
Sell more software with actionable techniques that actually work - route3
https://training.kalzumeus.com/
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patio11
Short version: I decided to finally take advice I'll give to clients (and
anyone else): if you have an audience, you want to get their email addresses
so that you can contact them about things that are mutually interesting. After
writing approximately four full-length novels worth of blog posts about
software businesses, some people seem to be interested in hearing from me
about them, but I have no way of knowing who they are or how to get in touch
with them unless they contact me directly.

So, I thought I'd start an email list. Just asking for email addresses seemed
kind of boring, though, so I recorded a 45 minute video on improving the first
run experience of software. (Something crazy like 40 ~ 60% of users will
abandon an application after their first use of it. Track that stat and work
on it and it will go down, which will make users happier and improve business
results. For the topic treated at length, see the video.)

Feel free to ask questions.

~~~
GoatOfAplomb
Dude, I know you see "teaser" but I see "5 minutes with no demonstrated
value." I'm convinced that the next 40 minutes of your video will have content
that I could have just as easily consumed in blog format in about 45 seconds.

~~~
bmelton
I was going to post something about how Patrick probably doesn't need to post
much of a teaser because frankly, name recognition alone is going to get him a
ton of email addresses to play around with.

Then, in lieu of responding blindly, I closed the window (because I hate
responding when I feel like my answer is going to make me look like an
asshole) and went to watch the video.

With that, all I can say is that either we have different definitions of
value, or perhaps you're not in his target demographic?

~~~
coderdude
Only a jackass registers a new account just to slam a person who actually
creates value for people. He deserves an instaban, not validation through a
response.

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Poiesis
It's pretty easy to give my address to someone who has earned my trust by
building up a large deal of social capital. He has a fair amount of
professional reputation to lose if he doesn't do what he says ("send you
something interesting every few weeks").

And what if I'm wrong? What--maybe I have to click "spam" a few times? I mean,
really--I sign up to a lot more dubious things than this.

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bignoggins
I love how you are doing this literally the day after your microconf talk on
collecting emails. On a side note you have an unhealthy obsession with red
sweatshirts.

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pkamb
> _Something crazy like 40 ~ 60% of users will abandon an application after
> their first use of it. Track that stat._

Any recommendations on how to do this for desktop software? Especially for the
Mac App Store, where I basically get NO info about my users?

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nwhitehead
You should put the name "patio11" on the landing page. I saw the page, thought
"maybe, not sure". After I saw the comments and realized this was you
(patio11) I thought "heck yeah!" and signed up as fast as I could.

~~~
patio11
D'oh. You're right. I assumed when designing the front page that folks would
probably see it in a context that made it obvious that I was the guy in the
Twilio jacket. I did a little rejiggering to make that more obvious without
making it the me-me-me show.

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edanm
Just wanted to say congrats to LeanDesigns getting into this video - I love
the LeanDesigns product, and they definitely deserve praise. Way to go :)

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swanson
Could you add a volume control to the video player?

~~~
patio11
Sure, done.

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spitfire
You're wonderful patrick. But stop the signup rubbish. Just give us the video.
You'll just be collecting throwaway accounts anyways.

~~~
patio11
I just won a bet with three people on the contents of the first HN comment
about this. Whee!

Seriously, though: as an empirical prediction of human behavior, you're just
wrong with regards to the last sentence. With regards to your desire to just
get the video, I politely decline. If you don't want to give me your email
address, cool. There's plenty of stuff you could watch on Youtube instead. My
understanding is it typically features more kittens and less make-you-money.

~~~
spitfire
There was never any doubt on that bet. Which is my point - it's an annoying
behaviour.

Yes, people will give you their email, but they won't like it. That damages
your brand (just a little).

EDIT: One technique that'd make this cool is to offer the full video for free,
then give the option to sign up for more. Too many people have been burnt by
teaser "sign up now for secret material" that turns out to be lame.

~~~
patio11
I'm not going to try to convince you that your preferences are irrational,
because I probably won't change your mind and have better things to do.

I will try to convince you that the preferences you are attributing to
"people" are unlikely to be universally accurate in describing "people". You
should probably recalibrate your understanding of people's behavior, because
when you understand what people actually want you're more capable of
delivering things which both you and they will benefit from.

I once thought that people hated getting email. I hated getting email. Except
from, well, all the people I didn't hate getting email from. I have
_substantial_ evidence from clients and other people I find credible that
people not only like getting email but will actually respond in predictable
and positive fashions to the right email. I also have a stock of anecdotes
which bewildered me when they happened, like people emailing me asking why I
_didn't_ send them a November BCC newsletter (Me, mentally: "Don't you know
its going to be the October one with gsub applied to it?" Her, literally: "I
really really really want to hear about Thanksgiving bingo." Me: "Wait, people
pay me money for that all the time, _how did I not see that sentence
coming_.")

There are almost certainly people in the world whose preferences are more
similar to you, in that they would not like to get emailed by me. That's cool.
They should not give me their email address and instead do something they
would prefer. Cat videos or something, whatever.

~~~
spitfire
You've misunderstood me. I love getting mail. If you're going to make a list
full of useful information sign me up! In fact I'm subscribed to a few lists
that I really enjoy reading every month. So I'm not against email.

But don't bait, "force", or use subterfuge to get me to sign up. "first five
minutes free!" doesn't do your brand any good.

~~~
tptacek
There is, as you pointed out, a (shady) implied back-door to getting the video
without giving him your real email address. You can think of that as a kind of
escape valve for the sentiment you're trying to express here.

One caveat I think might apply to using that escape valve: if you're so upset
by the idea of trading customer contacts for promised software value that
you'd lie about your contact information, you probably won't get much value
out of the 45 minutes of your life this video will consume.

Patrick has thus done you a favor by demanding your email address; he's pre-
screening you from the video to save you time.

~~~
spitfire
It's funny. I see the clear value in what patrick is doing here. I respect
Patrick (and yourself). I just don't like the approach he took. For that it
seems I'm being told I'm not welcome.

Perhaps this could be A/B tested.

~~~
tptacek
Saying that once was fine. It was even somewhat helpful, as it gave Patrick an
opportunity to clarify his strategy.

Saying it repeatedly simply because Patrick does not agree with you is less
fine. I hope it _is_ a little unwelcome.

You made your point. He made his. He's not going to do it your way. I think
you should let it go now.

I was also being sincere in my previous comment. This being how you really
feel about Patrick trading email addresses for access to a video, I sincerely
think you won't get much value from that particular video.

