We’ve got a problem. We don’t know how to describe to average civilians just what it is that 37signals does.
Like when we’re at a cocktail party and someone asks, “What does 37signals do?” The answer typically starts with “a web software company…” and goes to something like “that helps small businesses organize information…” and ends with the other person snoring.
What do you think our hook should be for average people? What’s a good way to quickly describe what 37signals does that doesn’t put non-techies to sleep? How would you make what 37signals does sound interesting to civilians…in under 20 seconds?
karl
on 04 Nov 08Put together a piece like this maybe?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tbxq0IDqD04
Charlie Wood
on 04 Nov 08I’d say, “We make software for small businesses that they use on the web instead of installing it on their own computers.
“Just like you can use Gmail for email without installing Outlook on your computer, you can use our stuff to run your small business without installing anything on your computer.”
Regards, Charlie Spanning Sync
Robert
on 04 Nov 08You need other people to give you your perfect pitch? That is wrong in so many ways.
Ric
on 04 Nov 08That sounds very similar to some conversations I’ve had about our company!
James Head
on 04 Nov 08simplify….
“We provide technology solutions to small business”
A Guy From South America
on 04 Nov 08This is ridiculous! You want us to tell you what you are? Don’t give us your job!
Eric
on 04 Nov 08Just tell them that you’re huge on the internet.
Russ
on 04 Nov 08How about . . .
“We’re in the manufacturing business.
We help people, particularly small business owners, get things done simply and efficiently which creates more time for them to work on other things or spend time away from their business.
We manufacture extra time for people.”
Jason Winstanley
on 04 Nov 08It is a little alarming although honest for a company to be asking this question. As a new user of a couple of your products, I’d say you help people organize information and connect teams effortlessly.
Matthew Lang
on 04 Nov 08Why not brainstorm all the keywords that describe 37signals, it’s applications, and it’s people and go from there?
pmlarocque
on 04 Nov 08We are doing anti-management kickass software.
Tom
on 04 Nov 08We create environments in which people can work together, online.
Maybe don’t mention or emphasize the word online at the end or they’ll start snoring afterall.
Lincoln
on 04 Nov 08it’s not sexy this work. impressing people at cocktail parties probably isn’t what you’re about. 20 seconds in an elevator or 1 hour in an elevator isn’t enough time to explain great simple software and if you tried, its always going to be boring. Sorry, true. It’s a personal thing: try it, like it, save time in your life.
I would say this: “37Signals is a company dedicated to creating simple web software for maximum productivity in your personal life and business.”
Or I’d find a clever way to play off “great taste, less filling” or “no frills in this software”. =)
Matt
on 04 Nov 08@Robert – chill out
How about something simple like this: “Some companies need complex and customizable software to run their business. Other companies want a straight-forward, intuitive solution so that every employee can benefit from the software (like CRM, project management, etc.).”
Razvan Pavel
on 04 Nov 08you could also go something like: “we make awesome usable web apps for business companies and we kinda rule at it”
Evan
on 04 Nov 08If the key here is to avoid snoring, don’t try to cram the whole story into one bite. Just say enough to let them pick up on it if they’re interested.
Say something like “We make software for small business” or “We make software to connect project teams online.” Then if they care, they’ll ask you “Oh, like how?” and this way, it’s a conversation.
Rob
on 04 Nov 08My suggestions:
We make small business apps that work smarter, not harder.
We make software that works, so you can be more productive.
We make apps that keep it real.
Matt Donovan
on 04 Nov 0837signals makes collaboration obnoxiously simple on all kinds of projects.
Evan
on 04 Nov 08I also agree with throwing some terms like “kickass” in there to catch people’s interest, as other posters have said. That seems to suit you guys.
Artur Carvalho
on 04 Nov 08“For sale: web apps, never used.”
Evan
on 04 Nov 08Third-parter of my post…
I think the key of what I’m saying is you want it to be a conversation, not an elevator pitch. That’s what keeps people interested, so be tantalizing and let them ask the questions. Or answer their question with a question. “What do we do? Well, have you ever wanted to __ or do, like, _? Well, we make stuff that…”
Then if it keeps going, you can talk about the specifics like Campfire, SvN, the merits of Macbook Airs (sorry), whatever.
Jeff Martin
on 04 Nov 08“37s designs and sells intuitive, easy-to-use software to help [individuals and] small businesses communicate and work together more efficiently.”
Kevin
on 04 Nov 08Tell them you’re developing a robotic suit similar to the one seen in the movie Ironman. Then, on the fly, just make up lots of other cool stuff to go along with it.. like laser guns, cloaking devices, etc.
jeremy
on 04 Nov 08we simplify organizational productivity
Mike Sax
on 04 Nov 08Great question, and the bad answer reflects your lack of focus. Of course, it’s up to you to decide whether that’s bad. You seem to be doing just fine. If anything, the focus is on fun. Good for you!
