products or services, to businesses or consumers, or you’re a nonprofit organization.

Palo Alto Software partnered with marketing guru John Jantsch, creator of the proven Duct Tape Marketing System, in the developement of Marketing Plan Pro v11 powered by Duct Tape Marketing. The software has several outlines to help you tailor your marketing plan.

The 30-Minute Marketing Plan offers just the basics, a very simple plan that you can get done quickly. It is a good way to document your thinking, or just get started. It lets users who are already familiar with the Duct Tape Marketing System briefly summarize the main sections of the marketing action plan.
Click here to see a PDF of a 30 Minute Marketing Plan outline

The Basic Marketing Plan is a modest marketing plan for the people who don’t have the time, or the need for an extremely detailed plan. You can start here, including such topics as internal Marketing Training, drafting your Marketing Materials, and more. You can Switch to the Standard plan later when you need to expand your marketing activities.
Click here to see a PDF of a Basic Marketing Plan outline for the same company.

The Standard Marketing Plan walks you through all the steps of the Duct Tape Marketing System. It includes the most detail, and breaks each task down into smaller steps for you to plan your marketing actions in detail.
Click here to see a PDF of a Standard Marketing Plan outline for the same company.

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The marketing plan examples linked above show how the same company begins its marketing program with a simple action plan and then expands its plan and activities. Note that in each case the idea is to write a plan that serves just the needs of moment. It is an action plan.

Write the plan, take the actions, review the results. Keep what works, change what doesn’t, and expand the plan and the actions as the company grows.

• Click here to see a PDF of a 30 Minute Marketing Plan outline
• Click here to see a PDF of a Basic Marketing Plan outline for the same company.
• Click here to see a PDF of a Standard Marketing Plan outline for the same company.

Tagged as: Duct Tape Marketing, Marketing, marketing plan, Marketing Plan Pro, news, plan outline, strategy, writing a plan

RSS Hustle and Flow

At some point in your life, you are going to come up with a good idea. A really good idea. One of those “Million Dollar” ideas.

From the moment you think of this really great idea, you’re going to obsess over it. Ponder it. Adjust it. Hone it. And as you do, you’ll get more and more excited about how it’s going to revolutionize how the world looks at everything. It’s going to make the invention of sliced bread a mere footnote in the history books of inventions.

You’re really, really jazzed about this idea!!

To you, this idea is priceless. Its value defies measurability. Someone, somewhere is going to pay you millions and millions for this idea.

You’re sure. You’re positive. It’s going to happen.

Here’s the problem. An idea, rarely, makes money. Joe from Klout.com has got the formula right. Your great idea is still great, but unless you put in the work required to make it a great business… it will always be just a great idea.

And nothing more.

‘Chelle Parmele
Social Media Marketing Manager
Palo Alto Software

Software Sales Business Plan

Corporate Software Sales

Executive Summary

This business plan outlines the strategy for sales of enterprise software planning solutions to medium-sized companies and franchises. Corporate Software Sales (CSS) will act as the direct sales arm of a software manufacturing firm based in Oregon. We expect a high degree of profitability based on our plan to key in on businesses that have already expressed the need for such services and products to the software manufacturer. Our management expertise in dealing with corporate decision makers and our partner's reputation will be the cornerstone of our success.

1.1 Objectives

• Market a business planning software package to corporate managers and achieve $60K in commission fees in year one.
• Customize the software to the individual needs of each client.
• Provide training and follow-up service to each client.

1.2 Mission

The employees of CSS recognize that information is vital for management and presenting that information in an efficient and easily understood framework is crucial. Also, not every business manager requires similar tools; what works for a service based company might be useless for a manufacturer. That's why we market an already proven third-party software planning tool which we will customize to the client's individual needs. Although we recognize the intimate relationship between profitability and quality products, we know that our success is ultimately dependent on the well-being of our employees.

1.3 Keys to Success

The success of our company is dependent on our ability to:

• Anticipate clients needs.
• Adapt software solutions to these needs.
• Identify industries/corporations that need planning tools.