“growth hacker” sounds like a perfect job title for any marketing maven with enough self-sufficiency in a scripting language to deploy tests, enough knowledge of statistical methods to glean meaningful insight from user data, and enough familiarity with design to make data-driven product recommendations to improve user engagement and virality.
If you are running a startup, have you ever consider using music or sound as your marketing tool?
This video highlights what Express in Music can do for you. Last week, I met up with Jerry Chen CEO from Express in Music. I got to know Jerry during the Angel’s Gate contest. A business guy with lots of creative ideas, his business has already gain quite a bit of press attention but he was kind to accept my interview. Here’s what he have for us.
We are in the space of creating audio identities and sonic branding for businesses. Our automated platform system engages clients’ briefs conveniently and attracts a fair amount of inputs from musicians internationally.
First, post your music brief and our algorithm will instantly let you know the amount to pay for. In fact, you can set the prize money within the range (the higher it is, the more submissions you will attract). Second, once the music brief is uploaded successfully, this opportunity is seen by thousands of talents. Like a contest model, they will pour in customized productions specific to your brief. Third, you chose the winner and only the winner is paid the prize money. This works great for startups as well because they could control their budget.
3. How did the idea come about?
I came up with this idea one day while flipping through the newspapers. There was this guy (a singer-songwriter) who claims that only his wife appreciates his original song. Nobody else appreciates and he has no avenues to let people hear his song because the music space is too congested. This gave me an idea in which I specialize in the area of marketing and selling. These singer-songwriters have their strengths in producing great music but I don’t. However, they can leverage on my selling traits. Therefore, I thought of the idea through crowdsourcing where we can leverage on each other strengths.
4. Your team?
Adriel and I founded ExpressInMusic.com. We were army buddies. Adriel has been a musician himself (with a band called “SuperNova”) for close to 10 years. He knows the technical aspects when it comes to music while I am more focus in the area of business development as I was in numerous entrepreneurship competitions during my Singapore Polytechnic days. Time flies and we have been business partners for 3 years.
5. Highs and lows so far with ExpressInMusic.com + toughest decision you have to make so far
The highs were definitely clinching our first TV Commercial job (music), our first article release on The Straits Times, our first major contract that was in the region of 5-digits.
The lows were when a group of musicians on the verge of clinching the job were dropped last minute by the client, paying web programmers (multiple) and not getting our site done even after months… It was quite a mess.
6. What would you say is the next big thing?
I would say social media is the current “in” thing. Crowd-sourcing is already present and shall be the next ‘big’ thing, that people begin to understand the power of the crowd. Why go to one person or vendor when you can get a wider variety of choice in a single platform?
Also to look out for is on ‘Sensory Marketing’. We all have our 5 senses but traditionally we focus on visual communications. It is time for the rise of audio branding. There’s more awareness now for how audio identities can bring in part of the experiential marketing aspect.
Thanks Jerry for your time and all the best.
So if your startup is considering a marketing campaign soon – do check out ExpressInMusic.com or connect with Jerry. p/s I am NOT getting any referral fees.
As you would have known, a couple of my friends set up a blogshop – coloursme.com. Well except for the sales were made during the flea market there is no sales till now.
Competition was tough at the flea market but it’s even tougher online. Why would someone visit a site and make a purchase with an unknown site.
So I like to share my experience with everyone and at the same time to learn from anyone who drops a comment on how should I continue on or what are the things I should do. It acts as a learning channel for me as well.
It’s not easy to set up an blogshop. It’s not just getting an blogging platform an starts logging in your entries with photos you taken. We had to go through the brainstorming of names, product selections, pricing strategies and etc just like a full pledge business.
Some people give up after some months of trying, those who innovate succeed – those blogshop owners I truly respect, they have made blogshops very successful. A few good examples will are:
Do I follow their style or I try to create my own? And The question now is how do I turn this blogshop around? And with the usual constrain like low marketing budget and all… I would love to hear feedback from fellow friends.
Yesterday, I completed one of my new year resolution and that was to something about retailing. So I had my first flea market set up at Scape Park with coloursme.com
I did not make a profit but I gain valuable experiences and I certainly would want to do it again. We walk around and visited the various flea stalls that were gathering with crowds and came up with some pointers that we were lacking.
Location, Location and Location – This is very very important. Because for the scape park flea market that we had rented the stall we were told to choose any tables under the selected tent. Even that we were told to arrived at 12pm to register, there were already other blogshop owners that were already there “chomping” the best table avalibale – the table sits where the main stream of traffic passes through and you need to take note that lights and fan should be located above the table. The light will help as the sky turns dark and the fan will make sure you and your customers feels cool
More selections of clothes - We were given the option to bring a 1m clothes rack but because we have limited selections we only hang up what we have on hand. On the other hand, other vendors pack their clothes rack like sardine. This gives the customers more choices and because of the wide variety it was able to attract more passersby to give it a look
Flyers – Besides acting as a promotion material, it can also act as a tool to initiates your first conversation with the customer. For example. Hi, this is our site listed on this flyer do visit our online store for more selections. And also here is the section for tops, the one on sales are over at the tables. And these range are going at $10 per piece.
Beautify your table – We also have a 3m by 3m table that we used to place some of our products but we did not fully utilize and beautify the table. It was rather dull compared to the rest of the vendors.