Mickhead
on 04 Nov 0837 Signals. Making Life Easier.
Chris Chowdhury
on 04 Nov 08“We use the web to help people communicate effectively, design well, and remain productive. And we keep it simple.”
Ivan
on 04 Nov 08Don’t explain anything to the masses.
If you insist how about, “Stop wasting your life. Use our products.”
Brian Doll
on 04 Nov 08“We help groups of people become more effective in whatever it is that they do.”
No buzzwords, no hype, no tech. The value is not in the technology (directly).
In a word, you’re building “Quality”. For a good attempt at defining that word, Pirsig’s Lila is required reading.
Keith
on 04 Nov 08“37Signals helps people organize their world.”
At it’s core you want something very simple and consistent on which you can tack on the personal interest story. Your most powerful moments in communicating your products are in the ways you describe how people use them.
So you might follow that statement with… “The Knot said that Backpack is…” if you’re talking to a recently engaged friend for example.
Everyone has a project management, CRM, or digital asset tool at this point. The stories of HOW people use your products and the many high profile endorsements of them is what makes them notable compared to others.
I’m opposed to words and phrases qualifying the use of products like “easy to use”, “intuitive”, or “even a granny could master…” They are too subjective when explaining your own product to other people because everyone thinks their projects are easy to use!
I would also stay away from classifying your software as business oriented because you clearly have a significant number of users finding value using to organize their personal lives!
Ryan Merrill
on 04 Nov 08Look, a lot of these responses are good for talking to someone in a professional setting. But if you’re looking to talk with someone at bar or party I think something along these lines would be good:
“I’m part of a Web software company that makes really simple products that help people organize and manage their lives. We basically help people get stuff done.”
Benjy
on 04 Nov 08What you guys do may not be sexy… it’s the way you guys go about doing it that is. Tell ‘em, “We create software so good, we can make boatloads of money working 4 day weeks.”
Geoff
on 04 Nov 08I don’t think they’re asking for a mission statement. I think they’re asking for something simple that a grandmom or brother can comfortably tell their friends.
Describe your relationship with your customers:
“About a zillion people and small businesses pay us monthly fees to provide them with a few different web-based productivity tools.”
Whatever you choose, don’t fret about it. The full answer isn’t easy to give and doesn’t need to be. If you had never used the internet before, what kind of 20 second explanation could possibly describe what google does?
Etienne Segonzac
on 04 Nov 08“We selfishly make great tools for our business, but share them online.”
Jon
on 04 Nov 08Not sure but it definitely needs a profanity or two.
Joe Mako
on 04 Nov 08Go back to your manifesto, I’m sure you will find some gems there. Like:
Bill Barnes
on 04 Nov 08Exactly what needs to be done, no more, no less.
Jim
on 04 Nov 08“37signals – we help people get their $#!+ together.”
Shannon Low
on 04 Nov 08“We make meetings go away.”
Dennis
on 04 Nov 08We’re from the internet, and we’re here to help.
Not sure where that originated. Simpsons? Ars Technica lounge?
Bill
on 04 Nov 08We make the best software people use online to manage all their projects, all their clients, run their small business and store all the things they can’t afford to lose. And it’s stored in different places over the world so if their computer crashes they don’t lose any of it. (mean to be spoken, not read)
now what WE need is for your products to work together and a good calendar for Bascamp
Nate Rosenberg
on 04 Nov 08“What does your company do?”
“You know how big businesses use big products like Salesforce, SAP, and PeopleSoft? We make a group of products for everyday businesses that are much simpler and easier to use than those.”
Vivek
on 04 Nov 08Following in the theme of DHH’s Rails screencast: “I’d rather tell you about all the things 37 signals doesn’t do: then give them some short examples.” An elevator pitch is meant to be a teaser to get people to find out more about your company… so tease them.
hmmz Ok
on 04 Nov 08Let me try “if Steve Jobs was in the online apps market, his company would be 37signals”
Josh
on 04 Nov 08All the best answers tell a story… my story is that I am married with kids. For me, the story would go, “Imagine your day and you want to decide to build a tree fort and you need to get input from your wife at work, your son at school, and the guy at the hardware store…”
Maybe you want to add some more info like, “and you don’t want to go crazy calling and faxing things back and forth.”
Life 2.0 is working together while not always being together.
George
on 04 Nov 08You’re the definition of productivity.
You guys eliminate non-essentials and simplify my life, separating actual work from busy work. You protect us all from those 2 minute time wasters and let us get more actual work done.
Pazu
on 04 Nov 08A company specialized in producing web applications to enhance office productivity for small and medium business.
jackson
on 04 Nov 08We write software that’s easy to use.
Cynic
on 04 Nov 0837signals serves as the poster child for 2006-era hip web developers who proudly prescribe their formula for all other businesses regardless of its practical applicability.
BradM
on 04 Nov 08I think it’s already on your website.
