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  • Top 9 Best Digital Advertising Platforms for Startups In 2022

    Advertisement is the key point for introducing a product in the market. There can be different ways of advertising a product or service. The most common type is online Advertisement.

    In this type, the advertising strategies are applied on a digital platform. The biggest advantage of using online advertising platforms is that one can easily advertise for a large number of targetted audiences. Other synonyms of online Advertisement are digital advertisement, internet Advertisement.

    In simple terms, online Advertisement is the promotion of products or services by the means of the internet. There are many different platforms available for one to advertise on. The top 9 best advertising platforms for any startup are given below:

    1. Google
    2. Bing
    3. Pinterest
    4. YouTube
    5. LinkedIn
    6. Facebook
    7. Twitter
    8. Quora
    9. Instagram

    1. Google

    Google AdWords Homepage
    Google AdWords Homepage

    Google is a popular platform known and used by a majority of the population. Google search engine is one of the most commonly used search engines. Google Ads or previously known as Google AdWords is the advertising platform invented by Google for paid promotion. Google Ads works based on keyword auction under the model of Pay-per-click.

    Pros

    • It helps to promote the business, sell the product, create awareness, increase the traffic to the website all by a professional yet easy platform.
    • It allows its advertisement to be in multiple forms such as images and videos.
    • Google ads are compatible with both mobile as well as desktop.
    • Google Ads provides multiple packages for their users to select from. Budget will not be the issue to use Google ads.

    Cons

    • Proper usage of Google Ads and its tools, professionals are needed. It requires additional learning for the perfect usage of Google Ads.
    • Even though the process of creating an advertisement is quick, it does take much time for maintaining the advertisement and its rating.

    2. Bing

    Bing Ads Cost: Average $1.24 Cost per click

    Bing Ads are the paid Advertisement services provided by Microsoft. It is also referred to as Microsoft Advertising. Bing Ads are another great source for promoting a service or a product.

    Bing Ads works in a similar process as Google Ads. They work on the model of Pay-per-click with keywords ranking. The Bing Ads can be shown on multiple platforms such as Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo search engines.

    Pros

    • While using Bing Ads, one can have better control over the opposite partner’s search keywords due to the limitations of compatible search engines.
    • For some users, Bing can be a great alternative for replacing Google Ads due to their similarities. Or some can also work by using both platforms simultaneously for better results.

    Cons

    • One can give advertisements to the search engines like Yahoo and Bing only, so the overall reach is less. There are many possibilities of losing out potential customers due to the limited range.

    3. Pinterest

    Pinterest Ads Cost: Average $2.00 to $5.00 Cost per thousand impression

    Pinterest Ads Homepage
    Pinterest Ads Homepage

    Pinterest is a specialized platform allowing its users to create their dedicated collections. Pinterest has several posts (pins) shared on it by a wide range of users. This makes Pinterest a good option to advertise on. Pinterest also allows its users with the service of paid advertisement.

    Pinterest Ads work almost similar to the way pins work on Pinterest. To advertise using Pinterest, one needs to buy the pins or set a budget for ads to be displayed.

    Pros

    • Pinterest is given the name of a visual discovery tool. Hence promoting a business over there can easily reach out to targeted audiences without much barrier.
    • User engagement is great as there is not much difference seen between pins and promoted content on Pinterest.

    Cons

    • Even though Pinterest has a large amount of user engagement, the engagement is limited to specific categories. Hence it is not good for every business.

    4. YouTube

    Youtube Ads Cost: Average $0.10 to $0.30 Cost per view or action

    Youtube Ads Homepage
    Youtube Ads Homepage

    YouTube is another top-level platform commonly used in day-to-day life. YouTube also offers the facility of displaying advertisements on its platform. YouTube Ads are another effective way of promoting a startup.

    Advertisements on YouTube are generally in the form of standard videos. Advertisers need to pay when any user interacts with their video.

    Pros

    • YouTube ads are true to be counted as cost-effective.
    • YouTube ads allow the advertiser to reach out to several audiences quickly with faster responses.

    Cons

    • There is no proper control over the ads placed on YouTube. Advertisers can not select the videos on which their advertisement will be visible. This also hinders the proper targeting of the required audience.

    Top Types of Video Ads Marketers can use to Promote their Brand (With Examples)
    Want to accelerate your growth by video advertising? Here are some of the best video advertising campaign ideas you can use to promote your brand.
    StartupTalkyMuskaan Kapoor

    5. LinkedIn

    Linkedin Ads Cost: Average $5.58 Cost per click

    LinkedIn Ads Homepage
    LinkedIn Ads Homepage

    LinkedIn is considered one of the largest professional networks in the world. LinkedIn can be used for many professional jobs such as finding a job, getting an internship, connecting with different Professionals, etc. LinkedIn also has a large social network formed by its users.

    LinkedIn Ads are another cost-effective method of advertising to promote them through different mediums. LinkedIn ads also work similarly with the pattern of Google ads and Bing ads.

    Pros

    • LinkedIn is a specialized platform for professionals, hence ads generated on LinkedIn can directly be Targeted to professionals.
    • Creating a LinkedIn ad is time-saving and easy to implement.

    Cons

    • LinkedIn has no proper customization service available for its users.

    6. Facebook

    Facebook Ads Cost: Average $0.97 Cost per click, $7 Cost per thousand impressions

    Facebook Ads Homepage
    Facebook Ads Homepage

    Social media is a great way of being connected to others through the internet. Nowadays, social media is not only confined to being a place for connection, it has evolved as a great source of advertisement. Facebook allows its users the facility of giving out paid advertisements. This advertisement can be in the form of promotional posts or banner ads. Facebook uses the algorithm of relevance score to share any ads.

    Pros

    • It provides good customization with better tools.
    • The working process is quite easy to deal with.

    Cons

    • Social media marketing is only for a limited audience, they do not have a wide range of audiences like other available platforms.
    • There are very high chances of showcasing the advertisement to the same audience, again and again, causing no benefit.

    7. Twitter

    Twitter Ads Cost: Average $0.50-$2.00 Cost per action

    Twitter Ads Homepage
    Twitter Ads Homepage

    Twitter is responsible for creating trending topics. Apart from being just a way of socializing, Twitter can also be used as a way of advertising a startup. Twitter ads are the paid service enabled by users who want to promote something. Twitter ads work on the model of auctioning keywords.

    Pros

    • Twitter asks for the pay only after completing your defined target.
    • Twitter is all about tweets, mostly wordy messages. Hence keyword targeting is better oriented in Twitter.

    Cons

    • The analytics provided by Twitter for the ad campaign are not detailed reports.
    • There are chances of skipping the advertised tweet by the users due to the number of feeds available.

    8. Quora

    Quora Ads: Average $0.25 to $1 Cost per click

    Quora Ads Homepage
    Quora Ads Homepage

    Quora is a question and answer platform used for gaining and sharing knowledge. The limits of quora have long passed its basic format. At present times, Quora is considered more like a daily used platform. People look up new things, solutions, options from quora at their convenience. Another great thing about Quora is that it allows the users the facility of paid advertising.

