Editor's Note: The Grind is a weekly column that asks a revolving cast of young founders to dish on the daily rigors of running a business and how they've overcome obstacles. Follow The Grind on Twitter with the hashtag #ENTGrind.
What's harder than acquiring new customers? Keeping them coming back for more.
Like many fast-moving startups, my audio-equipment company OrigAudio, doesn't always have time to come up with a long-term customer acquisition and retention strategy. Often, young businesses need to make the best of what they have and take advantage of every opportunity. We did just that.
We came up with, in my view, a genius way to win over 8,000 new customers, make our existing customers do a "happy dance" and gain massive exposure -- all without spending a dime in advertising.
Last holiday season my Costa Mesa, Calif-based startup was hit with a big blow right before Christmas. Due to a port strike in Los Angeles, we had a container of speakers arrive five weeks late. The big-box store that had placed the purchase order, no longer wanted them, and we realized the product was obsolete to other retailers. We were stuck with a major disaster on our hands. Instead of getting completely discouraged, we came up with a creative solution to move the product. We decided to give away 15,000 of our speakers.
Related: How Much Inventory Does Your Company Need?
In order to take full advantage of our situation, we decided to tie the giveaway into our four-year-anniversary, making it one big bash. The resulting two-week “Anniversary Promotion,” blew us out of the water. Within just a few days we were picked up by a ton of online publications, including Gizmodo and BoingBoing.
While the free press was great, the best part of the giveaway was we acquired more than 8,000 new customers and also made 7,000 current customers happy. It was a win-win for us: We got rid of our inventory nightmare, acquired a lot of new customers and thanked some of our existing customers for being loyal.
While not every startup is not going to have a bunch of useless product unloaded, the customer-acquisition lessons we learned from the experience are universal.
Related: How to Generate Publicity for Your Business
Don’t be afraid of freebies. For a startup it might seem tough to give away products, but the payoff could be huge. Giveaways can lead to press opportunities, reviews or customer acquisitions.
But before you decide to embark on offering up products for free, you should consider the cost implications of doing so.
Related: The Power of Free
Keep customers happy. While acquiring 8,000 customers was amazing, we needed to keep then engaged and wanting more. We did this by including a $10 gift card in every order shipped out to encourage a second purchase from our site.
If you have just one product, figure out different promotions and tactics to get the customer to purchase again from you. Maybe you work with a partner? If your company is more established or perhaps it's about to launch a second product, try giving existing customers a chance to pre-order or get limited edition models.
Any press is good press. Never underestimate the power of press. We had never heard of the blog BoingBoing but that doesn't mean it isn't influential. We sent them a message about our promotion, and it spread like crazy on their blog. Twenty-five percent of our new customers came from that site alone.
When you're on a budget and need to find customers, it's good to reach out to the press. News outlets and blogs are always looking for ways to keep their readers happy. If you've got a great sale, send an email to your favorite publication, and they may pass it along to their readers.
What other advice do you have for gaining new customers? Let us know in the comments below.
Jason Lucash launched his first business as a third-grader in the San Francisco suburb of Danville, California and has had the same entrepreneurial spirit since then. Most recently Jason launched OrigAudio which makes unique portable audio products in 2009 and has received numerous accolades and awards such as Entrepreneur Magazine's "Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year", Time Magazine's "50 Best Inventions of the Year", and Season 2 winner of ABC's hit show "Shark Tank".
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Adding the Ladybug Design1Paint a black stripe down the centre of each nail. Use either a nail art pen or a thin brush.
2Apply the french manicure tip guides to the ends of your nail so the curve points down and the end of your nail is visible above the guide. Do not do this until your nails have completely dried, as it could tear the polish underneath.
3Paint the tips of your nails black. Remove the tip guide as soon as you have painted each nail, while the polish is still wet.
4Paint a black dot on the line close to the black tip using a dotting tool.
5Paint three black dots on either side of the line. Arrange the dots in a triangle.
Next, paint two white dots on the black tip, one on either side.6Paint on a top coat and let it dry.
7Finished.
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3Warm up. The last thing you want are shin splints, a pulled hamstring, or some other injury that can be avoided. Take five or ten minutes before your run to warm up. However, this does not mean stretching. In fact, stretching beforehand can hurt you![2]
Instead, warm up your muscles by doing deadlifts, donkey kicks, lunges, and other similar exercises that stretch your muscles, but also get them working. Save the stretching for after the run.4Keep a relaxed stance. Make sure your body is fluid and relaxed, but not hunched over. Try to keep your shoulders and arms loose while keeping your back straight.
