Page 95

GO IT ALONE!

Consider Turning a Product into a Service

The discussion of ASPs in this book shows the ongoing evolution of software products into monthly subscription services. Many of these are go-it-alone businesses. Similarly, Michael Loeb at the Synapse Group, built his business, in part, on transforming the delivery of magazines from a product (with multiple bills appearing in the mailbox every few months) to a service (with payment via the customer’s credit card), which appealed to a specific group of buyers. Are there ways you can group existing products, or reshape them, to form a service that provides higher value to consumers?

Look for Opportunities to Provide Outsourcing

Outsourcing of all types of functions, as detailed throughout this book, is unquestionably a growing trend. In part, this phenomenon is fueled by the unbundling arising from the growth of the Internet. Many go-it-alone firms provide outsourced services: The highly focused, relentlessly repeatable characteristics of such businesses make them desirable opportunities for go-it-alone entrepreneurs. Once again, the best way to locate a valuable outsourcing opportunity is likely to be your own experience: Take note if you find yourself doing something time-consuming and wondering why there’s no existing business that makes the task involved a lot easier.

Use the Web Site for This Book

The contents of the Web site (www.BruceJudson.com) for this book are described on page 205. The site will, among other

<--previous page

next page-->

Search the complete text of Go It Alone!