Dingman Bootstrapped Episode Encourages Asking Customers for Feedback

The Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship produces Bootstrapped, a podcast featuring founders, investors and serial entrepreneurs. The podcast is hosted by Elana Fine, Managing Director of the Dingman Center, and Joe Bailey, Associate Research Professor at the Smith School. Each episode brings a different startup story to life with special guests offering advice and lessons learned on topics that range from fundraising and marketing to team formation and customer acquisition.

This episode of Bootstrapped tackles marketing with the help of Bob London, a Customer Listening Expert. During a time when there is a constant “war for customer’s attention,” London advocates for listening. If your startup is not getting customers, try asking someone, “What would make you a customer for life?" Starting with a customer’s “elevator rants” or complaints about a product or service makes for a solid foundation for a new enterprise.

As founder and CEO of Chief Listening Officers, Bob London helps companies develop marketing strategies that start with learning the customer’s true perspective. Chief Listening Officers serves emerging to mid-size B2B technology and professional services firms across the software, SaaS, data, financial services and healthcare sectors. Bob has worked with, advised and mentored hundreds of businesses to develop marketing strategies and plans. He serves an Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Maryland’s Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship and an international Mentor at 1776, the global startup incubator. He is a frequent speaker and writer on topics related to his passion–the incredibly valuable insights that come from something shockingly simple: Listening to the customer.  

To listen to this episode and gain further insights into the startup world, subscribe to Dingman Bootstrapped on iTunes or download the episodes on the Dingman Center website.