See ya later, Genius…
Subscription business model
The Profitability Challenge
Founders note: We will do a story on any NYC Startup that completes this challenge this weekend and documents it on video. You must submit it to us by 10/20. Reach us at dispatch@alleywatch.com. Here’s a fun weekend experiment for you, something I call the $20 Weekend Challenge: take a $20 bill out of your wallet on […]
3 Ways to Handle Email Unsubscribe
Nobody likes to cut an email subscriber loose, but when someone wants to go…you gotta let ‘em go. But it doesn’t mean the customer relationship is over. Some email defectors may simply just want to reduce their inbox clutter. A common tactic is to ask if the customer wishes to reduce the frequency of your […]
Building a Revenue Model is as Easy as 1-2-3
In my past six years of advising early-stage companies, I have come across a myriad of founders who fear the F word. Finance should not be feared. Understanding finance empowers you to build your company, motivate your team, attract customers and secure capital. So let’s dive in! The most critical aspect of financial statements is […]
You Will Not Believe What Is Happening to Book Publishing
Thanks in large part to technology, it is quite likely that children born in this millennium will never know what its like to have a library card or learn from a physical text book. Several entrepreneurs and startups are banking on this idea, while brick-and-mortar booksellers and publishers are left wondering, “What’s next?” E-books and […]
Pulse of the Alley: UnRollMe is Solving the Problem of Junk Email Overload
How many times have you wished that there was such thing as a national Do Not Email list? UnRollMe is way ahead of you and it’s this simple: you decide which companies’ emails newsletters are still worth receiving, and UnRollMe will fold them all into a single daily blast called the Rollup. As for the […]
4 Reasons Why the Subscription Economy Kicks Ass
I just finished reading this article, and it reminded me how much I love subscription-based business models. It’s fascinating to see how more and more startups are employing this model with great success (e.g. Birchbox). Here are a few reasons why the subscription economy is here to stay: Predictable cashflow. By having only a few set price […]
How Email Etiquette Can Help You Keep Your Customers
One of the most common forms of social media that is used to get in touch with clients is email. Most companies use email to obtain subscribers for their products, but sometimes the subscribers unsubscribe to the emails. What more companies need to know about is email etiquette, which could help in making the subscribers […]
13 Ways to Improve Email Unsubscribe
No email marketer wants subscribers to jump ship, but the reality is, it happens. Whether it’s an attempt to clear the inbox of clutter, a change in delivery preference from email to social updates, a change of lifestyle or purchase intent, or simply losing interest, making the unsubscribe process painless can benefit your business. A […]
3 Creative Ways to Get More Email Opt-Ins
Email opt-in lists are highly valuable to online marketers, but too often are resigned to header or footer menus — out of sight and out of mind. The following 3 examples are creative ways to give email sign up more attention. Gamification Sephora’s currently presenting visitors with a Plinko-style game where entering an email address […]
The Naked Truth About Subscription Start-Ups: The Good, The Bad & The Scams
Is there a fundamental flaw in the application of the subscription model to consumer commerce start-ups with physical goods like fashion and CPG (consumer packaged goods) companies? There are some terrific consumer companies like Netflix and Spotify that have proved the viability of subscription models. They have innovative ideas. They create something that […]