Three start-ups I really like

Shout out @FastCompany for some inspiration heading into the wknd

What: “Helps companies of activate their social network to extend their reach and generate revenue through social eCommerce efforts. Social Promotion Engine to power shareable coupons, referral and loyalty incentives, private and time-based sales, and group promotions; a fully transactional Facebook Store”

Why: Social is now. No matter who you are trying to reach they are most likely plugged into some kind of social network. Most likely that network is Facebook. We are at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to companies and brands utilizing this tool effectively for more than mind-share. What about wallet-share (applied as the amount of money the consumer is spending on your product)? Without substantial data to prove this I am simply going to go out on a limb (from personal experience) and say it is mostly non-existant on social networks & the most important being Facebook (excluding Zynga).

What is the big deal? Consumers increasingly will be shopping online. Especially if your brand or business is targeting younger users, lets say less than 40, you are missing revenue without a strong social presence (don’t trust me trust Pew).

Segmenting your user base is going to be big. Wow! Cool! Company X is offering me 30% off because this is the 5th transaction I have had with them this year. Or…Sweet! company Y is offering me free tickets to my favorite musical artist just because I shared this deal with 10 of my friends.

In a crowded marketplace where everyone is inundated with ads how can you stand out online? The targeting and promotions you achieve from Point #2 above ^ effects your customer acquisition cost and lifetime value. Better targeting and promotions means increased loyalty in a new day and age where lifestyle loyalty increasingly is replacing your brand loyalty.

What: “L. is a condom company with a cause; to support women globally by focusing on their sexual empowerment. For every condom that’s purchased; one is distributed in a developing country.”

Why: L. The application of 1 for 1 is not new, Tom’s shoes really popularized this concept. Nonetheless, there are still many areas of our economy that this type of compassionate consumerism can be applied. I am inspired to contemplate how simple purchases I make on a regular basis can be turned on their head for the sake of helping someone else. Now although L. is not the only company striving to make condom purchases more than a time consuming exercise, L. has obviously thought creatively about their concept and this is why I really like what they are doing.

Subscription model….for condoms. Genius. Although not everyone out there is a Casanova it seems pretty clear to those that live is the US and even more so abroad, that this generation is increasingly inundated with images, shows and songs full of sex so yes there definitely is a market for this and I think this is a great way to tap into consistent cash-flow.

Pre-order. Establish your demand and then launch. Perhaps you can even find out what items you had stronger demand for and even more what your customers want. This concept is much like vaporware in the software industry. Also, this gives you time to build your team and solidify your vendors all while actually understanding if your idea is just as exciting to the world as it was to you and your founders.

Make the idea or problem bigger than you (Like Tom’s). People want to be apart of something bigger and more impactful. L. tells a story and it is entirely possible for their venture to take an even more personal direction with the inclusion of stories, videos, and events promoting women rights, safe sex, and ultimately a more responsible condom purchase.

What: Portland, OR professional soccer team joining the MLS this spring (Becoming on the 2nd professional team in 22nd largest media market in the US)

Why: While technically not spanking new, the club essentially kicked out Portland’s minor league baseball team to take over and renovate a stadium in the heart of downtown. However, what has really been impressive is the marketing skill that has defined the creation of a brand that I currently view as the strongest in Portland. (Given they also started out with an exceedingly strong fan base)

Several brilliant decisions:

Making it impossible to travel within the inner confines of Portland without seeing a billboard. Not only were their signs everyone but they were enormous, even so big as to get city leaders talking about enforcing a somewhat forgotten ordinance (you know you’ve done something right when the authorities are noticing)

Partnering with local brands. Although their title sponsor, Alaska Airlines, is actually headquartered in Seattle, the Timbers have really garnered an impressive array of businesses with strong local presence. They include Adidas (North American HQ in Portland), Widmer Brewing (HQ in Portland), Burgerville (HQ across the in Vancouver, WA), and Portland General Electric (self-explanatory).

Giving the fans ownership. Again, the creative methods to engage the fans (the customers in the sports business) is impressive. So far this has included a fan photo shoot modeled after the billboards described above and an art contest to cover the side of a Boeing 737, part of Alaska Air’s fleet.

Jon Coon

Three start-ups I really like

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