Gavin
on 04 Nov 08Have you ever tried to organise something at work, and you didn’t know who was involved, you didn’t know what had already been done and you didn’t know the best way to communicate with everybody?
37signals makes that stuff fun to do.
Marcus McConnell
on 04 Nov 08We provide services that make it easy for small businesses to share information and collaborate using the internet.
Jeff Mackey
on 04 Nov 08I thought Jason summed it up pretty well in that Apple video you guys did a year or so ago. I don’t remember exactly, but it was something like
“We build software that helps you get things done, and then just get out of the way.”
Something like that. Anyway, that resonated with me, and I think at least in my mind that’s how I view you guys and your products. They help me everyday with my pile ‘o stuff to do.
Chad Wright
on 04 Nov 08“We help small businesses work faster, smarter, simpler and happier.”
I’ll look for the check in the mail.
Darren
on 04 Nov 08“37signals is driven by an ideology of getting things done smarter and faster. We develop software products that allow people in all professions to do the same.”
eeallo
on 04 Nov 08“We take the sh out of IT.”
Dutch Rapley
on 04 Nov 08“We provide productivity software for small businesses and distributed teams.”
rossmcf
on 04 Nov 0837signals. A giant filofax in the sky.
Scott
on 04 Nov 08Here’s what I’ve got:
“We provide web based tools to help you work and communicate with your team the way you want. Our products cover project, contact and info. management. With no software to install and no hassle.” – I think you could refine this a bit more but, looking at things on the surface, it’s essentially what you do.
I’d probably look to tie things in a bit more, clean up the verbiage and possibly look at the mobile angle a bit too – but, I’m unsure of how much you guys cater to the mobile experience. I know you do some but, to what extent should be reflected in the 20 second intro, I dunno :-)
Shane
on 04 Nov 08“We write software that helps business get things done.”
allan branch
on 04 Nov 08We build simple web based software for the average business that focuses on rocking instead of sucking ass.
Josh T
on 04 Nov 08Hows about: “We provide scalable network enterprise solutions for clients in top-tier markets.” Only kidding… good question though. I like Jeff Mackey’s up there…
Tyler Richards
on 04 Nov 08We enable small businesses to communicate and organize more efficiently through our online based software.
smiams
on 04 Nov 08@JF I think you’ll LOVE this one:
“best-of-breed, enterprise-grade, software firm in the web 2.0 space, executing a pure-play on ease-of-use with a focus on intra-company e-collaboration” ... make sense … did I miss anything?
I hope it is obvious that I’m joking ;)
Dave
on 04 Nov 08“We build web-based software that is easy to use and low-cost. Because of our expertise related to what people (users) really want, we’ve had a lot of success in what we do. Simple can often be better. We like to think the tools we make for businesses are simple, efficient and affordable”
Say it like it is.
rishi
on 04 Nov 08For someone that works at a corp America job:
How much do you hate your intranet?
Ok. We make you not hate your intranet. Businesses work smoother with our effective and easy to use tools.
For your grandma:
We make a ton of MONEY! LOVE ME
Scott Purdie
on 04 Nov 08“We use the web to help people get work done.”
Hal
on 04 Nov 08P.roject management done right
I.tranets for anyone
M.essaging that works
P.eople tracking on a whole n’uther level
S.implified for real
Ryan
on 04 Nov 08If I think about your company and the products offered, I think of “small businesses” and “organization”. So why not just start with:
- or a little more elaborate -
Naturally, I think the follow-up question would be, “well what types of tools?” And at that point, the person is already engaged.
A simple statement is all that’s need, I my opinion.
Ryan
on 04 Nov 08Update:
Richard
on 04 Nov 08We manufacture Lifestyle Software.
Michael
on 04 Nov 08“We let people prove they’re Getting Real by paying high prices for few features.”
Broderick Turner, the MOST creative man on earth
on 04 Nov 08VROOM !
Daniel
on 04 Nov 08“We’re a web company that makes money. Yeah, I know, right?!”
Brandon Keepers
on 04 Nov 08I gave up trying to explain to people what I do. I just answer: “I build the Internet”. Those that don’t care are satisfied with that answer, and it peaks their attention for a few minutes if they want to hear what I actually do.
Dezmond
on 04 Nov 08“We help people get things – business or personal – done using cheap online tools.”
Jacob
on 04 Nov 08We’ve changed the way people think about applications. For us more isn’t better and it’s often worse.
We believe that you have to build the damn thing to know anything about it and you should only build an application you would use every day.
We offer a free version for people to get a feel for it, but we also charge a fair price for the best features.
Our goal is to be a profitable company building online tools for other small business.
Rob
on 04 Nov 08I think the first question you should ask yourself is “Why the hell am I at a cocktail party?”. Then work on your pitch.
Don’t solve problems until they become problems, right?
Brian Ehrlich
on 04 Nov 08interesting this post generated this kind of response. Certainly shows a passionate/involved following.
