I'd challenge your assertion that Autopest can be done with a simple automation script. Yes, it **can** be done, but it requires lots of knowledge about automation and APIs that most people don't have. And even if you do have that knowledge, it'll still take a decent bit of time to set things up. (Speaking as someone who originally built this exact automation for myself before productizing it.)
So... yes... it can be done, but installing Autopest takes 10 seconds. Is that how most products work? They're more efficient.
For example, I could grow my own fruits and vegetables, but I pay for the convenience of being able to buy them at the grocery store.
Perhaps, but unlike the fruits, you want it to be scalable and last or lead to something that does. Recent AI developments suggest that this will not be the case. I was just reacting to the assumption that no one was listening. This was my reason. Now of you said you wanted a create an AI based personal assistant, I would want to know more.
Interesting point about an AI person assistant. Here's my question for you... how do you know that's not what I'm trying to do?
Put another way, the "digital personal assistant" market would be almost impossible to directly break into considering Apple, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft all have versions.
If I wanted to break into that market, I wouldn't launch yet-another digital assistant. I'd find a tiny little task I could help people with (like, for example, automatically sending follow-up emails for them), get a good foundation of customers, and then I'd slowly expand. Maybe next I help with scheduling dental appointments. Then I'm booking summer camp for kids. Eventually, I've become everyone's go-to, AI-powered digital assistant without anyone realizing that was the plan all along.
I'm not saying it's what I'm trying to do. But I'm also not saying it isn't...
Agreed. You have to enable in a very precise vertical with a clearly defined use case. As you mention the heavy lifting is being done by others, so it is really UI/UX and packaging/marketing. On dental, medical, therapy (and other appointments that are scheduled), cancelled appointments are costly (non recoverable time) and an AI can fill with others who would love to jump the line. Historically analysis clearly shows the monetary benefit to the provider. I do not think it will just happen, it needs dedicated B2B sales and bespoke solutions need to be avoided, otherwise you become a systems integrator.
Aaron, I think context matters when promoting a new product. Specifically, your newsletters are about the issues and challenges of being an entrepreneur and startup founder. It is not about reviewing new and innovative products.
Hence your response rate for the product announcement was out-of-context for the audience you have created.
For example, I created an SEO product 12 years ago and had low/no traction as I tried to promote it online. However, when I partnered with one of the leading SEO blogs to promote it, sales went through the roof ($50K in just one week).
One of the key tenets I learned was that online audience building is a powerful way to launch a product IF that audience aligns perfectly with the product.
I agree with you that for most startups, creating the product is the easy part (unless it is deep tech, bio, pharma, etc).
Market focus is more challenging, especially if you do not have an existing online audience that is perfectly aligned with the needs your product meets.
This is a wonderful point! And -- to be sure -- not an entirely unintentional issue.
You're right that I launched in a crummy way to a somewhat ill-targeted audience. Not only that, but I did it on purpose because -- as per the linked article -- lots of entrepreneurs do the same exact thing. They build something they're proud of, tell everyone they know on LinkedIn, Twitter, TikTok, etc., and then get upset when nobody seems to want what they've built.
I wanted to show why that doesn't work, and you've done a great job of helping me articulate the core problem.
Bad idea - part of gmail and many others or can be done with a simple automation script.
Love the feedback!
I'd challenge your assertion that Autopest can be done with a simple automation script. Yes, it **can** be done, but it requires lots of knowledge about automation and APIs that most people don't have. And even if you do have that knowledge, it'll still take a decent bit of time to set things up. (Speaking as someone who originally built this exact automation for myself before productizing it.)
So... yes... it can be done, but installing Autopest takes 10 seconds. Is that how most products work? They're more efficient.
For example, I could grow my own fruits and vegetables, but I pay for the convenience of being able to buy them at the grocery store.
Perhaps, but unlike the fruits, you want it to be scalable and last or lead to something that does. Recent AI developments suggest that this will not be the case. I was just reacting to the assumption that no one was listening. This was my reason. Now of you said you wanted a create an AI based personal assistant, I would want to know more.
Interesting point about an AI person assistant. Here's my question for you... how do you know that's not what I'm trying to do?
Put another way, the "digital personal assistant" market would be almost impossible to directly break into considering Apple, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft all have versions.
If I wanted to break into that market, I wouldn't launch yet-another digital assistant. I'd find a tiny little task I could help people with (like, for example, automatically sending follow-up emails for them), get a good foundation of customers, and then I'd slowly expand. Maybe next I help with scheduling dental appointments. Then I'm booking summer camp for kids. Eventually, I've become everyone's go-to, AI-powered digital assistant without anyone realizing that was the plan all along.
I'm not saying it's what I'm trying to do. But I'm also not saying it isn't...
Agreed. You have to enable in a very precise vertical with a clearly defined use case. As you mention the heavy lifting is being done by others, so it is really UI/UX and packaging/marketing. On dental, medical, therapy (and other appointments that are scheduled), cancelled appointments are costly (non recoverable time) and an AI can fill with others who would love to jump the line. Historically analysis clearly shows the monetary benefit to the provider. I do not think it will just happen, it needs dedicated B2B sales and bespoke solutions need to be avoided, otherwise you become a systems integrator.
Aaron, I think context matters when promoting a new product. Specifically, your newsletters are about the issues and challenges of being an entrepreneur and startup founder. It is not about reviewing new and innovative products.
Hence your response rate for the product announcement was out-of-context for the audience you have created.
For example, I created an SEO product 12 years ago and had low/no traction as I tried to promote it online. However, when I partnered with one of the leading SEO blogs to promote it, sales went through the roof ($50K in just one week).
One of the key tenets I learned was that online audience building is a powerful way to launch a product IF that audience aligns perfectly with the product.
I agree with you that for most startups, creating the product is the easy part (unless it is deep tech, bio, pharma, etc).
Market focus is more challenging, especially if you do not have an existing online audience that is perfectly aligned with the needs your product meets.
This is a wonderful point! And -- to be sure -- not an entirely unintentional issue.
You're right that I launched in a crummy way to a somewhat ill-targeted audience. Not only that, but I did it on purpose because -- as per the linked article -- lots of entrepreneurs do the same exact thing. They build something they're proud of, tell everyone they know on LinkedIn, Twitter, TikTok, etc., and then get upset when nobody seems to want what they've built.
I wanted to show why that doesn't work, and you've done a great job of helping me articulate the core problem.