    Quora ads are needed to be created and implied by the user itself. However, the model on which they work is similar to Google’s model of bidding for keywords.

    Pros

    • It directly offers behavioural targets to customers.
    • Quora can easily create awareness between high intent customers.

    Cons

    • The competitors of Quora have much better features.

    9. Instagram

    Instagram Ads Cost: Average $0.20 to $2 CPC, $6 Cost per thousand impression

    Instagram Ads Homepage
    Instagram Ads Homepage

    Instagram is another great social media platform contributing to allowing its users to keep up with the trends. Just like Facebook and Twitter, Instagram also has different kinds of audiences. Instagram also allows for the place to advertise by its medium.

    Instagram allows its users to bid for the advertisement and then shows the sponsored content of the winner. Instagram works almost similar to Facebook, but with little range.

    Pros

    • Using Instagram Ads is more like being ahead of others for the promotion of a brand or startup due to the availability of a targeted audience.
    • There are several advanced features available for one to use.

    Cons

    • Instagram ads are more inclined towards mobile applications rather than desktop use. Only those comfortable with mobile operations can easily use Instagram ads.

    Top 5 Best Ad Networks for Publishers in 2022
    Are you looking for an ad network to reach out to the right target audience. Look no further, here are the 5 best ad networks for publishers.
    StartupTalkyDamini Bhandary

    Conclusion

    Startups are gaining many highlights in current affairs. However, advertising for startups is still a tricky part to deal with. Online advertising is a great form of advertisement saving major hard work. There are several places available for one to advertise digitally, some of the most recommended platforms for advertising are shared above.

    FAQs

    Which online platform is best for advertising?

    Google, Twitter, Linkedin, Bing, Pinterest, Quora, and Facebook are some of the best platforms for advertising.

    What is the biggest advertising platform?

    Google is the biggest and most popular advertising platform.

    Which is the best advertising agency in the world?

    Ogilvy & Mather, MullenLowe, McCann Worldgroup, and Publicis Groupe are some of the best advertising agencies in the world.

  • Top 5 Best Space Companies In The World

    Technology is the current force in the 21st century. We survive in the world of technology and it is constantly making an impact in our life, that we are now aiming for space. A newspaper once said that “we live in the world, which is getting smaller day-by-day, because of the technologies and the improvement in them.

    The 21st century is the ‘Mother of Technologies’ since scientists constantly improving space technologies and the hefty investment by entrepreneurs. Today, the world business market is dominated by technology-based entrepreneurs and their business ventures in space. Let’s look at top space companies in the world.

    1. SpaceX
    2. Boeing
    3. Virgin Galactic
    4. Sierra Nevada Corporation
    5. Airbus Defence and Space

    1. SpaceX

    Elon Musk has made living the dream to create a colony on Mars and he is creating the dream via his company SpaceX. SpaceX is a private American aerospace manufacturer and space transport service company headquarters in Hawthorne, California. It has made over 100 launches on its manifest representing about $12 billion in contract revenue.

    In June 2019, SpaceX started to raise $300 million of investment from Ontario Teachers Pension Plan, which has $191.1 billion in assets under management. It owns a test site in Texas and operates three launch sites, with another under development.

    2. Boeing

    Boeing CST-100
    Boeing CST-100

    The Boeing Company is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells aeroplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. It provides leasing and product support services.

    It is one of the largest global aerospace manufacturers and is the world’s fifth-largest defence contractor in the world. It is marching forward with Apollo-style CST-100, a seven-person capsule, which was fully unveiled in 2014. It was ranked US$93.3 billion in sales, ranked 24th on the Fortune Magazine Fortune 500 list in 2018 and ranked 19th on the “World Most Admired Companies list (2018).

    3. Virgin Galactic

    Virgin Galatic Spaceship Two
    Virgin Galatic Spaceship Two

    Virgin Galactic is one of the leading space companies in the world. It is a spaceflight company within the Virgin Group. It was founded in 2004 and has its headquarters in Mojave, California. It is developing commercial spaceflights for space tourists and suborbital launches for the space science mission. It also plans to provide orbital human spaceflights. The founder Richard Branson and 3 astronauts took a flight to the edge of space and back. The plane used for the flight was SpaceShipTwo.

    In 2007, February, Virgin announced that they have signed a memorandum of understanding with NASA to explore the potential for collaboration but they have only received a small contract in 2011 of up to $4.5 million for research flights and also, launched an investment into the OneWeb Satellite Constellation, which provides world internet access service of WorldVu.

    4. Sierra Nevada Corporation

    SNC Dream Chaser
    SNC Dream Chaser

    This space tech company is a private American company which provides electronic systems providers and systems integrator specializing in microsatellites, telemedicine, and commercial orbital transportation services.

    The company has contracts with the United States Armed Forces, NASA, and private spaceflights. It has 34 locations in 19 U.S states and rests in England, Germany, and Turkey. It was founded in 1963 by John Chisholm and was started as a small business with a few employees and later was acquired by Fatih and Eren Ozmen and became a multi-billion dollar company with thousands of employees. Its main business is the US Department of Defense and NASA contracts.

    5. Airbus Defence and Space

    A division of airbus, air defence, and space. It is responsible for defense and aerospace products and services. It has its headquarters in Ottoburnnin Germany. It was ranked as the 94th ranking at the Fortune Global 500 list in 2017 and was also named as one of the “World’s Most Admired Companies”.

    It is structured into four business lines i.e. Military Aircraft, Space Systems, Communications, and UAS. The space systems are responsible for space exploration, space launch systems, missile defense, satellites, information solutions, strategic missiles, defence systems etc. as part of the services.

    Top 5 Leading Space Tech Startups in India
    Space tech industry is an industry that has witnessed massive growth in these years. Many Startups have reached new heights. So here are 5 startups leading the industry.
    StartupTalkyArbaz Sayed

    FAQs

    What is space technology?

    Space technology is a technology for use in travel or activities beyond Earth’s atmosphere, for purposes such as spaceflight or space exploration.

    What are the benefits of space technology?

    Some of the benefits of Space technology are,

    • Improving healthcare.
    • Protecting our planet and our environment.
    • Creating scientific and technical jobs.
    • Improving our day-to-day lives.
    • Enhancing safety on Earth.
    • Making scientific discoveries.

    What is the best space company?

    Some of the best space organisations are,

    • SpaceX
    • Boeing
    • Virgin Galactic
    • Sierra Nevada Corporation
    • Airbus Defence and Space

  • How to Launch an Online Course?

    Technology has been a blessing in such a way, that now one can learn new things by just staying confined in their rooms.  One can get educated, learn new courses, work skills with the help of the internet. Online learning is everywhere now. You can find a course for almost every skill online. It has spread the reach of knowledge as anyone can learn from anywhere. This sounds like a business opportunity, isn’t it?

    According to reports, the market value of online learning as of 2020 is over $200 billion and it will only keep increasing. Online learning or Elearning has a vast reach and can bring you, customers from different age groups and from any part of the world. You can not only earn from selling your courses online but there are many other benefits for it too. In this article, we will talk about what are online courses and how one can launch them.

    What Are Online Courses?
    Importance of Online Courses
    How to Create an Online Course

    What Are Online Courses?

