WorkHappy.net recently published an interview with Jason Fried, founder of 37Signals. 37Signals runs three web applications called Basecamp, Backpack and Ta-da List, which assist with project management, organization and to-do list management, respectively.
Their unique selling point is two-fold: they are amazing marketers, and their design and usability are such that people want to rave about them. Do a Google search for any of their application names and you’ll run into a lot of bloggers talking about these products. Word of mouth marketing at its most effective.
Here are a few excerpts:
“So my advice to people trying to build products is this: Give people just enough to solve their own problems their own way and then get out of their way. Basecamp and Backpack are all about simple useful little “tool nuggets” — messages, to-dos, reminders, milestones, notes — that give people the basic tools to do what they want their own way.”
“…the toughest part is getting the initial word out. You can’t have word of mouth until you’ve captured a few ears. So we think the best way to do that is to give away your knowledge and experience so others can benefit. Use education to educate and promote.”