Entrepreneurs should learn to throw a combination of punches.
Recently, I've been reading a novel called "Those Things in the Ming Dynasty", and I'm currently at the part where Zhu Yuanzhang is fighting for his empire. I find it very interesting and have learned a lot from it. Regardless of the author's writing style, there are many similarities between fighting for an empire and starting a business.
Take my startup project, the online bookkeeping platform CaiKe Online Bookkeeping Network, for example. After more than two years of hard development, it has finally become China's largest online bookkeeping platform. In terms of technical development, we are number one in our industry. In terms of product function innovation, we are also number one. Our website ranking is currently 130,000, which is also number one in our industry. The website's activity level, stickiness, and fame have all reached the top in our industry. So what reason caused CaiKe Online Bookkeeping Network to leap from being one of the worst to becoming the leader in the industry?
CaiKe Online Bookkeeping Network was founded on February 10, 2006. At that time, it was the third online bookkeeping network in China. The first two were Kaipulan and ALLMONEYHOME. However, although these two websites were launched more than half a year earlier than CaiKe Online, they never developed. They were launched in the middle of 2005, but until now, their functions are still about the same as when they started, without any major improvements. On the other hand, CaiKe Online has already gone through nine versions, developing from its initial simple functions to today's powerful online bookkeeping platform.
From its founding on February 10, 2006, to mid-May 2007, CaiKe Online had a total of 499 registered members. At that time, it had very strong competitors such as YNNNY, Mushroom Network, and Wallet Network. CaiKe Online's Alexa website ranking was over 1 million, and its overall strength was among the last few in the industry, almost turning from a pioneer into a martyr. However, from mid-May 2007 to today, CaiKe Online's registered members have reached more than 80,000, with an Alexa ranking of 130,000 and a PR of 4. How did it develop from being one of the last few in the industry to the top? How did CaiKe Online reverse its defeat and achieve surprising victories?
First: Technology is not as good as the competition
CaiKe Online's technology is average in the industry and absolutely not top-notch. Many competitors' technologies are better than CaiKe Online's, such as Kaipulan's, which is better than CaiKe Online's. But why haven't they surpassed CaiKe Online?
Second: Interface design is not as good as the competition
When people open CaiKe Online, they will find that the homepage, various channel pages, and function operation pages are very unattractive. Websites like Yantangji, Wallet Network, and Wealth Management E are more attractive than CaiKe Online. Why aren't they as active as CaiKe Online?
Third: Timing was not the earliest
Although there's an unwritten rule that the earlier a website starts, the faster it may fail, CaiKe Online was the third online bookkeeping network in China, not the earliest. Its timing was not as good as Kaipulan's, but why hasn't Kaipulan become the industry leader?
Fourth: Functionality is not the most powerful
Many outsiders think that CaiKe Online's functions are very powerful, but they are not the most powerful; they are the most suitable for target members to use. It is precisely for this reason that it has attracted a large number of loyal members.
Fifth: Market promotion is not the best
Many friends must have often seen promotional articles for CaiKe Online on forums and other websites. Although the promotion has been diligent, CaiKe Online's market promotion is not the best, not as good as Wallet Network's, and the effect is not necessarily the best.
Sixth: The team is not the best
Many online bookkeeping networks in China do not have complete teams operating them. Although CaiKe Online has an independent team working full-time, it is definitely not the best team. Because CaiKe Online's entrepreneurial team comes from grassroots entrepreneurs who have not undergone management training or other aspects in large companies, so the team is not the best, and it cannot match Wallet Network's team.
Seventh: Service is not the best
CaiKe Online always regards its members as its bread and butter, but sometimes the service is lacking and not good enough. This is one of CaiKe Online's weaknesses. Other competitors' services are definitely better than CaiKe Online's, more timely, and more appropriate.
Based on the above analysis, according to logic, CaiKe Online has no reason to be the leader in China's online bookkeeping market. Its technology is not as good as the competition, design is not as good as the competition, timing is not as good as the competition, functionality is not as good as the competition, promotion is not as good as the competition, the team is not as good as the competition, and service is not as good as the competition. So how did CaiKe Online become the best in the industry?
As a member of CaiKe Online's team, the thing I feel most deeply is that we know how to throw a combination of punches. We understand our strengths and weaknesses, so we tightly combine all aspects instead of focusing on just one advantageous aspect.
For example, take a person's hand. Each finger has different lengths. If one thinks that having long fingers is an advantage and uses only the long fingers to compete with others, the result can only be that the long fingers get hurt more. If one wants to succeed, one should unite all the fingers on the palm and exert force together, achieving the maximum effect. Because each entrepreneur or team can only have advantages in some areas and cannot be stronger than others in every area. Only by leveraging strengths and avoiding weaknesses, integrating advantages and disadvantages together, and uniting to exert force externally can one win.
(Author: CaiKe Online: www.coko365.com Tian Keshan MSN: [email protected])