    As you have already guessed by the name, it is the courses you can take on your phone, tablet, laptop, desktop or even on your smart TV with the help of the internet. For some people, online courses are much better than traditional classes, as there is no distraction from other people. Although is not always true for some people, as they have always learned in schools or colleges and have a habit of learning with other people in a traditional way. So, this might be a disadvantage of an online course that it doesn’t attract all kinds of people.

    Importance of Online Courses

    • Flexibility: Online courses can be taken from anywhere. So, people who travel a lot, don’t have to miss their classes. Therefore, as a business owner (online course provider), you don’t have to worry about your customers.
    • Payment: You don’t have to worry about getting paid for your online course as people will have to pay before starting their online course. So, unlike traditional courses, you don’t have to ask people to pay their fees.
    • Potential Customers: If you provide free courses on your website, then you can identify your potential customers. Only those people will take your online course who are really interested and if they learn something from you for free, they are most likely to buy that product of yours.
    • Lower Cost: Both for the course provider and the students, the cost is going to be minimum. As a course provider, you don’t have to invest in a place for the classes, other resources, and teachers. As for a student, you don’t have to spend time and money commuting to the location where you have to take classes.
    • Internal Training: You can give online training to your own employees. It will save time and will be effective for your new employee, who can while doing their job.
    • Opportunity to Build Network: Nowadays most of the online courses create a common group (mostly on Facebook)  to clear the doubts of the students and run interactive sessions. Thus you may build a network with the community members by joining such groups. You may discover new opportunities from those groups as well.

    There are so many advantages of taking and giving online courses. These were some of them.

    Pros & Cons of Selling Online Courses

    How to Create an Online Course

    • Topic: First and most important step before creating an online course is to decide the perfect topic which will be best for your students. If you are going to give a free course, then chose something related to your own product. For example, if your company deals with the raw material of clothes, then you can provide a course on designing clothes.
    • Do a Market Research: After finalizing the topic, you should do complete market research on your upcoming course. If there is high demand for this course or if people are asking too many questions about it. Check the competition and what are the shortcomings of your competitors. Try to fix those loopholes and make your course unique.
    • Outlines: Just like we did while writing eBooks, you have to outline the whole course. Write about what you want your students to learn. First, write all the things you can think of, then, shortlist the content and remove the unnecessary content which doesn’t directly affect the skill.
    • Structure Modules: Structure the modules of the classes. Plan how much will they learn in how many days will it take. Don’t include too much content for any of the classes.
    • Edit the material: Edit your content, which could be anything, videos, written formats, audio, anything. If you think you are not good at editing, then hire someone who can, as it is a crucial part of your online course.
    • Test:  Test your classes on someone, by trying to teach someone. Focus on the number of days they will take to learn from your course. Also, if possible, then take a test of their learning. It will help you to know how much your students are learning and what is their progress.
    • Pricing Model: Create the pricing model for your online course. Try to predict the number of students you will get. Then make sure that you cover all your expenses with that pricing.
    • Choose The Platform: Chose the platform you want to release your online course on. You can go for an online course marketplace or you can opt for some learning management systems, another option is that you can release the course on your own website. It will be the best option if you are going to provide the course for free.
    • Launch: Now, when you have the material, you have checked everything and chosen the platform, then what are you waiting for? It is the best time to launch your course online. Even If you are short in your budget then find out inexpensive ways to launch your course.

    Conclusion

    You can provide online courses for your new tool or just general knowledge of some techniques or you can spread your reach by providing free courses. Online courses can be an amazing opportunity for passive income. Just create some online courses and you will keep earning when people keep learning from your course. You can then update your course anytime you want.

    The only thing to keep in mind is that the topic should be useful to people. Moreover, you should have good knowledge of that topic so that you can influence people to buy your course. Make sure that you make the course easy to understand and interesting to learn. If you are not familiar with creating online courses, then hire someone who is. It would be a good investment for your passive income.

    FAQs

    What online courses sell the most?

    • Computer and Technology
    • Art and Crafts
    • Business and Management
    • Physical wellbeing
    • Education

    Is it worth taking free online courses?

    Free online courses can better your skill or can help you learn new things by sitting in front of your computer.

  • Future of Freelancing in India and Important Freelancing Statistics

    With rising levels of unemployment, employee dissatisfaction, job-hopping and entrepreneurship due to COVID-19, the Indian economy today is ascending towards a rather unpredictable change. Thus, freelancing is the new work culture that has slowly crept into the Indian mindset owing to its universal versatility and independent lifestyle.

    The future of freelancing in India looks promising. Many individuals are choosing to work according to their preference like where they want, when they want and the work of their choice. By 2025, freelancing statistics is estimated to grow to $20 to 30 million In India.

    Freelancing in India has already become popular enough to catch hold of a large segment of job-seeking, independent professionals looking forward to learning new ideas and exploring more work genres. There is a huge scope of freelancing India as it witnesses remarkable growth, giving a new voice to the modern, hard-working youth from different aspects of Indian society.

    But, is it here to stay? In this article, we have analyzed the present and future of freelancing in India, and some important facts and figures you would love to know about the freelancing sector –

    Interesting Statistics about the Indian Freelancing Sector
    Current Trends in the Indian Freelancing Sector
    How much does a Freelancer earn in India?
    Will AI Pose a Threat for Freelancers?
    Expert Opinion on Future of Freelancing in India

    Interesting Statistics about the Indian Freelancing Sector

    The number of freelancers in India is a whopping 15 million individuals, working independently in a wide array of sectors like IT and programming, finance, sales and marketing, designing, animation, videography, content and academic writing etc. Reports hold that one-in-four freelancers in the world are from India.

    While a major part of freelancers’ income comes from foreign sources, mostly Europe and the US, the rising culture of startups and entrepreneurship in India, contributes handsomely as well when it comes to measuring the pay scales.

    Currently, there are 15 million freelancers in India. as per some reports, the number of freelancers in India will grow to a whopping $20-30 billion by 2025.

    Since the startup culture is here to stay for the long haul (owing to several government schemes as well) the freelancing business, as the experts predict, will only see more and more partakers leaving their corporate jobs behind and joining the ranks.

    Freelancers are in high demand and companies right from startups to top-notch corporate are now reaching out to freelancers to seek their expertise in various projects and initiatives. If the momentum came from the startup revolution, the result will be a boom in the freelancing industry in India. However, the payment received by freelancers in India is less than that of their counterparts in other parts of the world.

    According to the 2020 Freelancer Income Report by Payoneer, a global digital payments platform, Indian freelancers work for an average hourly rate of $18, while globally the average hourly rate is $21.

    Freelancers are consistently gaining prominence and the perception that they are an inferior crop of professionals is gradually changing as even people with top educational and professional backgrounds are quitting full-time employment to provide their skills and services as independent consultants.

    Fastest Growing Freelance Market
    Fastest Growing Freelance Market

    There was a time when freelancing was not seen as a main source of income. It was rather viewed as something that students or housewives do to earn some extra money. However, owing to many reasons, freelancing is fast becoming popular among the youth both in India and globally.

