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Comment by lem72 | Hacker News Reader

I am sure this is what you are already thinking, but I wouldn't spend to much worrying about a free plan.

We made this mistake on our last startup, we got a ton of feedback saying, oh it's too expensive, I'd never use it.. make something cheaper/free.

The truth is... until those businesses are making more money that justifies $20 a month, you probably don't want them as customers... they will take up a TON of time, with adding little to no value and will have no problem jumping ship when you say, hey, you reached the size you said you were interested in paying $20 and we would like you to upgrade.

People want the world... focus on customers that find $20/month to be a huge value to them.

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In my case, I just want a free tier that is incredibly low (10 customers is fine) that won't cannibalize his main products, because I want to test his services. Yes, there's a free trial, but I don't plan on rolling out major client work for 4-6 months. In that timeframe, he can have me as a subscribed customer (paying nothing) but I've already gone through all the hurdles, and he can send me monthly "Hey, you ready?" emails.

Right now I have to trust myself that I'll remember this service in six months with all the other stuff that goes on in running a startup. If I DO remember, I will pay $20-100/month easily and will save thousands. But I also have to remember that about 300 other things, too.

EDIT: Maybe a mailing list would be helpful, too.

Agreed to mailing list... but "oh well" is what I say to that. If it's easy to implement then great, but there is a cost to him for even 1 of your customers.

I would focus on the businesses that can pay $20/month (even for 1 month) to test something to see if it's for them than worry about someone who may need it in 4-6 months down the road, if there product doesn't go under before they "roll out major client work".

I am not trying to sound harsh but my guess is his money and time is better spent acquiring users who can pay $20 from the start. It's just basic marketing: How much would this cost to acquire a customer from. If he pays the girl $30 an hour to call delinquent accounts and she can call 10 an hour then that's a cost of $3 per delinquent customer of yours that it costs him and you are asking for a free tier that is incredibly low of ONLY 10 customers which actually = $30 of free value he is giving away. My guess is a Google Adwords campaign could get him paying users for less than that easily.

It's just not worth it to go after customers like you... yet..is my guess and I have been in his shoes... the people wanting free shit scream the loudest but bring in the least value.

>It's just not worth it to go after customers like you... yet..is my guess and I have been in his shoes... the people wanting free shit scream the loudest but bring in the least value.

I agree. And yet, that is not who I am. If you knew the first thing about my business and my yearly revenue, you wouldn't say that. Your assumptions are baseless, rude, and truthfully told, idiotic.

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