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I got a bad review from TechCrunch, lessons learned

joshliu.co

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Re: I got a bad review from TechCrunch, lessons learned

#21

Post by uniquejosh »

boreacrat wrote: post #19

I really liked your site, however while browsing a couple of things struck me as odd: 1. The yellow "we're in beta" alertbar. The alertbar usually tells you that the website is trying to do something fishy you don't want it to, like popups. 2. The inconsistent menubar. On the front page, if I just want to check out your site without signing up, there isn't one. When I click "Browse MinuteBox" a menubar shows up, but…

Hi there,

Sorry, we are waiting for Paypal's approval of using their new API, Paypal X. Therefore, we are now only recruiting experts to join us. That is why there's no requests there just yet. Once we are ready to go, we will push it and let people to post requests and arrange sessions.

Cheers

Josh

Re: I got a bad review from TechCrunch, lessons learned

#23

Post by pinksoda »

uniquejosh wrote: post #21
boreacrat wrote: post #19

I really liked your site, however while browsing a couple of things struck me as odd: 1. The yellow "we're in beta" alertbar. The alertbar usually tells you that the website is trying to do something fishy you don't want it to, like popups. 2. The inconsistent menubar. On the front page, if I just want to check out your site without signing up, there isn't one. When I click "Browse MinuteBox" a menubar shows up, but…

Hi there, Sorry, we are waiting for Paypal's approval of using their new API, Paypal X. Therefore, we are now only recruiting experts to join us. That is why there's no requests there just yet. Once we are ready to go, we will push it and let people to post requests and arrange sessions. Cheers Josh

Maybe new to to you, but X came out in 2009.

Re: I got a bad review from TechCrunch, lessons learned

#24

Post by nhangen »

QuantumDoja wrote: post #2

First thing, TechCrunch isn't the be-all-end-all of tech sites. Number two, Mike Butcher's self proclaimed description of himself is "Butcher by name, Butcher by nature" It's a real shame that a lot of people think TechCrunch is the place you need to go to "Make It" So you got a bad review, pfff My only advice would be, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and try, try, try again.

While that may be true, let's be real...being featured on TechCrunch is a step in the right direction. Some press is better than no press, etc. If you get on one tech site, you have a higher chance of getting on others, which means more traffic, which means more users for customer development.

Is it the difference between making it and not making it? Probably not, but it can't hurt.

Re: I got a bad review from TechCrunch, lessons learned

#25

Post by uniquejosh »

pinksoda wrote: post #23
uniquejosh wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hi there, Sorry, we are waiting for Paypal's approval of using their new API, Paypal X. Therefore, we are now only recruiting experts to join us. That is why there's no requests there just yet. Once we are ready to go, we will push it and let people to post requests and arrange sessions. Cheers Josh

Maybe new to to you, but X came out in 2009.

nono, X verifies start-ups who are using them. We cannot use them without their approval. We have submitted the application. Once we get that from them, we can then make our site live.

Re: I got a bad review from TechCrunch, lessons learned

#26

Post by leon_ »

> No, journalists will probably not do that.

What do journalists do anyway? I mean there has to be a reason why they call themselves 'journalists' and not just 'bloggers'.

I always assumed journalism would somehow include a little bit of research but ... nada. From my experience with the online "press" I just can assume that all those online journalist do not deserve that label.

Whenever I'm preparing a press kit I feel like I would be doing all the journalist's work and they only need (and most presumably will) take my copy 1:1, smack some Adsense on and republish it.

I have not much experience with print media so I don't know if the print journalists, too, are such a lazy bunch but online it's ridiculous.

Re: I got a bad review from TechCrunch, lessons learned

#27

Post by leon_ »

QuantumDoja wrote: post #2

First thing, TechCrunch isn't the be-all-end-all of tech sites. Number two, Mike Butcher's self proclaimed description of himself is "Butcher by name, Butcher by nature" It's a real shame that a lot of people think TechCrunch is the place you need to go to "Make It" So you got a bad review, pfff My only advice would be, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and try, try, try again.

Yeah, it always astonishes me how destroyed people can feel about a negative tech crunch mention.

If your consumer base is not the sort of tech geek who reads TC then TC frankly doesn't matter if you want to sell your product.

Re: I got a bad review from TechCrunch, lessons learned

#28

Post by leon_ »

callumjones wrote: post #14
john2011 wrote: post #3

TC especially europe is nothing to stress, it hasn't got many people watching it anyone, looks at alexa for traffic reviews. You'll get better feedback on HN

Totally agree, TC Europe seems to be lacking any real support from the TechCrunch brand.

There's a TC Europe? (I'm from Europe and I didn't notice.)

Re: I got a bad review from TechCrunch, lessons learned

#29

Post by pmoehring »

benreyes wrote: post #20
pmoehring wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd say, the review was actually good for Josh, as it gave him very honest feedback, probably much more frank than what he heard from people in person. People tend to say either "great, keep on going" or are very negative about a product, without being specific. It's easy to ignore the negative comments and write them off as 'hating'. I would venture that TC is an authoritative source, and therefore he took a hard lo…

Another point Steve Blank talks about this in Stanford series of talks on customer development: http://ecorner.stanford.edu/authorMaterialInfo.html?mid=2060 [video] He mentions any type of PR, Press including TechCrunch coverage shouldn't be sought after before contact with the customers and is part of a strategy and not a random tactic. And this is typically after you figure out what business you are in, who your cu…

Absolutely, good point. It's hard to resist the urge, though - seeking coverage (to get confirmation or otherwise) is only natural when you are passionate about your start up and want to tell the world what you are doing.

Customer development is still massively undervalued, though.

Re: I got a bad review from TechCrunch, lessons learned

#30

Post by kloncks »

At least that’s the theory. In reality I think this site has about a snowflake’s chance in the white hot cauldron of a collapsing star, and it’ll probably be overwhelmed by porn merchants faster than you can say “charge for online video.” Assuming they find it.

I don't remember reviews on TechCrunch being this harsh. Wow.

There's constructive criticism. And then there's this.

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