    Some of the major reasons for the growing popularity of freelancing are flexibility of working as per one’s own convenience, higher income and availability of a wide range of tasks to choose from. Let’s have a look at some of the current trends in the Indian freelancing industry.

    1. Increasing Number of Corporate Professionals in India are Turning Freelancers

    The freelancing business’s overwhelming success has paved the way for a new trend and widened the scope of its popularity in future. Today, more and more corporate professionals and graduates of some of the country’s top colleges (read, IITs, NITs, and IIMs) are keen on leaving their jobs to opt for a more relaxed lifestyle, a far cry from the 9 to 5 schedule.

    These highly skilled individuals, talented beyond doubt, and brimming with curiosity to learn more and expand their professional barricades, have formed a whole new category of highly skilled, well-experienced corporate freelancers who offer their services as independent contractors.

    2. Increase in Number of Part-time Freelancers

    In the present scenario, the moonlighters or the part-time freelancers occupy a fair share as well. Freelancing provides a welcome break from the monotony and the opportunity to learn more. Who can refuse?

    So many professionals have chosen to freelance as part-time work. You can depend on projects for every month. So, it is far better if you continue this with your full-time job.

    3. A large Number of Indian Women are Becoming Freelancers

    The freelancing business in India has also resulted in the rise of the woman workforce. These empowered, confident women workers break the barriers of societal norms by working online from home. The popularity among the woman, who cannot leave their homes out of personal reasons, hence, is obvious and here to stay.

    4. Increasing Number of Freelancers in India

    Freelancers in India have been boosting the growth of startups in a big way. As a new company, startups are usually not in a position to hire a highly-skilled workforce permanently, which is why they are looking at the massive talent pool available in the freelance sector.

    Such a strategy while being cost-effective also fulfils the need for a specific skill-set not available internally. While fostering the startup economy in the country, freelancers today are also increasingly providing their expertise to top-drawer corporates as business environments and needs evolve.

    5. Indians’ Perspective towards Freelancing is Changing

    There used to be an image when the freelancing business was frowned upon by the elders. The work culture, after all, lacks the stability and security that come with a regular job. Of course, there came family restrictions as well, with many branding freelancing as ‘not a real job‘ and not everyone wants an erratic paycheck for their son. Not after all the money spent on college.

    Fast forward to a decade, the scenario shows some positive signs of a change. From the increasing number of freelancers (look at the stats!) to the gaining acceptance of refusing the placement offers for a startup. The change is already here, as well as social acceptance. Are you a part of it?

    How much does a Freelancer earn in India?

    Freelancing is the best option for workaholics because there is no limit on how much money you can make. The more services you provide the more your earnings will be. Only because of this advantage many people are switching their careers from full-time jobs to freelancing. This is why the freelancing business will grow more and more in future. Because nowadays people are so talented and have the hunger to grow and become rich.

    According to a report published in 2018 by digital payment company Paypal, freelancers in India earn 19 lakh per annum on average. In the survey conducted by Paypal on 500 freelancers, it found that 23% of the freelancers earn up to Rs 60 lakh annually, 13 % earn 10-15 lakhs per annum, 8% earn 7.5-10 lakhs/annum, while the rest 23% earn an annual income of Rs 5 lakh.

    Will AI Pose a Threat for Freelancers?

    Several reports claim that soon many jobs including freelancing jobs will be taken over by AI (Artificial Intelligence). AI is the next boom and even many businesses already implemented AI. And as it is growing it has already become a threat for the professionals but freelancing will be less impacted. Why? Because there are so many things out there that AI can’t do and maybe will not be able to do in future also.

    As digital marketing expert Larry Alton says, “Growth in AI isn’t going to replace web developers, accountants, lawyers, and consultants. If anything, it’s going to assist them and make them more efficient and profitable”

    Freelancers have the opportunity to connect with more and more people which AI can’t do. Also, AI can’t learn various creativity each person has. No one can communicate better than humans. So, there are so many ways that the freelancing business can grow in future and will be less impacted by AI.

    Expert Opinion on Future of Freelancing in India

    Steven Reubenstone, Founder of Collaborizm, an online collaborative community-based in Miami, US, says that 75 per cent of the 115,000 individuals on the platform are freelancing from India.

    The motivation comes from the chance to find ‘new cool projects to work on, and enhance their credentials’.

    According to a PwC report, incoming times big organizations will prefer to have fewer in-house employees and more freelancers in their workforce.

    Today, Freelancing look like a brighter landscape that will continue to light the future. As more and more generations join in and unemployment grows, it comes as no surprise that even experts regard that this work culture is here to stay at least for the next few years.

    Though the foreign payment options are still scarce and highly inefficient and though there are no rules yet to protect the right of this workforce, freelancing has found acceptance and the future, albeit unpredictable, looks positive.

    According to some research, there are many challenges as well as opportunities that the freelancing industry can bring in the future. But if businesses and organizations give more importance to hiring freelancers and develop or integrate systems that encourage freelancing then it will help both businesses and freelancers. But freelancers must learn new skills to compete in this competitive market where new freelancers, as well as new technologies, are coming every day.

    Conclusion

    A computer or mobile device, as well as a reliable internet connection, are required. You’ll figure out how to complete the remaining tasks on your own. However, you can only do so if you have a winning attitude. Don’t think of freelancing as a passing fancy. Make a long-term plan, set goals for yourself, and work toward reaching them.

    Even the sky is not the limit when it comes to freelancing.

    FAQ

    How many freelancers are there in India?

    There are nearly 15 million freelancers in India.

    How much do freelancers earn in India?

    An average freelancer in India earns approximately ₹4.2 lakhs annually.

    What is the rank of India in freelancing?

    India has the 7th largest freelance workforce globally.

  • Easy Things To Make and Sell Online

    This article is contributed by By John Brown

    You can start making and selling things online as a side hustle and eventually turn it into a business you can live on. But first things first. Let’s start with deciding what exactly you will offer to your customers. We have collected a lot of ideas you can find interesting. One special thing about all of them is that you do not need any particular skills or super expensive equipment to start your business.

    Pet Toys

    You might enjoy creating cute and funny toys for cats, dogs, rabbits, and other pets if you like animals. It can be simple, such as a box with many different-sized holes where you can put snacks inside and see how your doggy is trying to get them. But it also can be something more significant such as a cat tunnel with an exciting quest inside. Your small business might need some investments in the initial stage.

    If you need cash for your startup, consider online platforms like MoneyASAP that can connect you with vetted lenders who offer payday loans from $100 to $5000. There, you can get a short-term loan as soon as the next business day, regardless of your credit score.

    Postcards and Greeting Cards

    Whatever you want to sell online, you need to be creative to stand out from the crowd and show that your products are worthwhile purchases. This is especially true with postcards and greeting cards, as “top quality” cannot be their main advantage. People are normally paying much more attention to unusual designs.

    You don’t need to have a designer degree to start making cool postcards. Just think of funny phrases or cute images that your customers might love. There are plenty of online tools to help you professionally implement any of your ideas.

    Sweets

    Selling cupcakes sounds nice, but it’s pretty complicated if you don’t have a physical store to offer them to your customers. Therefore, we have come up with a better idea – homemade chocolate bars. All you need to start is a set of forms, good chocolate, and some nice topping.

