Derek Andersen

Our game released on the App Store this past week was the culmination of a lot of work by a lot of people. Much of the unheralded work was done by people I like to call “BELIEVERS”. A Believer is identified if they fulfill all of these requirements:

1. Someone that truely wants you to succeed.

2. They have no ulterior motives.

3. They’ll do whatever they can to help you.

They are friends, family, former co-workers, or ultra successful people (mentors) that just generally want to see entrepreneurs succeed. There are different levels of Believers.

Type 1: Friends and family Believers do the grunt work of support. They’re more than happy to rate and comment on YouTube videos and other links. They’re the type of people that will help no matter what is required. They’ll go to the store and buy 10 of your products if you ask them. They post any video (regardless of quality) or press release you create to their Facebook feed and tout it as the greatest thing known to man.

Type 2: Former Coworkers are a great resource…if they’ll help you. I have some that will flip over backwards. I have others that completely ignore me, or worse de-friend me! Chances are you’re doing work that’s in a similar discipline to your last job and there are people that can help you directly.

Type 3: Experienced Professional. I only recently understood how interested and helpful well-established mentors/executives want to be in seeing you succeed. There is a group of highly talented and skilled people that who for no other explicable reason than making the world a better place, are willing to make a significant contribution to your success. I think without this group we would have achieved half the success we ultimately will.

I recently had a conversation with a CEO of a successful App company who offered to introduce me to some well-known Silicon Valley entrepreneurs. When I first protested saying I had nothing to give back he scolded me explaining the introductions were not quid pro quo.

As an entrepreneur it’s important to identify Believers and use (not abuse) them as necessary. Your friends and family shouldn’t be your Marketing Plan, but you’ve got to use every resource you have to make your endeavor as successful as possible. It’s also important to try to give more than you take. The best sharers always end up getting more. Seems like my CEO friend figured that out a long time ago.

This entry was posted on September 14, 2010 at 7:37 pm and is filed under Uncategorized.