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What if your Web startup attracts users without computers?

jasonglaspey.com

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Re: What if your Web startup attracts users without computers?

#11

Post by ayu »

Catering to the non-computer crowd; this is a fantastic idea. We spend so much time hooked up to computers and aiming for that younger and business crowds that it's easy to forget there is a large, large demographic who have just as many (maybe more) problems as we need solved and just as much money to pay for it from their kids or retirement funds.

How do you market to these folks? For me the first thing that comes to mind is infomercials but I don't really want to get into them. (Cue mental images of Sham-wow). Older folks like to read print newspapers, too. Can anyone suggest some good ways to tap this market?

Re: What if your Web startup attracts users without computers?

#12

Post by chaz »

keiferski wrote: post #4

This is a good reminder for us tech-savvy people: there's a HUGE untapped market of people out there who either don't have a computer or barely know how to use one. More importantly, they're not stupid or unworthy of your time -- they often need the same tools and information that we do, only simplified and streamlined.

True, but they're less likely to grow your business than online customers today, even if there are more of them. Offline customers will still be there next year when you're twice as big and you can afford the higher customer acquisition costs.

Re: What if your Web startup attracts users without computers?

#14

Post by keiferski »

patio11 wrote: post #6
keiferski wrote: post #4

This is a good reminder for us tech-savvy people: there's a HUGE untapped market of people out there who either don't have a computer or barely know how to use one. More importantly, they're not stupid or unworthy of your time -- they often need the same tools and information that we do, only simplified and streamlined.

Can I add that, if you go after these markets, rather than competing against web-savvy startups and Microogle you'll instead be ROFLstomping grossly inferior solutions which are offered by companies with no interest or expertise in web marketing?

Why not do both (techies and non-techies)?

Re: What if your Web startup attracts users without computers?

#15

Post by JonZack »

The tablet and mobile will be the so-called last mile for the web Ludites. The net book brought a huge influx of seniors to the web because they wanted to connect with their kids and grand kids. Verizon noted them as their biggest buyers of net books. Why? because they did not have to install or connect anything. It just worked..for the most part.. and it was affordable. They used it like an appliance, for one or two main things. Tablets and mobile are going to fill in the rest of the gaps and bring the rest, happily onto the web as long as we keep it simple. Apps should be short for Appliance. Think about Apps as a solution to this market. Apps are 1.0 right now, 2.0 is coming soon. Huge opportunity for the greater masses with Apps.

Re: What if your Web startup attracts users without computers?

#16

Post by cjg »

ayu wrote: post #11

Catering to the non-computer crowd; this is a fantastic idea. We spend so much time hooked up to computers and aiming for that younger and business crowds that it's easy to forget there is a large, large demographic who have just as many (maybe more) problems as we need solved and just as much money to pay for it from their kids or retirement funds. How do you market to these folks? For me the first thing that comes…

Depends on your market. You could go for print advertising with a publication that reaches your market (geographical, interest). You could try mail marketing. Don't forget billboards, posters which, of course range in size (and associated cost) from A5 -> huge.

Try spending a day noticing all the advertising you see. It will give you some ideas of your own.

Re: What if your Web startup attracts users without computers?

#17

Post by SimonPStevens »

Mz wrote: post #3

I know someone with an informational website that sells a dead tree version online, without the updates. It is kind of a snapshot in time of what was on the site at some point. (Or did at one time. I have just taken a quick look at the site and I am not currently finding a means to buy the book version.)

Kind of like http://hackermonthly.com/

It's a print edition of the best stories from HN each month.

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