PartnerHacker Daily #171: Test Your Ideas

Jared Fuller -

Don't market to the plan, plan to the market

Every idea is a good idea until you get out into the market and actually engage with the people who would be using that idea. – (via Howdy Partners Ep. 5)

Long ago I ran campus programs for a non-profit. I had a brilliant (and I do mean brilliant) idea for an event that was going to draw in hundreds of students. I found a local campus club to help me promote it, gave them the assets (flyers, tape, and pizza), booked the speaker, and got excited for the results.

12 people showed up. 7 of them because I begged.

It was a disaster.

The next time, I went to the campus club first and asked, "Hey, what kind of event sounds exciting to you?" They gave me some ideas (vastly inferior to my own). I told them I could bring in their desired speaker and get them some promo assets, and they were over the moon.

They marketed that thing so hard the event broke a campus record for attendance.

My event was part of my plan based on what I had decided was interesting to the market. It flopped.

Their event was based on their on-the-ground experience and excitement. It was a massive success.

My lesson? Ask your market what matters to them. They're not always able to articulate it perfectly, but they can save you from disaster if you listen.

The benefit of partnerships

This tweetstorm from @MyCoSell shares ten excuses software companies use to hold themselves back from making successful partnerships.

It's worth reading them all, but number five really stood out:

Click image for the full list.

Happenings

Meme of the Day

Thanks for the meme Jessie Shipman!

Share the PhD

Know someone who needs to get their PhD in partnerships? Send ‘em this newsletter.