    For example, it can be mini marshmallows, nuts, dried strawberries, other fruits, coconut chips, etc. Some go even further and add sea salt, flower petals, and other ingredients people usually do not expect to see on their chocolate bar.

    Bath Bombs

    Natural bath bombs will always be in demand. To make this business idea work, you need to create at least 5-10 unusual smells for such products. You should sell something people cannot buy in a supermarket or cosmetics store. For instance, it can be bath bombs with papaya and dragon fruit, strawberry, vanilla, bergamot, etc. It’s essential that you should be able to get these smells using natural ingredients only.

    After you are done with product selection, it’s time to create nice names for each type of bath bomb. Call your products something like “Warm August Evening” or “Sunset by the Sea” and you will undoubtedly attract a lot of customers.

    Tote Bags

    Such bags are insanely popular today. Not surprisingly, they go with almost any outfit and are easy to fold up when not in use. Creatively designed tote bags are in demand, which means this is one of your online business opportunities. The design can contain an interesting quote, a famous phrase, or a beautiful artwork.

    For example, you could make a bag that says “But first coffee” and add a pretty drawing of a coffee cup. Try to define your target audience before creating a new design. Maybe, it’s book lovers. Or perhaps, your bags are for cat owners who are crazy about their cute pets. Such an approach will help you get the right idea for the design.

    Candles

    Two main things that can make your candles unique are their shape and smell. You can create lovely small candles that look like cactuses. They can also have the shape of different fruits. Some even make elegant candles that look like a woman’s body. Whatever your idea is, you need to find a form that will allow you to implement it.

    The second aspect is the aroma. Using various essential oils (e.g., grapefruit, patchouli, cinnamon, peppermint) is the best way to make your products appealing to your customers because they are natural.

    Tips for Selling Handmade Products Online

    Offering various things for sale on the internet is a pretty good idea that requires minimal money investments. You can start selling your products on Instagram or build your own website. Here are some tips that can be helpful for you:

    • don’t skimp on marketing your products
    • invest in quality product photography
    • follow a competitive pricing strategy
    • provide your customers with common payment method options

    Last but not least – enjoy the process. Start creating products that you like and would buy yourself.

    Author’s bio:

    John is a financial analyst but also a man of different interests. He enjoys writing about money and giving financial tips, but he can also dive into relationships, sports, gaming, and other topics. Lives in New York with his wife and a cat.

  • 9 Reasons Why You Should Choose Entrepreneurship Over 9 to 5 Job

    The possibility of beginning a company can be somewhat startling if not out and out scary. Still, there are numerous extraordinary purposes to give it a go. Nowadays, it is “simpler” than it ever has been to begin and maintain a business.

    Regardless of whether a person is bootstrapping his business or has an investment, it is currently more hazardous to rely upon employment. Enterprise is fit as a fiddle and here are a few reasons why everyone ought to consider diving in as well. There are many reasons to leave a 9-5 job and become an entrepreneur. Let us see the complete story on the topic- This Is Reasons- Why You Should Leave 9-5 Job And Become An Entrepreneur.

    1. Not Be Bored
    2. To Be Right
    3. To Be Appreciated
    4. To Make Money
    5. Become Your Own Boss
    6. Unable to Unwind
    7. Obsessed
    8. To Gain Knowledge
    9. Labeled a Rebel

    1. Not Be Bored

    If you get yourself effortlessly bored you know how others begin to view you as an issue. Nothing isn’t right with you aside from that you are exhausted with exercises that aren’t up to your potential and aren’t testing you. This absence of tests is the reason you loathed the vast majority of the classes you ever took. Take a gander at who dropped out of school to wind up distinctly one of the wealthiest men on the planet.

    2. To Be Right

    You need to demonstrate you’re not a maniac isn’t that so? Your companions called you insane, your manager thought you were whacked and even your mother said no chance is that going to work. Be that as it may, hello, you did it. You were RIGHT! Furthermore, now you can move around with your hands on your hips, nose noticeable all around, singing “I’m a business person…. I’m a business person….

    3. To Be Appreciated

    Manufacture your business, procure colleagues and take great care of them. You’ll be valued. Particularly on payday; and when you reveal to them they’re making an extraordinary showing with regards to; and when you give them a raise

    4. To Make Money

    The main motive when you think of becoming an entrepreneur is to earn money and if you become a successful entrepreneur you could earn a lot of money. This is one of the most important reasons to leave a 9 to 5 job and become an entrepreneur.

    5. Become Your Own Boss

    You may not see eye to eye with your manager, but rather you can’t fire him or her. As a business visionary, you will work for your customers, however, you can supplant and fire troublesome customers. Owning your own particular business will empower you to experience being in control of your own workday.

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    6. Unable to Unwind

    Dozing is impossible since you can’t kill your considerations. Your thoughts may even show themselves in your rest your psyche is never killed or on an excursion. The following morning despite everything you’re overwhelmed by the thought, diverting you from the employer should do.

    7. Obsessed

    You may have been named over the top since when you begin on something you have a troublesome time relinquishing it. Try not to give anybody a chance to persuade you this is a malady or insufficiency. Every single awesome business person turns out to be totally inundated in their vision — obsessed.

    8. To Gain Knowledge

    Regardless of whether this is one reason you set out to be a business visionary or not, your tank is presently brimming with information. One thing I’ve adapted, however: It’s greatly improved to have astuteness than information. This is also one of the reasons to leave a 9 to 5 job and start your own business.

    9. Labeled a Rebel

    The significance lies outside of the lines and limits of experts and you don’t think laws, approaches, and directions apply to you. You have been marked a rebel, a run breaker and would challenge gravity if you could.

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    FAQs

    Do entrepreneurs earn more than employees?

    Yes, but entrepreneurship is all about hard work and how successful your product will be in the market. But many entrepreneurs do make less money when they were an employee.

    Why are entrepreneurs better than jobs?

    You are your own boss. Entrepreneurs can work at flexible times which leads to a healthy life but entrepreneurs usually have high-stress levels.

    Are entrepreneurs happier than employees?

    Yes, entrepreneurs are happier than employees but that comes with its own set of drawbacks which is too many failures, long working hours, low income, and high-stress levels.

  • List of Startups Funded by Ghazal Alagh

    Ghazal Alagh is a charming and successful businesswoman who co-founded and built the beauty, child and skincare brand named ‘MamaEarth’. She was also one of the seven sharks from the Shark Tank India show. Though her presence in the show was limited, Ghazal made several investments and encouraged the upcoming entrepreneurs.

    In an unsuccessful search for a skincare solution for her kid, Ghazal ended up founding her own baby and skincare brand. Her love and passion for business and branding strategy made Ghazal an inspiring businesswoman. Now she’s passing hands to lift other budding entrepreneurs to develop their startups. Let’s know a little more about Ghazal Alagh and her investments in startups.

    Uvi Health
    The Sass Bar
    Sunfox Technologies
    Watt Technovations
    Humpy A2
    Gold Safe Solutions Industries
    Wakao Foods
    Nomad Food Project

    Who is Ghazal Alagh?

