To view this email as a web page, go here.

Viewing Value

August 4, 2010

Help Us Share the View Tweet This! I get great valuable tips on building my company from the OpenView team. You should too!

Each week we collect and disseminate the best new ideas targeted at senior managers of expansion stage software companies. How does OpenView Help? We just released our latest case study highlighting our Market Segmentation Workshop hosted by expert Luke Hohmann. Check it out to learn about the impact of the workshop in addition to covering some basics of market segmentation.

Latest from the OpenView Team

Do you know what your sales reps are selling? If your company is transitioning from the start-up to expansion phase, you are probably witnessing some growing pains within the sales team. One major question: do you actually know what your reps are selling? Are your reps moving into different distribution models in order to make a sale? Check out this post for more insights as to how sales teams can run amok and how to solve the problems. Tweet this! Does your company need working capital or venture capital? If you're looking for a bit of breathing room to work and aren't interested in the commitment that goes along with a venture loan, consider gaining some working capital. This is best done through a bank covenant with prearranged terms. To pull this off without a hitch, be clear on your terms, and make sure to broker a deal that will not hinder your business's expansion. Read this post for more tips when choosing working capital. Tweet this! Why your lead generation team is dynamic A productive lead generation team can provide invaluable information about prospects, in addition to generating leads. Do not think of the team in traditional terms; consider what else they can do for your business. When they're on the phone with prospects, evaluating leads, they are asking questions that may be pertinent to your day-to-day business. Consider this the next time you're lead generation team is looking to qualify leads. Tweet this! Building a lean start-up Getting your start-up lean requires a lot of insight and knowledge. As part of the lean movement, these ideas and tactics are being openly discussed for the purpose of improving the chances that your start-up will be viable. Gaining as much information as possible about your industry and business is important because it will ultimately be one of the most influential factors in determining your start-up's success. Tweet this!

Top Ideas from the Industry

Why your metrics are lying to you Where is the truth inside metrics? Often times, the truth is hidden. Analyzing your metrics at face value is one straightforward way to gain an inaccurate picture of your business environment. Check out this post from The Sales Blog to understand why you should look for the meaning behind the number, and you are sure to gain true insight. What you can learn from HubSpot's CEO HubSpot, a software marketing company, has quickly launched into industry prominence. During that time, its CEO learned a lot about SaaS and what it takes to be a successful business. Four years later, the CEO has returned with 7 lessons, taken directly from his experiences launching HubSpot. And judging from the perspective they're coming from, the insights and lessons could be very valuable. Read the post from OnStartups.com. How to extend your sales and branding efforts to LinkedIn Those who don't see the potential to launch full-scale sales and branding campaigns on LinkedIn are missing out on a valuable opportunity. LinkedIn can connect you with a database of millions of people; imagine all of the customers you can sift out of that pool. And with every employee of yours using the site, your brand is being extended. Having professional profile pages for your employees will boost the brand, and that's always the goal. Check out this post from Kevin Lacy to learn the 10 reasons why LinkedIn may increase your sales. Corporate culture is the glue inside the workplace One of the most plainly evident facets of a workplace is its corporate culture. As soon as you walk in, the culture of the company makes itself known. From decorating to architecture, it's abundantly clear. And the employees are the ones who determine whether or not the culture is ultimately attracting the best candidates. If a successful culture is installed, it starts at the CEO and reverberates throughout. Read this post from HBR to learn more about corporate culture.

Oops! Last week we included a broken link to Scott's post on "Why you need more sex!" Click here to read the post and learn why great ideas beget great ideas.

Additional Resources

• Catch up on OpenView TV. Watch our market segmentation videos. • Meet the Team. • News from the Portfolio.

To learn more about OpenView Venture Partners, visit www.openviewpartners.com Read our latest blog posts at www.blog.openviewpartners.com