[Updated] September 4, 2014

Customer Acquisition Teams: Ultimate ROI

Congratulations! You’re just about ready to start your first Customer Acquisition Team meeting!

Before you start though, we need to be very clear on one thing: CATs only returns what you put in.

If you half-ass this, it’s going to be a waste of your time. If however you commit yourself, if you dive into the process, I can promise this will be the most explosive 12-weeks your startup had experienced!

Important Due Dates:

Steps 1 – 3: Due by Tuesday, Sept 2nd (5 pm Pacific time)

Steps 4 – 7: Due by Friday, Sept. 5th (5 pm Pacific time)

Step 8: Due by Friday, Sept. 12th (5 pm Pacific time)

CAT Checklist:

1. Watch the Video Above

It outlines what’s below…and why it’s important.

2. Fill out both of these forms (Due: Tue, Sept. 2nd: Too Late)

Times have already been set. Move to Step #3.

A) Tell me about your company: Click Here
B) Tell me when you’re available: Click Here

We’ll use your answers to these questions to create optimal meeting times.

If you’ve never used Doodle before, here’s a primer:

3. Setup your Environment

You’ve been on Skype or Hangout call where the internet connection isn’t stellar. Audio becomes unrecognizable, video freezes and calls drop. It’s frustrating at best…a waste of time at worst.

We need you to ensure these calls are high quality by always:

Using a hard-wired/ethernet connection to the internet. No wifi. (This will make the biggest difference in call quality and it’s really important.)
Using headphones – eliminates feedback.
Having a working webcam.
Call from your laptop – no cell phones. See LAN line requirement above.
Calling from a quiet space. No coffee shops/open workspaces.

Important: Macbook Air Users

Your computer does not have an ethernet port, so you’ll need to buy an adapter. There are inexpensive ones available at Amazon: http://goo.gl/GPoyAb

4. Join our Facebook Group

This one is easy: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CATeams/

This group will help us celebrate one another’s successes, support each other during failures and be more active teammates.

We’re not creating half-assed “check in groups”…we’re creating Teams. :)

5. Your 60 Second Intro Video (Due Fri, Sept. 5th)

So we get to know one another on a personal level, create a short (must be < 60 seconds) video about yourself. Please include your:

Name
Family
What excites you the most about CATs
What “startup success” looks like to you
and who you want to serve (i.e. your customers)
In the context of…a favorite passion or past time!

Please DO NOT record yourself in front of your computer (we’ll see hours of that during our meetings :).

This is your chance to show us who you really are!

Warning: I will make you do your video over again if you…

Go longer than 60 seconds. There will be no rambling during CAT meetings.
Record a boring ass video of yourself in front of your laptop. The closer we feel to you, the better we’ll be able to help.

Ask your friends/family to help! I promise, it’ll be fun :)

6. Post your Video on the Facebook Group

This one is easy too: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CATeams/

While you’re there you can look at everyone else’s intro videos!

7. Pick your Team (Due Fri, Sept. 5th)

Once you post your intro video to Facebook, you’ll be allowed to pick your meeting time/teammates.

We use your availability to determine when meeting times will be, but after that, it’s first-come-first-serve. To ensure you get a meeting time that’s convenient for you, complete this checklist early.

I can’t stress this enough: The longer you procrastinate, the less likely you are to get a meeting time that’s easy on your schedule. Don’t delay!

8. Meet 1-on-1 with your Teammates (Due Fri, Sept. 12th)

Details to follow, but heads up: the week of Sept. 8th, you will need to schedule and have five, 30-minute, 1-on-1 meetings – one with each of your fellow Customer Acquisition Team teammates.

We do this to ensure you have a personal connection with each of your teammates, before group sessions begin.

I’ll be sending you a meeting structure to ensure the time is not only productive, but fun.