Recently we asked commenters here how they would describe 37signals to average civilians in 20 seconds or less. A quick recap below:
A lot of people turned to analogy. Some things 37signals is like…
“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.”
“If Steve Jobs was in the online apps market, his company would be 37signals.”
“A giant filofax in the sky.”
“The Lotus (cars) of business software. We build lean, compact solutions to business needs. Just like a Lotus, we’re great with everything you need, and we jettison away all the crap you don’t.”
“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.”
“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.”
“We are the Disney of software.”
A chunk of people thought we should get salty:
“We are doing anti-management kickass software.”
“37signals – we help people get their $#!+ together.”
“We take the sh out of IT.”
“37Signals makes products that take the bullshit out of communication so you can communicate.”
“P-roject management done right
I-ntranets for anyone
M-essaging that works
P-eople tracking on a whole n’uther level
S-implified for real”
And a few other succinct ones that resonated:
“We make meetings go away.”
“Lifestyle Software.”
“You protect us all from those 2 minute time wasters and let us get more actual work done.”
“37signals is a small company that makes great software which helps people do big things the easy way.”
“It’s all your organisational tools, such as your ‘to do’ list, your notebook, diary, contacts, all rolled into one, online.”
“We help you and your team get more done in less time.”
“You write web software that helps people organize their information and contacts. You reduce: paper, phone calls, and most importantly – meetings.”
Thanks to everyone who responded. Lots of good food for thought.
Teej
on 26 Nov 08I have to disagree with the analogies to Lotus/Apple/Disney. It’s true, 37signals has a focus on usability and simplicity, and you guys are the best at it.
But Jason has said himself that he knows how to design usable websites, not pretty websites. Something that Apple, Lotus, and Disney share in common is that they have world-class, trendsetting, and beautiful design – and the prices to match.
joe
on 26 Nov 08Wow, congratulations on one of the most pretentious company blog post headlines I’ve seen in a while.
Chris
on 26 Nov 08“Take the sh out of IT” is one of Splunk’s tag lines.
splunk.com
Nathan Clark
on 26 Nov 08Why is this something you’re looking for? If it’s really for the social engagement circle, why is it all that important? Why not say business productivity, software development, startup, etc? If it’s for potential clients, how likely is this a necessary exercise – how many average citizens want to know who 37signals is? Backpack, perhaps, but there’s really no reason for the average citizen to care about the company that makes the product they need. For that matter, how would you describe Apple in 20 seconds or less? Or Google (the company, not just the search engine that’s only a part of their company).
Randal
on 26 Nov 08Arrogance much? You make useable products (arguably) .. but they are sure as s*#$ are not apple, disney or lotus.
Complex products with refined elegance and beauty, you have not.
I swear you’re begging for a more competent gorilla to come by and kick your simplistic ass.
Mike
on 26 Nov 08“Wow, congratulations on one of the most pretentious company blog post headlines I’ve seen in a while.”
+1
Believe your own hype too much and you will become the Lotus (of Notes and 123 fame) of web software.
Anonymous Coward
on 26 Nov 0837signals is the Narcissus of software.
ML
on 26 Nov 08“Wow, congratulations on one of the most pretentious company blog post headlines I’ve seen in a while.”
The headline refers to things that other people said about us. I just added some quotes around it to make that clearer.
Alex Morse
on 26 Nov 08I think it’s funny that you’re getting negative comments talking about arrogance when you say right at the beginning that those are user comments and not your own!
I agree with the comments. You guys take the “sh out of IT” and the bullshit out of typical office communication and collaboration. You get to the point, and do it well. Moreover, you don’t STOP doing it, you’re continually refining your offerings.
Thanks. Keep it up.
joe
on 26 Nov 08“The headline refers to things that other people said about us. I just added some quotes around it to make that clearer.”
..yet you didn't mention filofax...Anonymous Coward
on 26 Nov 08@Alex – I don’t see a problem with the original post. But hand-picking the same information that can be read in the comments there and regurgitating them with a title like this screams “ME ME ME!”
Alejandro Moreno
on 26 Nov 08I am not a paying customer of 37signals, but I do read this blog for the occasional brilliant post.
I personally couldn’t care much about this post, but I didn’t think it was pretentious because of context. Read the link in the First Line of the post, and you’ll understand where this post is coming from.
John Topley
on 26 Nov 08What’s so great about Disney?
ML
on 26 Nov 08I don’t see a problem with the original post. But hand-picking the same information that can be read in the comments there and regurgitating them with a title like this screams “ME ME ME !”