Here goes:
“We create deceptively simple and useful web tools for the rest of us. If you don’t have an IT dept. use our stuff.”
Stacy
on 04 Nov 0837s solutions do not fit all people at cocktail parties. If you are not willing to be boring to mosts, your message will not be attractive to the few, when talking nuts and bolts.
It’s the broader side of the biz that can have appeal beyond your core product. For you guys, unfortunately that public identity seems to be largely rooted in arrogance. That’s your, outside the product, persona which would not be so appealing at a cocktail party – but maybe so with geek dudes.
37s screams ME ME ME ME ME ME!!!!! So find a cause bigger than yourselves, your personal lives, and use your products to help in that cause. Make it a VERY BIG thing. And that’s what you talk about at cocktail parties. That’s how you make your company relevant outside your click.
Rizwan Reza
on 04 Nov 08Helps organize life simply.
Carlos
on 04 Nov 08Share with people two things 1- The most advanced web technology on the world. 2- Revolutionary ideas of what really matters on a business
Make a profit from it by building products for yourselves and selling them to others.
Sean S
on 04 Nov 08Charlie Wood’s is by far the best 20-second, one-sentence, laymen explanation for what 37signals does.
Nivi
on 04 Nov 08We replace all those Microsoft Office documents you keep emailing back and forth with something less awful.
Jim Walker
on 04 Nov 08Corporate
37 signals is a nimble, Chicago-based application development firm the delivers creative and simple solutions for organizations of any size to manage projects, orchestrate customer/contact relationships and collaborate with internal and external resources. Their solutions are purposefully simple, empowering customers to create value without
Conversational
We are a software company company in Chicago that keeps things simple for our customers. While most of our competitors are delivering a mess of features to meet exact customer demands, we simplifies things by delivering customer directed apps that let companies model the application to fit exactly what they need. This new and unique approach to business tools is used to help our customers do three things…
- First, we provide a solution the helps them manage and successfully execute projects
- Second, we help them orchestrate how they communicate customers or contacts to make sure each specific customer contact is managed
- Finally, we have some really distinctive tools that let people both inside and outside an organization use the web to more effectively collaborate on projects, ideas, etc…
We are hellbent on customer satisfaction and every one of us is a customer service agent. We beat our competition by creating maniacally devoted customers.
Charlie Triplett
on 04 Nov 08You know how you get frustrated trying to get your stuff done with most software products?
That’s because most software tries to market to your intellectual/cerebral brain need for “more, more more.” (It makes you feel good about what you bought, while you’re buying it, even though you hate it afterward).
37signals builds software that works with the reptillian brain inside you; the one that works instinctively, intuitively… the being in you that really gets yours stuff done, rather than the being inside you that shops to please your intellect.
OR
Unlike the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation (Microsoft) where the “fundamental design flaws are completely hidden by their superficial design flaws”, 37signals makes software that is almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea.
aimee.mychores.co.uk
on 04 Nov 0837Signals take a commonsense piece of advice, like, “Prepare well before giving presentations”, say the exact opposite, and everyone goes, “ooooh …. yeah!”
And lo, the world is changed a little bit. Either that or it all goes up in flames, but hey, that’s fun too! :)
Shady
on 04 Nov 08why? what happened? 37 Signals can no more imagine ‘simple’ words? Crowdsourcing how to describe a company, cool!
Jim Walker
on 04 Nov 08oops… cut off the last word on my corporate version…
Corporate
37 signals is a nimble, Chicago-based application development firm the delivers creative and simple solutions for organizations of any size to manage projects, orchestrate customer/contact relationships and collaborate with internal and external resources. Their solutions are purposefully simple, empowering customers to create value without complication.
Michael Hargreaves
on 04 Nov 08“We make it simple (and fun!) for people with a purpose to get organised and share information about what they’re doing.”
manzana
on 04 Nov 08We have designed and created solutions for common problems that are simpler, faster, prettier and easier than the competition.
(optionally, briefly describe core solutions)
We now work at improving them, making them even more simple, fast, pretty and easy.
In the meantime, we enjoy sharing our culture and experience through our books, blogs, conferences, interviews and video shows.
I think thats a start.
StartBreakingFree.com
on 04 Nov 08“We build software that’s actually easy to use”
Lorenzo Bolognini
on 04 Nov 08We solve problems.
rick
on 04 Nov 08We Build Software So Jason Can Have Another Fancy Car”
calmpuppy
on 04 Nov 08Every small company exists for a reason, and we exist to help those companies.
Our products manage projects, communicate with teams, and strengthen client relationships.
Web-based software that works.
Bryan Sebastian
on 04 Nov 08Matt,
Given the context of you being at some sort of party and someone asks you “what does your company do?” and you want what you say to have an impact… I would say something like this…
“Other than making a profit as a goal… my company is pretty much the opposite of most companies.”