KYCW (know your customer WELL)- At the flea market, its about about price competition. We were planning various pricing strategies but it did not hold. When we were there even there were customers browsing through our clothes we were to compete on price. So the next thing we did was to lower of prices. And what next was making our first sale.
So people if you are planning to starts your first flea market, let my mistakes be your guidance and I wish you people all the best. And for those who are in marketing (NUS BBA) do try your selling skills in a flea market you meet all sorts of people.
Another challenging day for me again but its feels great. The ability to push my limits and to know where is my boundary.
This year the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore 2010 (SCMS 2010) have a completed different starting route as compared to the past. For the 42km, which I took part in, it started in orchard road a very unique and refreshing feeling plus it starts at 5am thus helping most runners to avoid the late morning to afternoon sun (if provider if the runners are able to finish early )
This is yiyang and me taking of routine photo at the baggage area. Last year we did the same thing too so maybe we could start collecting our marathon photos from now on.
We met at 3.30am today, check in our bags and off we go to the starting line. Yiyang and the barefoot team was doing the record of having the most number of people crossing the finishing line at the same time. I did not took part so I went straight to the starting point. The starting point was well organised, it was categorized according to different target time. For example, I chose the under 5hrs category upon registration and was given a green tag so I could join fellow runners and pacing clocking under 5hrs. I did know of this till I got to the venue. So the starting was very good, runners have space to run and because you are running with fellow runners of similar pace, there is no need to stop or walk. Kudos to the organizing team of SCMS 2010!
In fact I was hoping to do my PB. My best time for marathon is still 4hrs 17mins clocked in shanghai. I was hoping to achieve something better or even sub 4hrs if possible. But I know it would be tough because work and my work do not really give me much time to train, but nevertheless, I must push on to try.
I started off pacing with the 4hrs group, going at a good pace. Till I reach the Chinatown area where I had to pee when I came out …booo they were long infront of me. Eventually I managed to catch on at the east coast area. I check my timing. I was feeling pretty good just that a bit sleepy. I was doing 55mins for my first 10km. Clocking a 2hrs a the halfway mark.
As I start to reach from 22km to 25km. This has always been my weakest link. Because there is such a long way to go. Sun was rising and the sky starts to get clear. I slapped my face a few times to wake myself up from the sleepy condition and continue to push on. On the 25km, I lose track of the 4hrs pacing guys so I relied on my watch on the pacing. This is also the time that I start to remember it not how fast to you at the start because I start to see runners who I had past in the early stage catching up with me. Its about how long you can last at least I know from the bottom of my heart that I walked less than I used to in the past.
The toughest route will have to be the route crossing from East Coast Park to Marina Bay Sun, we cut through a construction site and a beautiful park. It was a visual treat but there was no shade thus when the SUN shines…. I feel like a lobster under intense heat.
4.05hrs I reach the 38km mark. I though I still had the chance to finish at least below 4.20hrs. But I was wrong, the 38km mark was the zone that all runners from 10km, 21km and 42km converged. This created a massive human jam at the bridge area, furthermore people who are tired starts to walk, they would break the momentum of the upcoming runners. From 38km to 42km. It took me 40mins to do my last 4km !!!!
I completed the race at 4:41hrs better than last year but much behind my target. The only comforting thing is I manged to hold on 38km mark . I certainly need more practice and training. Till 2011, I would set my goal at sub 4hrs wish me luck.
Like I mention in previous post, after my discussion with zyy.sg. I decided to read up and understand more about the importance of business models for Startups. So I picked up the book bu Joel Kurtzman “Startups that work”.
This is a pretty basic book, it runs through the research that the author conducted for Startups during a 4 year period and tries to determine the 10 critical factors that make or break Startups. if you are thinking that you would be getting in-depth insights from this book, than I think you can just easily browse through the book and you will have a good idea of the 10 factors > no need for detailed reading or simply google > would be a better idea too and you would find steveblank.com > he gives very interesting insights on startups
Here I like to share what I think I understand after reading the book.
you got to have a map >(means) you need to have a direction, an objective ie how to use my funds efficiently, what should I do in 1st phase
Nothing ever happens without great people > you need a great management team of dynamic abilities, ie a sales person and a technology person
Boards must create value > VCs also plays an important in Startups, they do not just pump in $$ but they must also contribute in mentoring the founders
Cashflow > most Startups die NOT because of lack of funds but because of the MISUSE of funds
you can only grow as big as your market > determine your market size, a good example UNICA software building a system for system
Competitive positioning > understand your competitors
Business models > it is not what you do but how you do > it is also one of the factors which will allow a Startup to excel out from its competitors even if it does not have a 1st mover advantage Eg. Google > they started out later than yahoo!
product development > innovations!
customer acquisition > CRM > know what your customers wants > talk to them research !
channel alliances > partnerships > you dun walk alone eg. a start-up in china call No1. Shop > they do online grocery they first started out poorly but once they managed to develop a partnership with sina.com their customers starts to grow.
Another item that I would like to share is why soleilwater fail to startup? > with reference to the factors above but I think I will do it in another post. Because I am tired now
but its feels great. The ability to push my limits and to know where is my boundary.
)
when I came out …booo they were long infront of me. Eventually I managed to catch on at the east coast area. I check my timing. I was feeling pretty good just that a bit sleepy. I was doing 55mins for my first 10km. Clocking a 2hrs a the halfway mark.
Like I mention in 