    Ghazal Alagh was born in Gurgaon, Haryana, on the 2nd of September 1988. She is a BCA (Information Technology) graduate from Punjab University, where Ghazal Alagh also completed her Post Graduation.

    Her love for arts made her attend several intensive courses on figurative painting and modern arts at the New York Academy of Arts. She worked as a corporate trainer at NIIT before founding MamaEarth.

    Ghazal Alagh with Varun Alagh
    Ghazal Alagh with Varun Alagh

    Ghazal got married to Varun Alagh in 2011. After the birth of their first child, the couple realized that there were no toxin-free baby care products available on the market. This compelled Varun and Ghazal to start their own company.

    They began with toxin-free baby products and later expanded to beauty, body, hair, and skincare solutions for all age groups. The company ‘MamaEarth’ has received multiple recognitions for its quality and growth over the years.

    Here is the list of all startups funded by Ghazal Alagh:

    Uvi Health

    Uvi Health Logo
    Uvi Health Logo

    Uvi Health is a healthcare solution platform that offers medical and other wellness assistance to women. The company offers personalized support from experts. Uvi aids women in taking care of their mental wellbeing, PCOS-related issues, and physical fitness. They organize doctor and health coach consultations for comprehensive expertise solutions.

    Ghazal Alagh made an investment in Uvi Health in July 2021. It was a Pre Seed Round led by Titan Capital. A sum of ₹2.47 crores was invested in the company by Ghazal along with five other investors.

    The Sass Bar

    The Sass Bar Logo
    The Sass Bar Logo

    The Sass Bar is a startup that is involved in the manufacturing of creative soaps. The company produces soaps that look and smell like desserts. The products are made up of completely natural ingredients.

    Other than desserts The Sass Bar manufactures soaps in the form of seascape, retro, cafe, festive and celestial collections. There is also a bulk gifting option along with curated gift cards.

    The Sass Bar’s innovative and creative idea fascinated Ghazal Alagh. She invested ₹25 lakhs for 17.5% equity in the company.

    Sunfox Technologies

    Sunfox Technologies Logo
    Sunfox Technologies Logo

    Sunfox Technologies or Spandan is a company that creates compact and portable devices that help people to track their ECG, Sugar, and BP levels. This startup aims at providing easy-to-use healthcare monitors at affordable costs.

    Sunfox Technology’s goal is to reduce the death rate caused by undiagnosed health failures. Constant monitoring of our health reduces this and Spandan’s compact devices help in achieving this.

    Ghazal Alagh made an investment of ₹20 lakhs in return for 1.2% equity in Sunfox Technologies.

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    Watt Technovations

    Watt Technovations Logo
    Watt Technovations Logo

    The 19-year old Nihaal Singh Adarsh, the founder of Watt Technovations, appeared in Shark Tank India. He got the attention of all Sharks through his passion for innovation and the investment he demanded from them.

    Adarsh pitched his idea of creating ventilated PPE kits but the sharks turned down his idea. Instead, they encouraged him to keep innovating by providing him with their support and the asked investment. Watt Technovations demanded a fund of ₹101 for 2% equity.

    Ghazal Alagh contributed her share of ₹25 for 1% equity in the startup.

    Humpy A2

    Humpy A2 Logo
    Humpy A2 Logo

    Humpy A2 is an organic dairy product startup. The company offers nutritious, pure, and fresh dairy products. In addition to it, Humpy A2 sells a few groceries like dals, rice, millets, honey, oil, etc., All their products are USDA, FSSAI and A2 certified.

    Humpy A2 not only aims at feeding people healthy but is also determined for safe and green earth. The company is trying every means to reduce plastic usage and go environment friendly.

    The founders managed to convince Ghazal Alagh and secured a sum of ₹33.33 lakhs for 5% equity in the company.

    Gold Safe Solutions Industries

    Safe Solutions Industries manufactures anti-suicidal ceiling fan rods that prevent suicides by hanging. The man behind this invention is Sharad Ashani and he pitched his idea in Shark Tank India.

    The founder claims to have installed over 50,000 anti suicidal rods in hotels, hospitals, jails, hostels, etc., His noble mission to reduce hanging deaths by his Gold Life Venture received a good reception from the sharks as well as the public.

    Gold Safe Solutions Ind. received a sum of ₹16.67 lakhs from Ghazal Alagh for 10% equity in the company.

    Wakao Foods

    Wakao Foods Logo
    Wakao Foods Logo

    Wakao Foods is a Jackfruit based food manufacturing startup from Goa. The company sells ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat foods with no added preservatives. Wakao Foods also produces vegan food varieties made from Jackfruit. The founder’s long-term goals and vision towards his business were so clear. Ghazal Alagh offered to invest ₹25 lakhs for 7% equity in Wakao Foods.

    Nomad Food Project

    Nomad Foods Logo
    Nomad Foods Logo

    Nomad Food Project is another food manufacturing startup that sells bacon-related jams and relishes. Bacon is the core food item used in making all other dishes made by this startup. The varieties and flavours Nomad Foods bring in their products and the marketing technique they used to sell them are excellent.

    The founders convinced Ghazal Alagh and bagged an investment of ₹10 lakhs for 5% of the company’s equity.

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    Conclusion

    Though MamaEarth stationed itself firmly in the market, Ghazal Alagh became well-known only after she appeared as a Shark in the Shark Tank India. She was the youngest shark in the show. Ghazal’s journey as an investor has just begun. She has made most of her investments in Shark Tank India. Ghazal’s enthusiasm for budding startups and entrepreneurs proves that she will invest more in the future.

    FAQs

    Who is Ghazal Alagh?

    Ghazal Alagh is a charming and successful businesswoman who co-founded and built the beauty, child, and skincare brand named ‘MamaEarth’.

    When and where was Ghazal Alagh born?

    Ghazal Alagh was born in Gurgaon, Haryana, on 2nd September 1988.

    How much has Ghazal Alagh invested in startups?

    Investments in startups are estimated to be around ₹1.2 crores in Shark Tank India and an undisclosed amount in Uvi Health.

    What is the net worth of Ghazal Alagh?

    Her net worth is estimated to be around $20 million.

  • Embibe – How this AI-Powered Edtech is Making Learning Easy

    One of the main issues students face while studying is that they fail to develop a clear understanding of concepts. This causes a lack of interest in studies. The solution to this problem lies in technology. With the use of technologies like AR, VR, AI, understanding even the toughest of concepts can be simplified.

    Meet Embibe, a platform that is using technology to make learning fun. Embibe uses 3D videos and AI, to help students prepare for various schools exams, entrance tests, competitive exams, and Government exams.

    Embibe – Company Highlights

    Startup Name Embibe
    Headquarters Bangalore
    Sector E-Learning
    Founders Aditi Avasthi
    Founded 2012
    Parent Organization Indiavidual Learning Private Limited
    Website www.embibe.com
    Contact iwant@embibe.com

    About Embibe
    Embibe -Founders and Team
    Embibe – Mission & Vision
    Embibe – Logo
    Embibe – Funding & Investors
    Embibe – Business Model & Revenue Model
    Embibe – Competitors
    Embibe – Growth
    Embibe – FAQs

    About Embibe

    Reliance-backed Edtech startup Embibe has established itself as one of the popular learning apps. The app offers a 3D interactive learning experience to the students. Embibe contains world-class content related to various courses, in the form of 3D slideshows and videos, which ensures that students need not rote any topic, but develops a clear understanding of every topic.