Keep your head and neck relaxed, too. Holding tension there extends down through your spine and the rest of your body, which can actually tire you out well before you would be otherwise.[3]5Breathe steadily and deeply. What matters most is that you breathe with a rhythm that provides a consistent supply of oxygen to your body. Instead of being a chest-breather, be a belly-breather. Make a conscious effort to fill up your stomach, using your diaphragm. You'll get more oxygen and your muscles (heart included) will be less tired.[4]
Don't worry about whether you are breathing through the nose or the mouth. Some runners find that breathing through their mouth gets them the most oxygen, while others find that breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth works best. Find whatever seems efficient to you.[5]If you're running at a medium pace, you should be able to carry on a simple conversation with a running partner without much difficulty. If you cannot, you are running too fast to go very far in most cases. Most people take two steps as they inhale and two steps as they exhale.[6]6Look ahead. Keep your head in a neutral position, not looking up or down. Look approximately 35 feet in front of you if you're running a distance of more than 400 meters.[3] If you're on a treadmill, try not to look down at your feet or the controls too much; it puts tension on your back.[7]
7Know how to move your arms. Keep your elbows at around a 90 degree angle, close to your body. Use a 110 degree angle for long-distance (except when you are working up a hill). Swing each arm forward and backward in time with the opposite leg; this provides momentum and prevents your body from twisting. 
The motion should come from the elbows, not your forearms. Be sure you are not swaying your arms diagonally in front of you. You want your arms to be going straight down and back up.Do not tense your fists. Imagine that you have two fragile items in each of your hands and if you tense too hard, you will break them.Don't let your hands cross the midline of your torso, or you'll create a twisting motion.[8]8Keep your hips forward. Act like you've got a rope tied across your waist and someone is pulling you gently forward with it. Avoid side-to-side movement or twisting.
9Increase your cadence. Aim to hit the ground about 185 times per minute. The simplest way to do this is to minimize the time your feet are on the ground. Whether you're in a light jog or running from a crowd zombies is up to you -- just don't go so hard you hurt yourself!
Do what's comfortable. If you can't run an 8-minute mile, don't be hard yourself. It'll come with time. The fact that you're out there and running is great! Simply aim to improve a little bit every time you pound the pavement.10Control how you land on your feet. As you run, aim to land on the balls of your feet. You'll probably want to land on your heels, but that can be rough on your knees. A good idea is to take a quick run around the house barefoot -- do you notice how your form changes? That's the form you should be using![1] Try mimicking it when you go for your real runs at the gym or on the trail.If you're sprinting, you want to stay on your toes as much as is humanly possible. The more you barely touch the ground, the more you'll practically be flying. However, even if you're running long distances, it's best to stay off your heels. When you land with the back of your foot, the angle you create from foot to calf (you're forming an unnatural "V" shape) can lead to injury.11Cool down and stretch. Before ending your workout, slowly taper your run down to a jog, and your jog down to a walk, over the course of about 5 minutes. This allows your circulation and breathing to normalize after your run, minimizing the work your heart has to do.
NOW it's time for stretching. Concentrate on your calves since those are the ones that worked the hardest. It's incredibly important to stretch after running because during, the muscles have a tendency to tighten up. Stretching them out relaxes them and returns them to normal. How you need them tomorrow!Sprinting (Interval Training)1Warm up. If you're running around a track, do one lap at a walk and another at a jog. You're sort of easing your mind and body into the oncoming sprints.
Just like in the previous section, don't stretch now -- stretch later. Warm up your core muscles and your legs not by stretching but with core exercises like lunges and deadlifts.2Run all out. The length of your sprint is up to you -- do you want to do it by distance or time? If you're aiming for interval training (which is a great idea), keep it to about 30 seconds.Interval training seems to be where it's at. If you're looking for a quick way to blast away calories with the strength of a zillion lightsabers or if you're just low on time, this is the workout for you. All you do is run SUPER FAST for about 30 seconds, slow down for a minute, and repeat. Continue the cycle for about 15 minutes, adjusting as you need to.[9] And then tada! Finished. Lunch break over.3Run faster by using your entire body. There are two ways here to run faster: using your core and using your arms. You can use your own body to your advantage when it comes to getting that faster time.You'll find that leaning a bit forward propels your body to run faster to balance your weight. This is helpful when running uphill, but can lead to injury otherwise. Take this piece of advice with a grain of salt.[10]In addition to placing your core forward, use your arms for momentum. Keep them in a straight line, mirroring the movement of your legs. Keep them loose and not hunched up to your shoulders -- ow.[10]4Slow down. After your sprints, cool down for a moment and walk. This allows you to normalize your oxygen levels again and prepare for the next sprint.
If you experience pain, stop. It's your body telling you it should not be doing what you're making it do. It's better to stop now to be okay later than to not stop now and not be okay later.5Sip water. If you need water between sprints, take small sips. Don't guzzle or gulp, even if it's tempting; consuming too much water in the middle of a run can lead to cramps.
That being said, it's very important to stay hydrated. If you're not, you may experience dizziness or even fainting. If you don't drink water during your run, make sure to drink it before and after.6Cool down and stretch out. Gently work your muscles after your sprints to reduce cramping and shin splints. Do light versions of the exercises you did to warm up in addition to stretching.
Walk around the area or for another minute or so on the treadmill. Your heart works to speed your body up and slow it down, so going from 60 to 0 is just as hard on it as going 0 to 60. You're probably running to be healthy, so it's best to do it right!Running Long Distances1Get the right fit for your shoes. Make sure your running shoes fit your feet as close as they can without being too tight. You don't want to be distracted by blisters in the middle of your run. The longer you run, the better your shoes need to be.
