This Week’s Best In Beta
Which startup is going to be the next big thing? Investors, bloggers, job seekers, and inspiring entrepreneurs everywhere are dying to know. Hundreds of startups enter private beta each month, and that’s far too many for any one person to keep up with. Fret not! Each week, I share some of the hottest new startups in this column, Best In Beta. Let’s discover the next big thing together!
Startups typically go about things a bit differently and referrals shouldn’t be the exception. “Crazy clever referrals.” Sound like it might suit you? How about a referral tool that’s free?
Say hello to Tapir, a startup striving to make referrals simple and effective for other startups. Don’t say hello too loudly, though, by hoisting them into the spotlight on Product Hunt. They have a badge (that they created) requesting as much. Fortunately, KillerStartups is in the clear, so, back to business…
Tapir is keen on helping startups develop custom widgets that work best for them. They aim to make it easy for customers to make referrals without leaving your website. Whether you’d like to offer rewards, discounts – or you have something else up your sleeve – they aim to please. Want to gift a short video showing the strange and wonderful tapir in action? They’d no doubt love that.
In all seriousness, referrals are a powerful tool for growing business. Cheaper than fancy marketing campaigns, better at building lasting relationships, it pays to have a referral program in place from the beginning.
How much does it pay? One of the two founders, or zookeepers, at Tapir, Alia Lamaadar, has graciously gone to the trouble of doing considerable research on the topic and shared findings on the Tapir blog. In addition to pinning down numbers, she initiates a thoughtful and engaging conversation regarding referrals. Here’s a sample:
“It seems to me, that when referrals are done right, at their heart, they’re actually more about us (the customer) than the company that’s being referred. They’re about feeling validated, sharing something we genuinely think is quite useful, clever, or beautiful, and introducing others to something we really think they’re gonna love. Sounds dreamy, doesn’t it?”
If you’re the kind of person who smiles while asleep thinking about a 60% higher ROI, then it sounds dreamy indeed. Request early access at tapir.me. Do your best to help your best customers help you without delay.