    Students from classes 6-12, as well as students preparing for various entrance exams, competitive exams, and  Government exams, can use the app. Besides offering courses for 6-12 for national and state boards of India,  Embibe helps in the preparation of IIT JEE, BITSAT, NEET, VITEEE, and more. The app also helps aspirants prepare for Government exams like the SSC, Railway, Defence, and Insurance Exams.

    Embibe ensures that students do not just learn the topics, but also gain expertise through practice. The platform helps students practice the concepts learned through a wide range of practice questions curated from hundreds of course and reference books. Students get guidance from the AI Bot ‘MB’ while solving the questions. Students can also take tests and get personalized feedback via the Embibe app, which helps them prepare better.

    The best part about Embibe is the personal touch it provides. It is not a one size fits all platform. Embibe uses Machine Learning and AI to understand the current knowledge base and learning pattern of the students and suggests learning paths accordingly so that every learner can learn things at his own best pace possible.

    Embibe also includes an app for the parents whereby parents can track the performance of their children on the Embibe app. Parents can track syllabus completion, check the feedbacks their children receive on Embibe, and much more.

    Embibe is designed to run even on a low bandwidth internet so that students from rural areas where internet connection is slow can also use it effectively.

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    Embibe -Founders and Team

    Aditi Avasthi is the founder and CEO of Embibe. She graduated with a B.E degree and later did an MBA from Chicago Booth. Aditi has years of experience, working with brands like TCS, Barclays, and Siemens, holding various technical and managerial positions.

    Embibe Founder - Aditi Avasthi
    Embibe Founder – Aditi Avasthi

    Aditi embarked on her entrepreneurial journey with the launch of Embibe in 2012. Aditi like many youngsters in India dreamt of getting into IIT, but she missed the chance just due to a lag of a few points. This is one of the main causes that inspired her to start Embibe as a platform that can empower students to build their dream careers.

    Embibe currently works with around 1800 + employees.

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    Embibe – Mission & Vision

    Embibe is operating with the mission to give every student the opportunity to be the best student they can be. While in our educational system Marks are used as a criterion to measure a student’s potential, Embibe is using Technology and deep data analytics to gauge the potential of the students and help them attain the best in their careers.

    True to its vision, Embibe has helped many students from rural and backward backgrounds get into the best colleges around the world.

    Embibe - Logo
    Embibe – Logo

    Embibe has raised a total of $196.7 million worth of funding in 4 rounds.

    Date Stage Amount Investors
    May 2014 Venture Round $4M –
    April 2018 Corporate Round $180M Reliance Industries
    August 2018 Venture Round – InnoVen Capital
    February 2020 Corporate Round Rs.900M Reliance Industries

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    Embibe – Business Model & Revenue Model

    Embibe runs on a Freemium Model. Some of its features are free to use. Students can access some study materials, practice questions, and mock tests for free. Paid subscriptions come with added benefits like AI and ML-powered guidance for problem-solving and score improvement, and personalized feedback for every learner.

    Embibe – Competitors

    The top competitors of Embibe are –

    Khan Academy

    Founded in 2006 Khan Academy is a not-for-profit organization that provides free education on various subjects.

    MeritNation

    This online learning platform helps students from classes 1-12 grasp their studies better. With the help of technology, Meritnation designs a customized, self-paced learning experience for the students.

    Toppr

    Toppr helps students in the k-12 segment, as well as for competitive exams. Toppr also offers homework help apps. Toppr introduced a school operating system that helped schools run online during the Covid times.

    Byju’s

    Being one of the top players in the edtech segment, Byjus is a major competitor of Embibe. Byju’s caters to the learning needs of the k-12 segment, as well as provides tutoring for various competitive exams.

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    Embibe – Growth

    As per 2020 data, Embibe has over 10, 400 active users. The company has helped many students achieve their dream careers and thus has attracted the attention of investors. Reliance Industries holds an 85.38% stake in Embibe as of March 31, 2019. Some reports claim that Embibe’s Annual Revenue is $1.77M as of Dec 31, 2020.

    In its bid to grow, Embibe has also acquired other edtech startups. Embibe acquired edtech startup 100 Marks in 2015. In 2019 Embibe acquired Funtoot, the world’s first intelligent and adaptive personal tutor for the K12 segment. In the same year, Embibe also acquired Test Preparation startup MockBank. In 2020, Embibe acquired Online Tyari, an online platform that helps students prepare for competitive exams.

    By introducing new programs and through new partnerships, Embibe is all set to change and enhance the learning experience of the students.

    Embibe – FAQs

    Is Embibe Free?

    Many Features of Embibe are free. Students can practice, take tests, and view lessons. But some features like personalized feedback, AI-powered guidance, etc are paid.

    Is Embibe owned by Jio?

    Yes, Reliance holds an 85.38% stake in Embibe.

    Is Embibe Indian?

    Yes, Embibe is an Indian company. Founded by Aditi Avasthi, Embibe is headquartered in Bangalore.

  • How to Find Product-Market Fit for your SaaS

    An entrepreneur should identify a need in the market before starting a product or service. When entrepreneurs build a solution that customers are satisfied with, the success of their product is quite obvious. Your value proposition should hold true for being in a good market with a product that can satisfy that market demand.

    On finding the Product-market fit for SaaS products, entrepreneurs from SaaS industry shared their ideas. Get an insight into the Product-market fit for SaaS startups.

    Shayak Mazumder – Co-founder, Eunimart

    Shayak Mazumder, Eunimart Co-founder
    Shayak Mazumder, Eunimart Co-founder

    In 2017, before we started building the product, we did roadshows across many cities and towns of India, speaking personally to thousands of merchants to understand the kind of software they use, the network issues they face, their staffing issues, etc. We identified the biggest challenges facing these merchants both from the merchants as well as the subject matter experts who came to speak in our roadshows. This helped us to build a very robust plan for the product because we knew exactly what were the biggest challenges facing these merchants and what the impact of solving them would be.

    Most external folks who didn’t have this insight initially advised that we were doing too much. However, we were certain that unless we solved the entire problem, chipping away at the minor problem statements would only help a minuscule segment of the merchants who could figure out things for themselves. This resulted in rapid growth once we launched the platform in 2020, with hundreds of merchants signing up organically. We continue to take feedback from the industry in building our platform.

    Robin Das – CEO, Brandintelle

    Robin Das, CEO of Brandintelle
    Robin Das, CEO of Brandintelle

    Finding PMF is never easy. A product can improve their PMF by –

    • Talking to potential/current customers and understanding their day-to-day life. Sometimes getting a larger context is more important than just focusing on what your idea is addressing.
    • Analyzing if the problem your product is solving is big enough so that your customer will be willing to change his habit & pay for the service.
    • Read up on the competition. If there is no competition yet, there could be a 10% chance you’re onto something really big and a 90% chance that the problem you’re solving is either too small or does not exist.
    • Once you hit PMF you’ll know, as your email inbox or phones won’t stop ringing and you won’t have the resources to meet the demand.

