Earlier quoted context omitted.
We tried a couple of different ideas, neither of which gained traction. The most promising was offering a paid tool to Spanish and English professors, who could sign up their classes and then monitor how their students were using the site. We actually had about 50 universities sign up for a free trial, although only about 10 actually used the site actively last term. I think the biggest problem with this idea was tha…
I think you need to reaccess who your paying clients are. People that are so desperate to learn they'll try anything - expats in a new country for a job (or dragged along by a spouse), contractors dealing with workers and language barrier, esl teachers, travelers who want to be prepared to communicate with the locals, etc. Less fun, and more solution based advertising. I know I've seen Rosetta Stone ads highlighting…
Re: What it feels like to fail
#51Not just diplomats, either. While we were living in Puerto Rico, we knew one family from Denver; the husband had a management job in a local factory, and the company gave the family a $10,000 budget for language courses. And that was a small company - turns out this is generally worth the expense, because it reduces management turnover.