Thanks for re-posting through Twitter.

Clint

it’s a really interesting dilemma that most entrepreneurs face, especially in web startups.

So often, you think you have the message simple and in terms your market uses……..and you just don’t.As an observation, not a criticism, it is interesting that in your linked post from 2009 you reference ‘Hunch is to Answer site as Flickr is to Ofoto’.I am somewhere between techie and normal, but:- I know Hunch (played with it 18 months ago, was not accurate for me, I must be odd - I know Yahoo Answers (used < 10 times)- I know Flickr (know about Stewart, Caterina, sale to yahoo, but never used)- I think I have heard of Ofoto but have no idea what it is.I am on LinkedIn, Facebook (rarely post), Twitter (rarely post) even Disqus (post a lot, don't use any of the tracking tools really). I think I can tell people what those services are and why they should join.I think that is the key – not naming the category, let someone else worry about that, its always a misnomer anyways.

The difference between facebook & MySpace (*they would argue): MySpace was not something customers described as a network, or a place for sharing with friends. Facebook did what all good brands do: they told their customers what Facebook was, in terms they would likely use, when talking to others!

This is an interesting topic as our company is starting to see some comp bubble up. I've always been partial to the belief that killer instinct wins. This post seems to argue the contrary.

After recently reading 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing I've bought into the Law of Leadership (ie. first wins) even more.

How heavily do you weight the value of mindshare? Since our product is new, we want to be the leader. Eventually other will say, we are the UberCab of… (ie. the Groupon of…; the Flickr of…); not the follower. Don't you think focusing on the comp and being aggressive to kick their ass can help in this effort?

All the evidence out there shows that delivery of the value proposition improves over time through new, innovative companies solving the same problem. That is why you have Google or why MS, Cisco, Symantec, <fill in big company name here> end up buying the same company every 4-5 years.

Ironically, once Facebook or someone similar becomes and enormous market leader, thus validating the market, you see every investor attempt to revise their investment strategy and get into anything in that market they can.

Often competition can drive demand and increase awareness of a product type, lowering lack of awareness and a lack of understanding. I think Friendster would agree.

Starting a company with any particular niche can be very difficult. In fact, competition can be fierce and there is always the neighboring competitors that can easily watch what you are doing and attempt to under-cut your efforts and steal your consume…

As you said between text, Twitter, Facebook, etc., people are definitely moving away from voice. Even sensitive topics such as breakups and firings are increasingly being done this way.

Video requires a higher degree of concentration (harder to multitask if you know people are watching) and presentation (shaving, cleaning up) than voice.

I share same dillema. I can built any app or website but getting people to notice is really hard. I would like to discuss this more with you and share ideas. Kindly contact me at faizan.naqvi at gmail