Featured Start-Up: Clatterhead
Mar 3rd, 2009 by admin
Do you know who’s talking about you online? Has someone mentioned your company on their Facebook page or passed along your name to a connection on LinkedIn? Don’t know? Don’t worry. Austin, Texas-based Clatterhead solves this dilemma and more. With roots in the music industry, Clatterhead is all about creating, defining and taking advantage of the buzz. The company’s core product - Amplify™ - can track where you’re being talked about and help you get involved in the conversation. It’s about taking word-of-mouth to the next level, which is pretty important in today’s social network enabled world. Here’s more from founder Tom Gimbel:
Specifically, how does Clatterhead fit into the marketplace? And who are your target markets?
TG: We tout Clatterhead as “effective, affordable and trackable social media advertising and marketing.” Our aim is to reach small and mid-sized businesses in the following target market categories:
- Music
- Film
- Books
- Video Games
- Restaurants, Food and Beverages
- Clothing, Shoes and Apparel
- Sports, Events and Festivals
- Hotels and Resorts
- Churches and Charities
While we certainly will not turn away business from large corporations, we feel that the small and mid-sized businesses are underserved and represent a good opportunity especially as conventional print and television advertising budgets shrink in our present tough economy.
How do you promote a business such as this?
TG: Our plan is to promote Clatterhead via publicity in business trades, relevant blogs and online zines, through referrals from existing clients, by exhibiting at appropriate trades shows and conventions and through good old fashioned direct mail, phone calls and emails to potential customers. Currently, we’ll be attending the South By Southwest Interactive and Music conferences and are booked as an exhibitor in the Technology Pavilion of the upcoming National Restaurant Association convention. Lastly, our Web site is search engine optimized and we’ll be reviewing keyword advertising opportunities.
Did you write a business plan? How did you fund the launch of your business? Are you currently seeking investment?
TG: Yes, I wrote a business plan and a detailed systems document that outlines our processes from targeting and initial solicitation through campaign implementation and the final client wrap-up report. The business is self-funded through profits from another owned business – High Wire Music. I am not actively seeking investment although I do foresee a time in the next 6-12 months where additional capital will be necessary to achieve growth.
Is this your first start-up venture? What other businesses have you been involved with?
TG: This is not my first start-up. My pre-entrepreneur career was in the major label music industry. I spent nearly 20 years working in various senior sales and marketing executive positions prior to starting High Wire Music in 2005.
High Wire is a label services and distribution company. High Wire works with a number of independent artists who have achieved a certain level of success and no longer require the full services and investment from a major label. Our clients choose to retain ownership of their masters and a much larger piece of the profits vs. signing with a label and giving up those rights in exchange for an advance payment.
I made too many mistakes to count in starting High Wire. First and foremost was bringing on clients before having any sort of systems or plan. We just dove in and went for it. Before I knew it, we had a number of clients (primarily through long-time music industry contacts and referrals) and it became nearly impossible to draft and implement systems. My analogy was “trying to change your oil while the car is speeding down the highway.” I was simply too busy to even take a breath. About a year ago, I was fortunate to recruit a good friend and excellent record executive from my major label days. He has taken the reigns of High Wire and given me the time to properly plan and launch Clatterhead.
What resources have you utilized for start-up assistance and advice (both on and offline)?
TG: In terms of resources, my online sources of information and advice include iMedia Connection (daily newsletter), MarketingProfs (for relevant articles and case studies) and WOMMA.org (the trade group for Word of Mouth marketing). Offline, I have found Michael Gerber’s E-Myth and E-Myth Mastery books as well as most of Seth Godin’s marketing books to be invaluable. Lastly, I have a few Austin-based friends/mentors who I turn to for frequent advice and some much-needed counseling – both financial and emotional!
If you had to start all over again, what are some things you would do differently?
TG: I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to take some of the lessons I learned in starting High Wire Music and reapply them in launching Clatterhead. Proper planning and systems, having a well thought out product and marketing strategy, and - perhaps most important - making the right hiring decisions are all areas that I am hoping to improve on with Clatterhead.