That should get the person’s attention… you will know if they respond with something like… “Really?... How so?”...
Then you can hit them with something like…
My company puts enjoying life first and work second… and that motivates us to do extraordinary work… The company is not driven by growth, but to excel, we only work 4 days a week and not 4 10 hour days, our company even pays us to pursue a hobby we thoroughly enjoy.
Now they should be thoroughly interested and you can tell them that 37 Signals builds web software… but like you say that is not unique… you need to first describe what make 37 signals unique as I tried to above and then you can get to the “boring” software part at the very end.
I run into this all the time myself being a software developer, so I have started hitting people with something similar. It’s amazing the difference in the interest level.
Helgi Thor Jonsson
on 04 Nov 08You know, I was going to suggest the way that I usually describe 37signals:
“They make really simple and easy to use tools for collaboration and projects”.
Then follow that with “Actually, I’m a big fan of their blog and the book they wrote on simplicity – it’s just so refreshing to find someone who dares to have less rules, less complextity. You should check’em out!”
BUT, then I realised that usually I’ll do it the other way round, i.e. I’ll open with talking about how unconventional the company is, then about the products. So, for a cocktail-party chat, you might say:
“So, when we started the company a while back, we decided to try out some ideas to make it easier to get things done. Well, it worked so well, that we built those ideas into our products. And it’s really taken off, people seem to be looking for tools like that” – follow this with some stats to give people an idea of your customer base.
For your elevator pitch, you might go a bit more formal, but I think the main thing is to get across the notion of having found a way to develop some great ideas into a product.
If you want to speak to the civilians, forget all this “we are a web design, software company”. You’re not. Oh, okay so you are, but really that just happens to be HOW you make your products. It’s got nothing to do with the VALUE you offer. Does it?
Mark Holton
on 04 Nov 08“We build sensible and usable customized web applications for humans… while contributing to open source software that helps people build, deploy and maintain web applications for themselves or their own business. In summary, we are entrepreneurial software humanitarians!”
Chuck LeDuc Díaz
on 04 Nov 08“We help people share business data on a website. If they want to share with a lot of people, we charge them for it.”
Dan
on 04 Nov 08Customer data privacy, non-existent
See their most recent post
Dylan
on 04 Nov 0837signals is a web development company leading a global movement to make computer software much more simple. Our programming framework Ruby on Rails has revolutionised the way web sites are built, and our flagship Rails application Basecamp has been recognised in publications from Time Magazine to the Wall Street Journal. (I have to say – I’d be pretty proud to rattle that off as my own at a cocktail party!)
jenn.suz.hoy
on 04 Nov 08“We create simple online programs to help small businesses communicate remotely and keep projects organized.”
Alex
on 04 Nov 08here’s my shot:
“We make easy to use sites that help people be more productive and organized; we also try and succeed to promote good design, beautiful code and happiness among programmers and users alike”
... do I earn a beer ? or a job as 37signals copyrighter? :D
Romain
on 04 Nov 08We help companies build web sites that are simpler to use, and help their clients use their services better.
Ivan L
on 04 Nov 08I’d say: ” 37signals is a small company that makes great software which helps people do big things the easy way.”
@Dan
on 04 Nov 08Ha Ha Ha…. you think that post is invasion of privacy… i sure hope you do absolutely NOTHING online then my friend… every financial institution that has your personal information is invading your privacy in a far worse ways than posting about how many times someone used “USA” as a contact.
As a matter of fact id does not matter if your online or not with financial institutions.
Laughable
on 04 Nov 08Just say, “We’re hypocrites”
Raimonds P
on 04 Nov 08We just get our stuff done. Really. And share the trick with everyone.
J
on 04 Nov 08“We run an adult website.”
Shane
on 04 Nov 08“37signals provides fast, intuitive applications that simplify and organize your working life so you can get real work done.”
With 16 seconds to spare, you’ll have time to get another cocktail and find someone else to convert. :)
Jason Rehmus
on 04 Nov 08Turn it around. Ask them what they do, and tell them how your products would get them promoted at their own company.
That’s your business: to make everyone else succeed in theirs.
John
on 04 Nov 08I think Charlie Wood, way at the beginning, nailed it. It’s accurate without sounding like you’re trying to recite a mission statement. It’s like when you introduce to friends of yours that don’t know each other, the “right” thing to do is try to give them something they can use to continue the introduction on their own (“Hey Mike, this is Tim – he’s a big climber, too…”). Charlie’s suggestion gives the other person something they’re likely to be able to latch on to with a follow-up.
Adam
on 04 Nov 08“We make software that saves time and effort for small teams trying to collaborate. We emphasize speed and simplicity in our philosophy. Our customers are fanatical.”
bobby1234
on 04 Nov 08this is fun
come on guys they want some perspective from customers about how they view the service…
me
“You know how you always find it hard to organise yourself and your friends/collegues on a project and keep track off stuff… well we do that online, really cleanly and we love it”
Andrew Brown
on 04 Nov 08I’m reading all of them but I don’t see anyone telling a story. If the audience can’t apply it to a real life situation what’s the point? Talk about people not the product.
