The most important asset that a startup CEO has or should build is his community. It has nothing to do with marketing. I took me 8 years since I started blogging in 2003 to have a community and it is no marketing. It is about sharing every day thoughts, tips, advise, learnings with the community."
Um, but that is marketing. If marketing is "the process or technique of promoting, selling, and distributing a product or service" then by building a community you are marketing yourself and thereby marketing your product whether that is your intention or not. (see "The Cluetrain Manifesto")
It's been cool for a while. Techcrunch is the Teen People Magazine of the scene. All the cool kids don't like it but secretly want to be featured.
EDIT: I'm wrong. Brainfart. Techcrunch is more like Scientific American or Psychology Today. Popularizing, OK for interested laypeople, but a quite poor way to learn the topic.
Valleywag is our Teen People Magazine.
Sorry to the folks that bring us techcrunch for confusing them with valleywag. When I read "Already not cool" I must of just had valleywag pop into my head.
All those non-secrets may apply for Loic, who was already a well-known blogger and promoter with a large community before he created his startup. His advice is just not applicable for everybody.
The most important asset that a startup CEO has or should build is his community. It has nothing to do with marketing. I took me 8 years since I started blogging in 2003 to have a community and it is no marketing. It is about sharing every day thoughts, tips, advise, learnings with the community."
Um, but that is marketing. If marketing is "the process or technique of promoting, selling, and distributing a product or service" then by building a community you are marketing yourself and thereby marketing your product whether that is your intention or not. (see "The Cluetrain Manifesto")