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.
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.
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.