Try writing a story with a life threating scenario:
In 1998 The best PM in the world uses email as his management tool. An arrogant rival challenges him in an illegal managalton saying that his tool is outdated and insults his family business. Against the PMs father’s wishes he accepts the challenge and loses against the rival PM who uses Microsoft Project. As a result the PM’s father’s company losses PR which causes his father to have a stroke and die from the stress. The PM leaves the company because of the guilt he feels.
The PM doesn’t work for another 10 years until his younger brother who now owns the company calls him back because the Board of Directors are going to sell the company and the only way they won’t sell it is if they can finish their current projects. The PM who swears after what happen 10 years ago he’d never manage again, learns of basecamp. After an emotional talk with his brother he tries one more time, and he succeeds using basecamp and The company is saved. The PM realizes to forgive himself for his father death because he was so resistant of not adopting new technology. He runs the business with his brother for the many years later as their father had intended for them.
OB
on 04 Nov 08its all your organisational tools, such as your ‘to do’ list, your notebook, diary, contacts, all rolled into one, online
OB
on 04 Nov 08Andrew, the idea of telling a story is a great idea, but your particular example is rather nuts … and whats a managalton anyway?
OB
on 04 Nov 08Best answer though surely is from jenn.suz.hoy…
“We create simple online programs to help small businesses communicate remotely and keep projects organized.”
Wayne
on 04 Nov 08A bunch of cunts doing some really cool computer shit
Nic Eldridge
on 04 Nov 08Wayne wins!
Michael A
on 04 Nov 08“We make people’s lives easier”
Brad Fults
on 04 Nov 08I love the idea of crowdsourcing some marketing.
“We help small businesses do better work and make more money by providing them with simple and effective organization and communication tools, all on a budget.”
Andrew Brown
on 04 Nov 08@OB – the more absurd/outrageous the better people remember. Its like my math lesson that can save your marriage
A managalton is when two rivaling PM are assigned 17 startup companies, that need to complete their project within the first annual quarter, the rules are, no contractors, no micromanaging, and your must do this while sharing the same office space with your opponent. Also you must use the same suit throughout the entire competition. Whoever completes their projects first wins.
Martin Melin
on 05 Nov 08My $.02 (apologies if something similar has been posted):
“We make software that’s powerful enough to be useful, and simple enough to be used.”
GeeIWonder
on 05 Nov 08Not being able to answer this question is a sure sign you’ve crossed the Rubicon.
Goodbye ‘sweet-spot’.
random8r
on 05 Nov 08In true 37 signals style, you want to incite interest, so come out with some challenging thing that will hook them in, but won’t actually say anything much (because it’s hard to say anything in detail when giving a general overview):
Like a good comedian, we show people a the world on a different angle, often with an amusing bent. We challenge people to do things better daily, including ourselves. We write software that is in line with that philosophy. Most of the software is software we need: it’s for staying in contact and communication with ourselves and others no matter where we are: a networked address book, a web-based conversation and communication tool that keeps conversations, task management software that is simple enough to actually use, etc, etc.
(That should be within 20 seconds).
Drew
on 05 Nov 08“We bait trolls by being good at what we do and unapologetic about our successes.”
Gerard Byrne
on 05 Nov 08Firstly, Hockey-mum and Joe-six-gun (average civilians you might meet) don’t really care about your ‘elevator pitch’. And you probably shouldn’t worry too much either. But FWIW…
—
We do web based stuff like google, amazon or ebay. Except we focus on tools to manage projects, todo’s, sharing documents and contacts and working together – simple stuff that most people and businesses need. At 37 Signals – the BIG DEAL is simplicity. Up, running and effective in minutes.
We ‘invented’ a special software language that got really popular and gave it away free. This has given us a big profile and lots of customers. And now many companies are adopting the way we do things which is kinda weird but fun.
—
GB
Steven
on 05 Nov 08Some key words or phrases that comes to mind when I think of 37signals’ work:
beautiful, strong emphasis on simplicity and elegance, effective BECAUSE of the simplicity and elegance. new paradigm for organisation tools. web sites (i.e. not application or software) that allow you to.., tools.
clem
on 05 Nov 08‘we make cool, incredibly handy web tools to simplify your life and business.’
Jared Goralnick
on 05 Nov 08At a cocktail party I’d make it conversational.
“You know the iPhone? It’s gotten all this attention for being so elegant, practical, and kind of fun to use. Imagine if the software you used at work were like that. You know, your project management and organization tools. Fewer menus, more results, kind of fun to use. We make software for the web that’s like that.”
Dan Arkind
on 05 Nov 08Focus on the benefits, not the features.
