On the 22nd May, I presented for the Australian government IT-cluster in Sydney, aimed at young entrepreneurs and startup companies on how to commercialize their business to begin exporting.

The presentation is a quick summary on how to go from “Garage to Global” with your software product or idea. I have shared my ideas gained through experience, common pit-falls you can avoid and advice on how to begin exporting. I hope this can motivate and inspire others entrepreneurs to run with their idea, and remember to aim big and keep your vision alive

You can download the original slides in PDF format or read the summary in HTML below

Introduction

• Who is Calacode
• Based in Western Sydney and North-west USA
• Team of eight people
• Company founded in 2000
• What we do
• Develop Messaging solutions - @Mail
• Focus on Linux, Webmail, Email-server solutions and adopt open-source

Sales & Customers

• Company exports 97% of business overseas
• USA main market, followed by Europe
• Clients include:
• US military
• Iraqi Ministry of Foreign affairs
• Department of Energy
• IInet - Many ISP’s and hosting providers
• Universities and K12 around the world
• Approx 3,000 clients worldwide
• Millions of end user accounts using @Mail

Company Dynamic

• Leverage been small
• Fast team, can make decisions quickly
• Focus, focus, focus
• Do not be tempted to offer many products, focus on one and do it well.
• Less is more
• Focus on usability, let the product speak for itself.
• Avoid bloat - Too many features are bad
• Simple is beautiful - Take notice of Apple

Exporting

• Use Google Adwords
• Provide localized translations
• Offer discounts for customers to translate
• Setup a USA presence
• Americans love speaking to Americans
• EMDG/Austrade or local Government can assist with grants
• Hire as consultants - No company required
• Setup a company wide VOIP system
• US number / Toll-tree
• Make it easy to be contacted
• Remote workers are OK
• Keep focused and disciplined
• Manage expectations and maintain integrity

Exporting II

• Make it easy for people to pay
• Credit-cards, Purchase Orders, Bank-transfers
• Show product pricing upfront
• Do not hide costs or request pricing
• Resellers
• Can help expand but need support
• Attract passionate resellers, feed with resources
• Sell!
• Pay attention to marketing and let the product speak for itself
• Don’t get stuck in a product development cycle without a sales push - You can always make another version later

Tips from Experience

• Keep focused on the bigger picture
• Prune customers that are ‘leeches’
• Watch for the early signs - Do not get bogged down
• Charge more
• For a smaller company, aim for less customers that pay more
• People put more value in expensive items
• Generally, the customers who pay more have a better knowledge of product and a team behind them for support
• Each customer that purchases has a vested interest in your product to succeed - Leverage on this

Keeping ahead

• Innovate and research - R&D Grants available via government
• Lead, do not follow
• Do not clone!
• Don’t be too concerned what everyone else is doing
• Focus on your product and company mantra
• Be quick
• Small company, launch quickly, refine, launch again
• Don’t be a perfectionist
• Quick to market, then refine with feedback
• Don’t please everyone
• Make your product for a particular market
• It’s OK to say “no”

Conclusion

• Be happy
• Enjoy what you do, and the results of your work
• Keep the vision alive
• Be Passionate
• Customers will be attracted
• Employees will be enrolled
• Government can assist
• Be pro-active with grants
• Hire a consultant to help
• AIM BIG!
• Be bold and do it, now!