11–20 of 31 posts
In some cases, the customer will expect a discount, knowing that they're a large customer and that their logo on your startup's website will instill some trust from potential customers and could lead to more sales.
In probably 99.9% of cases, at least in the US, the answer is yes. Forget about getting sued, you want the logos in your homepage to be a good reference to future customers. Like you don't put references in your resume without talking to them first... Same idea. But also the legal aspect... some companies will bar you from using their logo, (they could even negotiate a discount if they become "referencable"). The und…
Good to know there's a whole set of actions you have to be prepared for if you list a company's logo -- discounts, set up reference call, etc. Thank you.
Digitalocean TOS, not changable and required on signup: 2.3 You grant us permission to include your name, logos, and trademarks in our promotional and marketing materials and communications.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Good to know there's a whole set of actions you have to be prepared for if you list a company's logo -- discounts, set up reference call, etc. Thank you.
Some companies don't give you a choice ;) Digitalocean TOS, not changable and required on signup: 2.3 You grant us permission to include your name, logos, and trademarks in our promotional and marketing materials and communications.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I agree. I see single-digit million ARR startups list Google, Facebook, Visa, etc. as customers. Do you think they actually went through the process of getting permission to 1. list as customer and 2. use their logo on the website ? If they did go through that process, I wonder if there's a written guide somewhere, on how to go about it.
> Do you think they actually went through the process of getting permission to… Based on my experience working with and for a few startups, it's likely that many of them did not. I've been asked by CEOs to not remove Company X logo even though there was no relationship beyond a customer account which used a Company X email address. However, as several folks in this thread have noted, the process of working with custo…
At best, this seems like a pretty easy way to convert them into a former customer.
You are supposed to. Generally its better to ask. If theyre already a customer, there is a good chance someone is going to go to your site and see it. Sometimes it gets wierd, we had a large fast food logo on our site. We had only sold to 5 or so franchises in our area... So it was true but only kindof.
I'm almost certain that's the case when most of those kinds of logos are shown.
Most likely that's 80-90% of what happens when companies show logos on their website. Does Netflix really pay for that many SaaS products? Or is it really that one or two Netflix employees use it...
Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Do you think they actually went through the process of getting permission to… Based on my experience working with and for a few startups, it's likely that many of them did not. I've been asked by CEOs to not remove Company X logo even though there was no relationship beyond a customer account which used a Company X email address. However, as several folks in this thread have noted, the process of working with custo…
> I've been asked by CEOs to not remove Company X logo even though there was no relationship beyond a customer account which used a Company X email address. At best, this seems like a pretty easy way to convert them into a former customer.
The other wheeze for startups with few or no customers who want some recognisable badges on their home page is padding the "we work with" section with logos of companies where they use that company's product rather than vice versa...
Earlier quoted context omitted.
> I've been asked by CEOs to not remove Company X logo even though there was no relationship beyond a customer account which used a Company X email address. At best, this seems like a pretty easy way to convert them into a former customer.
But if the company itself isn't the actual customer, you don't lose anything by upsetting their legal/marketing team! And if the account's a free trial account, you're not losing any cash even if the individual account owner gets offended on behalf of their employer... The other wheeze for startups with few or no customers who want some recognisable badges on their home page is padding the "we work with" section with…
Well, those badge-worthy companies can preemptively ban your product as well as future business development/co-marketing opportunities. If you never see yourself having an actual relationship of any kind with those companies, and your ethical bar is that low, then you may decide it's worth it.
Certainly, many crypto companies are practicing this form of wishful thinking right now.
https://www.theverge.com/2022/7/29/23284330/helium-crypto-me...
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Some companies don't give you a choice ;) Digitalocean TOS, not changable and required on signup: 2.3 You grant us permission to include your name, logos, and trademarks in our promotional and marketing materials and communications.
The enforceability of that is probably extremely weak, most plainly: does the person agreeing to the TOS have the right to grant permission to use the logos or trademarks?
Earlier quoted context omitted.
But if the company itself isn't the actual customer, you don't lose anything by upsetting their legal/marketing team! And if the account's a free trial account, you're not losing any cash even if the individual account owner gets offended on behalf of their employer... The other wheeze for startups with few or no customers who want some recognisable badges on their home page is padding the "we work with" section with…
> But if the company itself isn't the actual customer, you don't lose anything by upsetting their legal/marketing team! Well, those badge-worthy companies can preemptively ban your product as well as future business development/co-marketing opportunities. If you never see yourself having an actual relationship of any kind with those companies, and your ethical bar is that low, then you may decide it's worth it. Certa…