    Pramod Gummaraj – CEO, Aprecomm

    Pramod Gummaraj - CEO of Aprecomm
    Pramod Gummaraj – CEO of Aprecomm

    Product Market Fit does not stop with generating MVP (Minimum Viable Product) and traction in the industry. Product Market Fit is a continuous process, particularly in the case of SaaS (Software as a Service) models. There should be a visible increase in the value addition Year on Year to keep the customers motivated and interested in continuing the engagement. So, it is particularly important to keep interacting with customers, to keep driving the innovations. Always, look for ways to upsell.

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    Arjun Gupta – Founder, Courseplay

    Arjun Gupta - Founder of Courseplay
    Arjun Gupta – Founder of Courseplay

    Product market fit is one of the first and most fundamental activities for any company to nail as early as possible. It can evolve to some extent over time, but getting it right as early as possible is key. Courseplay launched at a time when formal learning platforms were virtually non-existent in companies in India, especially the small and mid-sized companies. I remember spending a lot of time researching the market and speaking with real companies about challenges that they are facing when deploying skill development solutions for their companies. I remember getting a lot of clarity the more I would talk to different people because they would share real-world problems and help me focus on practical solutions rather than develop something that might sound good on paper but be impractical to deploy. I particularly remember one client that talked about the importance of measuring impact in learning, and we have been obsessed with delivering that answer ever since.

    Shreyan Gandhi – Director and Co-founder, Comket Solutions

    Shreyan Gandhi - Director and Co-founder, Comket Solutions
    Shreyan Gandhi – Director and Co-founder, Comket Solutions

    Our product market fit was identified by the problems we faced ourselves. We found a whole bag full of business cards in office and we had no idea which card we got from whom, we had no recollection of the vendor or anything that stood out. That’s when we decided to make networking impactful, a way in which the consumer can share their details in a seamless way and also to make a lasting impression on the person receiving the information. During our beta phase we realised we weren’t the only ones facing this problem. A lot of people had a stack of business cards that they eventually threw away or forgot about.

    Sarvagya Mishra – Co-founder & Director, SuperBot (PinnacleWorks)

    Sarvagya Mishra - Co-founder & Director, SuperBot (PinnacleWorks)
    Sarvagya Mishra – Co-founder & Director, SuperBot (PinnacleWorks)

    Not only the Indian market but even the global market and businesses are facing the challenge of maintaining constant communication with their customers daily. The overall call centre industry is worth $339.4 Billion, but still, businesses are losing ~10-15% of their potential revenue just because of lack of timely communication.

    Considering the above stats, it is evident that the Product is a market fit that can cater to all the calling needs of businesses at a 10X faster pace by placing 1M+ calls a day.

  • Tips to Increase Customer Engagement for SaaS Startups

    Engaging Customers and adding value to their satisfaction level brings positive business outcomes. When customers are happy with the products and services they receive, they are more likely to be loyal to the brand.

    In the SasS Startup ecosystem, where companies of different shapes and sizes are the customers, increasing Customer Engagement and building good relationships with the customer base to foster brand loyalty and awareness becomes the necessity for the business’s survival.

    Here are the ideas shared by SaaS Entrepreneurs on increasing customer engagement for SaaS Startups.

    Shayak Mazumder, Co-founder, Eunimart

    SaaS startups, unlike other apps, have only their core product as their asset. In Ola, cars are their primary asset. In Oyo, it’s hotels and a number of rooms. In Eunimart, it’s our product. As such, thinking through the following is key to increasing customer engagement.

    • The user personas on the platform need to be defined in detail. We have to build for very specific people, and not everyone.
    • The user journeys need to be defined in detail. Other apps need not have opinions about how people will journey through their app. But, SaaS startups must know the user journey and make it easier at every step for the user to achieve success.
    • In-app messaging customized to each user and their usage patterns is extremely important.
    • Creating a community-based engagement for users to find more value is the last step.

    All of the above require the platform to collect data about every step of the user’s journey.

    Robin Das, CEO, Brandintelle

    Robin Das - CEO of Brandintelle
    Robin Das – CEO of Brandintelle

    Here are certain things you could do to increase customer engagement-

    • It’s very important to build a relationship between the Founder & the customer. This could be F2F, via email or even via e-meetings. This might not be scalable but has a really large impact when it comes to building customer loyalty and increasing their engagement.
    • Enable your product with tools to help the customer explore all the features in your product. This could be via tooltips, tours, checklists etc.
    • Product updates & blogs are a great way for your customer to know what is going on in the product.

    Pramod Gummaraj, CEO, Aprecomm

    Be flexible & innovative not just with the product offerings but also with the Pricing. Each market has its unique challenges in terms of affordability when comes to adapting to new technologies. It is important to understand these challenges and come up with a portfolio of modular product options that can cater to requirements based on Geographies and market sensitivity.

    Penetration and Upsell strategies are especially important to get customer engagement. At Aprecomm we also educate customers about SAAS (Software as a Service) model and how it makes a difference (simplified deployments, easy manageability, elastic, etc.) compared to legacy deployments.

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    StartupTalkyChaitra S

    Arjun Gupta, Founder, Courseplay

    As a B2B SaaS Startup,  I would define customer engagement as the adoption of end users on our platform. To increase customer engagement we look at 3 core attributes (AND) at Courseplay:

    Awareness: Do people even know your product exists and what it’s for? Spend time to invite users to use the product, communicate the value proposition visually and make sure they have heard what you have to say. Communicate the “What’s In It For Me” story loud and clear.

    Navigation: Do they know what to do and where to go once they are online? Make it intuitively clear where users have to click and avoid having to explain it in a manual.

    Delight: Deliver a surprise or a wow factor to hook users and keep them coming back for long term engagement. Only after you have mastered the first two points, invest in beautiful layouts, quicky messages and smooth animations to make your users fall in love.

    Shreyan Gandhi – Director and Co-founder, Comket Solutions

    Shreyan Gandhi - Director and Co-founder, Comket Solutions
    Shreyan Gandhi – Director and Co-founder, Comket Solutions

    The concept behind customer engagement is self explanatory, you have to provide the consumer with something to engage with! If your service has multiple options for active user engagement your outcome will always result in higher engagement. With tap1ce we’ve provided a reward system that enables our users to earn points based on their usage. They can redeem these points to avail discounts on our Tap1ce store as well as use the points to renew their subscription for the following year.

    Sarvagya Mishra – Co-founder & Director, SuperBot (PinnacleWorks)

    Sarvagya Mishra - Co-founder & Director, SuperBot (PinnacleWorks)
    Sarvagya Mishra – Co-founder & Director, SuperBot (PinnacleWorks)

    The use of the latest technology is something that is required for all SaaS startups to increase their customer engagement. Staying in touch with the customers is very important, and products like SuperBot suffice this need by allowing businesses to pay automated reminder calls, new offers, feedback collection calls, etc. If a solution is increasing your productivity, then it is not just an expenditure but an investment.