“We help you and your team get more done in less time.”
David Smit
on 05 Nov 08Less software that helps people to get more done.
MichalT
on 05 Nov 08“We write web applications to help people better manage their projects, contacts, and time.”
Rajarajan
on 05 Nov 08We write software that help people better organize their life and work
Steffen
on 05 Nov 08“We are a team of 12 building software that helps about half a million people worldwide to communicate within their projects, teams and contacts and they love it.”
I think the online/web part isn’t important for the pickup aehhm pitch message.
Btw, what was the answer from your PR company you had a meeting with a couple of weeks ago?
Nic
on 05 Nov 08“Actually, we’re not quite sure what we do. We just ask our customers what they think we do.” ~37s
Pablo Impallari
on 05 Nov 08We help people get organized. We give people lovely tools to organize her business, projects, contacts and personal stuff. So they can get better at doing what they do.
John
on 05 Nov 08Grant Bissett
on 05 Nov 08“So what do you do?”
“We make small software”
“What’s that?”
“Get me a.. excuse me I’m yawning.. sorry about that, get me a mojito”
Daniel Tenner
on 05 Nov 08“We build software that under-does the competition.”
That should elicit follow-up questions, at which point you can explain your philosophy, and eventually slice in a description of the software you actually build.
Fer#
on 05 Nov 08“simplest web-based team toolbox”
Alex
on 05 Nov 08We make great software that can help you too. How? It’s *) very easy to use, *) it runs in your browser *) and helps your organize your (business) life ( = projects, contacts, information).
I know that it’s unspecific, but why talk about features. I think it is more important to talk about what “pain” can be reliefed
(I haven’t read all comments, so sorry if it’s already there)
REM
on 05 Nov 08I got it …
We’re Kilo Alpha Whiskey Deltas so you’re not Whiskey Tango.
mark
on 05 Nov 08“We make software that helps small businesses run better.”
I think that it’s short, and if people are interested they can follow up with “How does it do that?” then you can expand.
Liraz
on 05 Nov 08Websites that helps you run your businesses (and if needed) so that you wont have to buy & install heavy SW
diarmuid ryan
on 05 Nov 08nice one wayne :)
Andrew
on 05 Nov 08Just give them a card with a nice photo or scribble on the front and the URL on the back and say “Internet stuff” and then get back enjoying that party. If they don’t have internet, or no time checking it out it’s wasted time anyway.
Joe
on 05 Nov 08I think Peter Gibbons says it best below: “It doesn’t really matter” (hey, isn’t that your guys’ mantra too?)
Just tell people you make web-based software products. If they give a shit (they probably won’t) they’ll ask for more.
Peter Gibbons: I sit in a cubicle and I update bank software for the 2000 switch.
Joanna: What’s that?
Peter Gibbons: Well see, they wrote all this bank software, and, uh, to save space, they used two digits for the date instead of four. So, like, 98 instead of 1998? Uh, so I go through these thousands of lines of code and, uh… it doesn’t really matter. I uh, I don’t like my job, and, uh, I don’t think I’m gonna go anymore.
Terry Sutton
on 05 Nov 08Dear 37signals:
Please don’t listen to the haters. They’ll hate you….Obama… anyone…..
You write web software that helps people organize their information and contacts. You reduce: paper, phone calls, and most importantly – meetings.
21 words. Sorry.
Dave Giunta
on 05 Nov 08I always thought Jim Coudal’s assessment of you guys from SXSW 2007? maybe it was 2006? when Jason and him did the keynote presentation, was absolutely right on… I believe it went something like:
“37Signals makes products that take the bullshit out of communication so you can communicate.”
Seems about right to me.
Marko Lokas
on 05 Nov 08“We enable you to organize complex things in a simple and affordable way.”
Focus on what’s relevant for those who could be paying you money soon. The stuff you make isn’t only for small/medium/big/whatever businesses, I think that before you posted articles about people that use for example Backpack for just about anything, and not at all business related. Anybody at a cocktail party could be your future customer…
The web part isn’t important… “web software” isn’t the value of it, the possibility of communicating and collaborating is. You wouldn’t start describing Threadless by saying “online store that sells…” or “t-shirt web store based on the concept of crowdsourcing…” but you would rather start with “damn cool t-shirts…”.
Clay Schossow
on 05 Nov 08“37Signals is a software lab of innovation. We are constantly working on different products and making old products better and more usable.”
Michael Gowin
on 05 Nov 08We help a mom in Springfield easily manage her shopping list, a couple in San Antonio organize the show notes and interviews for their weekly podcast, and a 15-employee marketing firm in San Francisco better communicate with each other and their clients. Our customers love our products and recommend them to their friends. If you have information that needs to be organized, we can help you do it more easily, simply-even more fun-than you’re probably doing it now.
Spitball
on 05 Nov 08We create tools to help personal or collaborative organization… or in short: We enable efficiency.
