How to Compete When All You Do is Solve Problems
If you're in the market for a powerful and user friendly Help Desk solution, please take a look at my company's flagship product HelpSpot.
Scoble has an interesting post today. In many ways I think it sums up or represents some of the frustration I’ve felt working in the tech software world. Getting publicity, links, mentions, any type of reasonable attention when all your product does is solve real world problems is very hard, bordering on impossible. There’s simple no market any longer for reporting on hard working, profitable companies.
I’ve thought about this a lot and I don’t have a really good solution for how to bring the conversation back to our side. Short of building in features or even entire products devoted to just getting attention (and not solving real problems) I’m not sure what to do. My current thinking though is to try and ride it out. This environment can’t last forever, hopefully when it changes companies that have kept having good results and making real customers happy will be popular again.
On the up side, the impending downturn in 09 could help shake some of this up as there will likely be less ego companies around which should be good news for the rest of us.
Discussion
Agreed, Ian. The upside of any downturn is the increase in risk, quick bucks are harder to make, long term commitment is valued (and pays off). Some good examples here: http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/oct2008/sb20081016_825689.htm
Created by Scott Kane on 12.28.2008 1:17 pm
I have to agree...
Personally speaking, I don't think that that the conversation will turn back to us any time soon, our story is usually not news worthy enough, we're on the "boring" side of things, the ones that solve real problems to real customers.
That said, I love being on this side of things and would select to do the same type of products again.
Created by Maayan Porat on 12.28.2008 3:39 pm
Great info, thanks
Created by Tamagotchi Town on 12.28.2008 5:29 pm
Thanks all. Good link Scott, on a side note I love Yuengling! Picked up a taste for it when I spent a few months in Pittsburgh a few years back where they use it in their faucets instead of water 
Created by Ian on 12.28.2008 5:34 pm
I think most people expect huge growth without putting the effort in.
Making a product is only half the problem ... the second half is selling it.
I think heaps of businesses are moderately to very successful and no one hears about them (except their users).
Computing has developed into a mature industry and there are few free rides to the top.
Created by Ray on 12.28.2008 5:37 pm
And unfortunately the free rides to the heights of publicity are reserved for those with products least likely to succeed. Ah well.
Created by Ian on 12.28.2008 5:49 pm
Unless you've got a mass market kind of service (like Twitter or Facebook), random publicity is not really very useful. You really want publicity where your potential customers are likely to be. When you solve real world problems, there are almost always people who would want to talk/write about that.
Created by Kevin Dangoor on 12.28.2008 7:30 pm
Perhaps, though for something like HelpSpot which has an appeal to many businesses across markets I think it has some value.
Part of my whining is that I'm just sick of reading about meaningless companies. I'm not really upset about my company not getting coverage, rather I'm just sick of my RSS reader being full of garbage
Created by Ian on 12.28.2008 9:36 pm
As an interesting aside, whining about not getting enough press seems to work better than making good products!!
(ok, again I'm not really whining).
Created by Ian on 12.28.2008 9:52 pm
HelpSpot is in a crowded market with viable open source solutions as well as established competitors at the same price point (e.g. Bugzilla, FogBugz).
HelpSpot prospects need more help determining if it's an appropriate solution: what are three symptoms or specific bug tracking needs that would indicate HelpSpot is the right choice compared to alternatives?
The case studies don't have to badmouth competitive alternatives, but they should explain how customers determined it was a better choice, with some details on their specific needs.
You clearly have satisfied customers, but you don't offer a meaningful differentiation or help prospects with a clear needs analysis. If it's not clear why HelpSpot is remarkable, it may be a challenge to get folks to write about it.
Created by Sean Murphy on 12.28.2008 11:18 pm
Thanks Sean. Good points. I'm not sure how much homepage text has to do with getting tech blogger buzz though. The homepage works pretty good for people looking for a help desk solution.
I suppose I could fill it with buzzy stuff about HelpSpot, which may work better for bloggers to link to, but would probably be less effective at actually selling software.
Heck, most of the sites these guys link to these days don't have any content at all! It's all coming soon and will be right up as soon as they're out of beta!
Created by Ian on 12.28.2008 11:50 pm
I wasn't trying to get you to use more buzzwords but to write more for your prospects, who are the key folks you need to convince. When I read your testimonials and case studies it's clear that you have satisfied customers but it's not clear what differentiates HelpSpot from many other offerings. I like Doug Hall's formulation (from "Jumpstart Your Business Brain") for a good product message:
1. clear benefit
2. demonstrable difference
3. reason to believe
I believe that I could use HelpSpot to track and manage bugs and would be well supported if I purchased it. But I can't tell what it's particularly good for or why your customers actually purchased it. I think if you can figure why they bought and how you are different you can use that to get more coverage. See also Peter Cohan's "Four Opportunities to Harvest Customer Success Stories" http://www.secondderivative.com/Four_Opportunities_to_Harvest_The_Value_of_Informal_Success_Stories.html
Created by Sean Murphy on 12.29.2008 1:54 am
I see, well thanks. I'll take a look at that. To clarify HelpSpot is actually a help desk tool not a bug tracker.
I have a few ideas on some of the items you mention so I'll have to kick those around a bit.
Created by Ian on 12.29.2008 9:06 am
Hi Ian,
Stay strong, keeping treating your customers like the people they are and weather this out.
I found Seth's 10,000 Hours post this morning very timely for my own state of mind, hopefully it sparks something for you as well.
Created by Leslie on 12.29.2008 1:22 pm
Interesting, thanks Leslie!
Created by Ian on 12.29.2008 2:05 pm
Does the publicity even matter though? I have my doubts that TechCrunch coverage will help you sell any more software (besides just providing Google food). But they are really just providing entertainment, do you want to read about say an HVAC company that keeps their customers happy and makes a living? Maybe once or twice to remind you hard working normal companies do fine, but every day it would be boring.
Some of the ways "boring" (useful) products can get attention is if you a) Say something controversial ala 37Signals or b) something about your company, development style, product is interesting.
When you were posting more often in early development, it wasn't HelpSpot that was interesting (for me at least), it was the personal drama and stories you experienced in getting your product off of the ground.
Created by Phil on 12.29.2008 2:42 pm
That's true. It's interesting how success = boring, generally anyway. I personally wouldn't mind a little more actual news. I do think some of it is boring because these "reporters" aren't very good. It's easy to make dramatic material entertaining, harder to make informative news entertaining though i think it can be done.
Created by Ian on 12.29.2008 4:09 pm
It looks like everything is cluttered by hype. Even Scooble himself fell on that about the two Panorama video posts.
Myself, I built a site trying not to cross the line and I get very few results for now. I have the sensation that conveying a correct and concrete message is getting increasingly hard just because of the hype clutter.
I imagine is no use complaining. Who still believes in a specific business ethic, should find her way through the clutter to reach the customers.
At the end the good guys always win.
Created by Stray Cat on 01.02.2009 8:09 pm