Resonator #1 - Snogression

The "Resonator" blog series highlights companies who build products or services that resonate. Learn the 3 rules to developing a resontator here. This week I am highlighting a new start up called Snogression.

Company Overview

Snogression was built to solve one of the big problems skiers and snowboarders have, how do I learn new tricks in a safe and controlled environment without risking injury? With powder days few and far between and water ramps open only a few months, Snogression has developed Utah's first training faculty open year round where skiers and snowboarders can perfect their tricks before going to snow.

Resonator Test

1. Urgent: For skiers and snowboarders there is not a safe and fast way to learn new tricks. Powder days are not enough and water ramps are not very realistic. There needs to be a faster and safer way.

2. Pervasive: It is important that competitive skiers and snowboarders learn bigger tricks each year. If they don't, others will push for their spots on the podium. The more training, the more confidence, the bigger the tricks, and better the results.

3 Willing to Buy: With a price tag of $15 dollars for a two hour session. Snowboarders and skiers from all over are flocking to Snogression to dial in their tricks before the snow falls.

I even spent a few days at Snogression. You have to see the product and service in action to truly see how powerful its benefits and why I am showcasing Snogression as my first product in the blog series, "Resonators".

You can learn more about Snogression here

New Blog Series - "Resonators" Products that Sell

If you are an entrepreneur starting a new venture, a business executive running a fortune 100 company, a marketing professional looking to drive results, or a product manager developing products to sell, there is "ONE TRUTH" that will drive hyper growth in your business, this truth, "Develop products or services that resonate with customers."

Developing a Resonator

Peter Drucker said, "The pursuit of business and marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits perfectly and sells itself." So how do you develop a product that meets these requirements. About 6 months ago I read "Tuned In", this book discusses how to develop a resonator.

Here are 3 rules to develop a product or service that resonates:

3 Resonator Rules

1. Painful Problem: The problem your product or service solves must be painful. It must be something that causes a lot of pain with your target customer. It's even better if the problem occurs daily.

2. Pervasive: The problem you solve must be pervasive, big enough. Even better if the problem happens on a regular basis, something that is pervasive in your target customer's life.

3. Willing to Buy: Your target customer must be willing to buy the product or service. Make sure the price they are willing to pay is more than it costs to build or provide it. The higher the margins the better, of course.

An Important Caveat: If your product or service meets the above rules, make sure the market is big enough, if you can find a growing or untapped market, even better.

New Blog Series - "Resonators"

I like this topic so much, I have decided to do a blog series called "Resonators". In this blog series I will highlight small, medium, and fortune companies that meet the above criteria. Companies that are winning, developing products or services that resonate.

You can follow me on twitter here

How to Beat Your 5K Personal Record

Last year I ran my first 5K race and did a blog post about what I learned. One thing I really enjoy about running the same race is the goal or pursuit to beat last year's time.

Don't Make the Same Race Mistake Twice

Learning from mistakes and not doing them again is the key to beating your personal record (PR) on a course you have run before. You can read here what mistakes I did from my first 5K race.

Three Things You Will Need to Beat Your Time

1. A Stop Watch - this will help you keep pace at each mile marker.
2. A Race Plan - understand your mile times (where you need to be and when), so you can stay on pace and beat your time
3. A Course Map - know the course well. There are parts of every course that can make or break your race.

Of course, you have to train evan harder then you did last year.

Did I Beat My Personal Record (PR)?

Yes, as I approached the finish line, I really had to sprint. I knew if I did not give an extra kick I was not going to beat my time. The last few hundred feet were very painful, but worth it as I finished the race and minute or so faster. I gave everything I had and paid for it in the finish line as I almost passed out.

My official time was 21:58 which was a 7:04 minute mile

Race Retrospective (How To Do Better Next Time)

1. I ran my first mile at 5:40 which was too fast. Which really killed me on the last mile which is all up hill. Next year I would like to run the whole race at a 6:30 pace which will put me top 30 of the race and help me beat my time again.

2. The last mile of this race is all up hill. This was my weakest part of the race. Next year it needs to be my best mile. Looks like I am going to do a lot more training running up hills.

I am currently training for my first TRI which is two weeks away.

5 Questions Tech Prospects Ask Prior to Purchase

Your prospective clients want to make sure they are making the right decision prior to purchase of your product or service. To be successful and win the deal, you need to make it easy to get the right questions answered in a efficient and timely manner. So what are the questions?

Here are a few questions your prospects will ask themselves prior to purchase (these questions are specific to a B2B technology buyer):

5 Questions B2B Tech Buyers Ask

1. Can you quickly show me in 3-5 minutes how your product and service works? (I want a high-level view with the problems it solves and benefits it provides)

2. Can you show me how the product or service would solve my problems? (The problems that keep me up at night)

3. Can I try your product prior to purchase to see how it works? (I want confidence that it will work the way I need it to work)

4. Can you tell me who else uses it? (similar to my organization)? (I would like to know if others like me are solving this problem and would like some 3rd party validation)

5. Can I talk to them? (I would like to get their prospective without the sales person)

The better you are at answering these questions the faster your deal will close. Of course, make sure your are talking to the decision maker, not just the feature evaluator or you could stall the deal.

Building Confidence with Prospects

All prospective customers (clients) want confidence in your product or service prior to purchase. The more expensive the purchase, the more your prospects want to make sure they are making the right decision. They want to make sure your product or service will stand up to their expectations, they want to make sure it works the way they need it to work, and they want to see how others successfully use it.

Success Stories Build Confidence

Video success stories are a great way to build confidence with your prospects prior to purchase. With the success of YouTube, people are use to seeing videos that they can consume quickly and even share among colleagues.

Here are a few examples of video success stories we have done to help build confidence with prospects prior to purchase:

Online videos are just one of the many ways you can build confidence with your prospects prior to purchase. What are some of the ways you build confidence?

Don't Give Up - The Mt Hood Story

You can't ever give up on life, even when the clouds and storms are raging. This is something I learned first hand while visiting Mt Hood, Oregon this summer. Mt Hood is almost open year round, making it the perfect training ground for the best skiers and snowboarders in the world.

Clouds, Rain

My visit to Mt Hood was 7 days long and a trip I will never forget. Life tends to teach you valuable lessons at the most opportune times and I would like to try to explain one that happened to me while at Mt Hood.

I arrived at the base of Mt Hood around 7 am. It was raining and cloudy. This is not the ideal conditions for summer training, but many times you have to brave the storms. I got on the lift in the pouring rain. The life ride was miserable. I was wet and cold and I wanted to give up and turn around. I got off the first lift and could not see 3 feet in front of me. I got on the second lift and it was raining and blowing even harder. Just when I was about to lose hope and give up I broke through the clouds into the blue sky. I could not believe it, I was above the storm. I was in the blue sky and the sun never felt better.

Above the Clouds

As the sun hit my wet face and I looked back upon the storm, I had a thought that made the experience even more meaningful. We all have storms, these storms many times rage in our lives and try to get us to give up on life or turnaround on our dreams. Remember one thing, the storm will pass, be patient, have faith because the sun and blue skies are waiting. Never Give Up.

Never Give Up

"I've learned that no matter what happens or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. You gain strength, courage, & confidence from every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face." - Anonymous