If you run every day, your shoes will only last 4-6 months. If your feet all of a sudden begin hurting, it's high time to get a new pair.There are shoe stores that can design shoes for your feet. If you can afford it, consider getting shoes that match your arch and shape.2Load up on carbs. If you're going for a 10k or more, it's wise to load up on carbs a day or two before. But you've got to do it right! You don't want too much fiber, protein, or fat. And it needs to be easily digestable to avoid risk of nausea during the race!Tortillas, oatmeal, bread, pancakes, waffles, bagels, yogurt, and juice are all good, high-carb, easy-to-digest options. Fruit has carbs, too, but many are high-fiber, so peel the skin beforehand.[11] Don't feel guilty -- you'll definitely burn the calories later.A phenomenon many serious runners have made a habit of is pounding energy goo (or Gu, if you want to go brand-name). It's basically sugar and carbs in goo form, though you can get some that's chewable. It replenishes your glucose levels and will give you a burst about 20 minutes after consuming it. Many swear by it![12]Try out the goo while you're still training. You don't want stomach troubles during a long race!3Warm up. Walk briskly for 5 minutes before you start running. This will get your circulation going without expending too much energy prematurely. It's all about getting primed.
Do some core exercises, too. Regardless of whether you're sprinting or running long distances, the importance of warming up remains the same.4Pace yourself. At the beginning of a long run, you'll be ready and raring to go. You'll start off like a bat out of hell...and then tire really quickly. Instead of running all out (like you would in a sprint), run at a pace you can keep steady. You'll last much, much longer.You probably know what you're capable of. As long as you're training, if you find yourself slowly getting capable of more and more, you're doing it right. Each person has their own level of expectation and improvement. Know what yours is and aim for it.5Jog when you're tired. When you're tired, try lowering your pace to a slow jog and ramping back up to running as soon as you can. Ramping down to a walk will break your cadence and drastically limit how much ground you cover.
For beginning runners, a common goal is running for around 30 minutes. If time is a factor you're considering, try timing your miles or kilometers and aiming for a specific, timed goal.6Stay hydrated. It's of utmost importance that you stay hydrated during a long run. However, if you take water with you on your run, only drink small sips. Guzzling water in the middle of a run will lead to cramps. And it may make you need to pee!
Keep your water cold, if you can. The colder it is, the faster it will get absorbed into your system.[13] Since you're sweating so much, staying hydrated is key!7Cool down. At the end of your run, downshift to a jog, then a walk. Your heart rate should be close to resting speed by the time you stop. Stopping like you hit a brick wall will put your heart and muscles on high alert, jarring them. That's the kind of activity that leads to injury!
And the next time you go running, aim for a bit longer or a bit faster!Making Running a Lifelong Habit1Clean up your diet. Technically, to run, you could eat whatever the heck you like. However, it's gonna be a lot easier to run and feel good during and after if you're loading up on healthy stuff beforehand. A good way to think about it would be to eat like a caveman -- going as au natural as possible.If it's processed, do your best to avoid it. Fruits and veggies should make up a large portion of your diet, with some lean meat, low-fat dairy, and whole grains thrown in.[14] If you want to see changes in your body, this step is a must-do.2If your goal is to lose weight, start strength training. Straight up, running doesn't do wonders for toning your body, at least your upper body. It's a great way to lose weight and burn fat -- but unfortunately, it can burn muscle, too. If you just run, you may end up with that "skinny-fat" look.[15]It doesn't have to be much and it doesn't have to be in the gym. Simply doing core workouts (like planks, etc.) can tone your upper bits. Stick to a couple times a week -- your muscles need time to heal themselves after getting ripped, torn, and creating new fibers.3Scope out a trail. Getting started running is a lot about not getting discouraged too soon. If you think it's too difficult or not enjoyable enough, you won't stick with it. If you're hitting the gym, find a gym that's convenient to get to and that has nice equipment. TV, anyone?If you're running outside, consider terrain, scenery, and level. Are you running on dirt, gravel, or blacktop? Is it pretty enough to keep you relaxed and in the zone? Is there plenty of flat terrain, or is it uphill or downhill?4Get gear. All you really need to run is a good pair of shoes. If the budget doesn't allow for the fancy, technical gear, don't sweat it. You don't need any. Women should have a decent sports bra, but that's about it. CoolMax or Dri-Fit are two brands of synthetic fabrics that keep the moisture (read: sweat) off your skin if you're interested, but you can run just as well as long as you're comfortable.5Join a club. Odds are your area has a running, triathlon, or marathon club you can join. Being surrounding by like-minded people will only fill you with more gusto -- and it'll keep you on track when you're feeling less than motivated. Need a buddy to run a race with? Problem solved.Don't know where to find one? Try your local running shoe shop. It's probably a smaller network of serious runners than you realize! Soon you'll be on a first name basis.6Sign up for a race. Now that you're a runner, might as well do some good with your new hobby! There are jillions of 5 and 10ks out there to support good causes. With two minutes of research, you're bound to find one in your area!Running Tips and Tricks
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