I can see how you might think this is just self-serving but my actual intention with that part of the post was to show how using analogy to explain your company/product can be an interesting technique. When you use a common reference point (like the iPhone or Google), it makes explaining what you do a lot easier than if you started from scratch. That notion spawned some marketing ideas in my head and perhaps it can do the same for others.
GeeIWonder
on 26 Nov 08Well, I think it’s actually ok to be pretentious once and awhile.
But I think pretending this post was not pretentious because of ‘context’ or because you’re posting and actually paraphrasing, flattering quotes that you previously solicited is disingenuous.
Also, like John, I don’t read the Disney comment as a compliment, but rather a thinly-veiled insult. Neal Stephenson sure doesn’t use it as a compliment.
Martial
on 26 Nov 08I used to get together with some friends in a bar every month or so and we’d spend the evening bragging. The rules were the stories had to be true or they had to be brilliant and everyone toasted you. No cutting, even of a friendly sort, allowed. It was one night when each person got to be awesome and your friends agreed with you. We found that we spent the time in between doing great things so that we’d have something to brag about (positive reinforcement is a funny, powerful thing).
LotusJump
on 26 Nov 08I like to think we’re the Lotus of Software (bad pun), but I think this one suits you guys best: “37signals – we help people get their $#!+ together.” We use Basecamp for exactly that purpose :-)
david H
on 27 Nov 0837signals the David_Hasselhoff of software.
Luke
on 27 Nov 08You are most certainly not the Lotus of Software.
Have you ever driven one? The clutch is made of Osmium and the gear box of match-sticks. When it rains, the front windscreen wiper is about as much use as a one-winged carrier pigeon and you can’t see anything out of the back anyway. They cost a fortune to insure and maintain. They were built in a damp shed in Norfolk and consequently just give-up more often than the French – the first time I drove my brother’s Esprit* the pipe to the charge-cooler fell out and the engine blew up. Hence the commonly cited acronym amongst Lotus owners: Lots Of Trouble, Usually Serious.
No, give yourselves some credit – you’re not the Lotus of Software ;-)
On a more serious note, it’s always worth considering both the negative and positive connotations that are likely to be conjured up by using a metaphor. As Matt says, it’s a lot easier to use a common reference point to explain what you do, just be careful you don’t start off by doing yourself a disservice by choosing a common reference point which inspires a not-so-flattering image. (I know a few people to whom the term “iPhone” is like a match to a firework.)
I believe 37signals has achieved what I still strive to create: software to make people’s lives easier.
[ * However, I still can’t help but love it. ]
Rich
on 27 Nov 08some of you need to think and understand before you post.
On a side note, your blog is the only blog I read and to me inspires not just great software, but doing your job better period, which hopefully equals more cash or less time spent at work.
dpcan
on 27 Nov 08toot toot
Jeremy Ricketts
on 28 Nov 08I love 37Signals. The company, the products, Getting Real… all of it. The lack of humility is sometimes quite a turnoff though.
Humilty isn’t a requirement to be a great company or make great products. But, like good design, I feel it can really do great things for a company. It can round out the hard edges of your image and project the idea that your company is more self-aware and has a higher level of perspective on yourselves, the market, etc.
That kind of poise just can’t be bought. It comes from giving back to your customers and resisting the temptation to gloat in success. I think you guys have totally nailed that first part- giving back. Rails, Getting Real, this blog- 37Signals is setting the standard in this regard. Now, if you could show a measure of humility and resist the temptation to post blog entries like this, I know it would go a long way in my book and many others’.
CJ Curtis
on 29 Nov 0837Signals being like iPhone or Disney were probably two of the most ridiculous comments you received on the original post for a lot of reasons, yet you chose them to title this post…so yes, pretentious is an understatement.
Personally, I think you all throw one of these out there every now and then just to get people swooning for you attention.
Kelsey
on 01 Dec 08FWIW, I liked this post! I don’t like reading through huge comment threads, but I did want to hear 37S characterized. The tricky part is that 20-second pitches normally focus on concrete features, and companies that make good things (Apple Google whatever) rely on word of mouth because their distinguishing feature is that their products are GOOD.
I would probably go with “We make software for small businesses. This magazine or that website said that we’re cool beans.”
Levi
on 01 Dec 08How sad to see some reader’s ignorance with this blog post. This post has an excellent enlightenment to marketing ideology I must say.
Its amazing how people don’t take a minute to comprehend but a second to make a negative remark on knowledge and findings.
Excellent post!
Kieran
on 01 Dec 08I’m just posting what I thought when I read the headline – “You aint Apple” and “I’ve got to see peoples responses to this”
Thought it may help you to know what people think, without thinking too much about it.
Anonymous Coward
on 01 Dec 08yawn
This discussion is closed.