The web, software, etc are all minor details. And isn’t this what the advertising/marketing team was supposed to do?
Ryan Hyde
on 05 Nov 08I didn’t read all the comments but the ones I did read talked about your software. To me that’s only part of what you are doing. The software is a tool to simplify our lives. You use design and simplicity to give us a better experience. You also care about these things as it says in your blog title “a weblog by 37signals about design, business, experience, simplicity, the web, culture, and more.”
So just telling someone you create software would not tell them who you are. In fact sometimes I forget that that is what you do.
Here is my crack at it:
“We use simplicity and design to create experiences”
“We are the Disney of software”
“We create innovative tools to simplify your life”
The best one in my opinion is the middle one. You could also describe 37Signals by what you are not.
Scott Magdalein
on 05 Nov 08“We build software that helps people get organized and we build it in a way that makes it accessible from any computer with internet access.”
Jean-Pierre Bobbaers
on 05 Nov 08This question is not fair anymore ! You use your community to solve an issue that is in one sense your core business. What is the difference between a home page and a 20” sec conversation or statement.
I believe this is cheap, since most of us on this comment page are in the business of solving these kind of issues.
Please respect us and don’ treat us like your monkeys.
Sorry, but I really got upset with this …..
But who am I ? (definitely not a monkey !)
Greg Robertson
on 06 Nov 08I was watching one of David’s presentations and came up with this…
We create
“web-based business software for the Fortune five million”
or
“web applications for the Fortune five million”
Ryan Walker
on 06 Nov 08“We make opinionated web software”
Wendy Kloiber
on 06 Nov 08Wow. Way too much inside baseball in this comment set.
When I tell Ordinary Civilians (like my mom) about you, I say “They make web-based stuff that keeps groups of people on the same page. You use their stuff to make a private site where you can upload files and images and messages and To-Do lists and contact info and track what everyone’s doing. Super easy to use, you won’t have any problem with it.
Then I say “With 37signals stuff, you bring your laptop to meetings and type everybody’s homework into the To Do list template and throw due dates on the calendar. Everybody’s got it before they leave the room and the accountability’s built in. No Waiting for Minutes, no fuzziness about who’s doing what, no “can you email me that document, I can’t find it. Everybody’s on the same page.”
Brandon
on 06 Nov 08Helping people do more with less. +)
Umesh
on 06 Nov 08We make softwares which makes small businesses work more efficiently
Jason
on 06 Nov 08First of all, I’m impressed by your transparency and invitation to participate.
I’ve read that Obama possesses an uncanny ability to remember people’s names and whereabouts. When he greets someone, he can pick up from the conversation they last let off. Someone close to him reports that he keeps box-fulls of index cards labeled with name, contact information, personal bio, and details from previous conversations with other people. Before a meeting, he checks his file and prepares for the greet. Highrise is the 21st century version of his contact database system.
Campfire gets everyone together and talking to each other. True to metaphor, the campfire brings people together and eliminates distractions.
In the Backpack, only the essentials are necessary. The lighter it is, the faster you go.
Basecamp is the check-in and fallback system. If you’re trying to move a group of people up a mountain, you need a hub and ground control. Now with a satellite internet connection, climbers in Nepal can organize an assent digitally without breaking traditional lingo.
But I don’t know what 37 Signals means.
Dan
on 07 Nov 08Random Non-techie – So what does 37 Signals do?
37S – We like helping people do what they do better.
Random Non-techie – Really? How?
37S – With a group of web-based tools that organize and manage people, their projects, and their connections.
Random Non-techie – That’s cool. Like Salesforce?
37S – Sort of! We like taking a simpler approach and make it much easier for small businesses and blah blah blah…
Tag-lines and elevator pitches by themselves rarely seem to work for me with people in real life. I like a more conversational approach. Give the smallest chunk you can and if at any time they don’t ask for more, it’s probably because they don’t care.
And that’s okay for people to not care. Either what I got isn’t cool enough, or it’s just not interesting to them. That’s my cue to think about what I’m doing and revise next time—or talk about skydiving and sweet cars.
People usually like that!
J
on 07 Nov 08Random Non-techie – That’s cool. Like Salesforce?
You’re already wrong. A random non-techie would never say “Like Salesforce?”
Daniel Draper
on 11 Nov 08I see a lot of people complaining about Jason asking this but I think asking your customers is a great idea! We have battled with this too – now I just say “We make software to see what people do on the Internet”.
I think when you own a company you can sometimes only see one perspective. The old dinner party test is an important one. If a complete stranger can see the benefit of your business in 30 seconds then your description of yourself is good.
catherine
on 11 Nov 08If someone doesn’t know who you are, chances are high they are not even slightly techy. They might know what a website is. They probably don’t know you can do anything with a website apart from read it/look at it. So:
“We make websites where you can store information that you want other people to be able to see and use.”
This discussion is closed.