This post is inspired by the KaChing case study on Startup Lessons Learned on Pivoting on Eric Ries blog, and this quote;

Which is a nice story. But when kaChing actually shut down each game, hundreds of angry players spewed venom. “We had to ignore them, because they weren’t our target audience – and were never likely to become customers.” says Rachleff.

We see the look on the face of our co-founders all the time when they are trying to be nice. They’ve put their product out there, and they’ve seen a few buds of interest grow and some bloom into an interested segment. But then they realise that another segment is the one they should commit to – it’s stronger, deeper, bigger, more likely to be profitable.

That’s good to work out, but now you need to have the guts to stop supporting the other customer segments. If you have to spend a lot of money and time to maintain them, it’s an easier question – ditch them and save time and money.

But, even if you don’t have to maintain them, it can be far too expensive to keep supporting them. Why?

1. Your brand. What are you? As a startup, you might know what you are and your vision, but the rest of the world doesn’t. If you’re trying to be two things, then it will be about 10% as effective (complexity costs!).
2. Your attention. Focus makes you stronger. It makes life simple and easier, and life is tough enough in a startup.

No one likes to break up with anyone. And these customers are early and fresh and full of love for you. It’s hard. But you need to be firm and get it done. It’s hurting both of you. You’re not really looking after them. Maybe you’ll be ready for them one day, but not today.

Do it nicely. Don’t burn bridges. But do it.

It’s not you, it’s them. (Unless you two time, then it’s you!).

I’m running a Web Business Focus workshop for $80 on March 17.

I’ve done more than 35 focus workshops for clients over the past two years and I love doing them. We take a big vision and find out where our starting focus is and it lets us get started in a lean, agile way with a reasonable budget.

A lot of smaller startups haven’t had the budget to pay for one on one workshops, so some suggested a multi-person workshop. I’ve done these at BarCamps and BootupCamps and got good feedback, so I thought we’d do it. Here is the details;

Web Business Focus with Mick Liubinskas

Get 2010 in focus!

Do you run a start up that needs focus or have a great web business idea that you want to explore – then register for Pollenizer’s Focus Workshop run by Mick ‘Mr Focus’ Luibinskas, Pollenizer Co-founder, Chief Marketing Officer and serial entrepreneur.

What we’ll cover:

1. Why is focus and agility so important?
2. What is your core value and driver?
3. How to find your customer?
4. How to make the experience valuable, fast?
5. How to get people to your site?
6. How to make sure people come back?
7. How to get people to bring their friends or refer more business?
8. How to get people to share your content to the world?
9. How to build a roadmap?

What’s your investment?

• Three hours for one night
• Pre-workshop: complete a one page strategy summary
• $80 per person

In this interactive workshop you will find your busines focus. The purpose of the workshop is to help every participant find and/or refine their business focus for 2010. Over two hours we will cover the business, the product, the market, the customer acquisition strategy and communications using Pollenizer’s focus methodology.

In the last hour, you can ask questions and share your ideas with other participants.

Pollenizer’s marketing team will assist you with planning, to bounce ideas and support you in this process. We have helped over 30 web businesses find their marketing focus.

Join us for a enjoyable and challenging evening and kick off 2010 with brutal focus!

About Mick: http://www.pollenizer.com/about/our-team/mick-liubinskas/

Register Here for April