Comments on: Qworky Asks: What Compels You To Recommend?

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 26 May 2010 01:56:44 +0000

The reasons why I recommend vary depending on what I’m recommending. Music, movies, and art? I (along with more people than will admit) probably recommend an album, movie, or artist to have my name attached to it. If it’s cool and more importantly, if I think my recommendation will reflect positively back upon me, then I will recommend.

For the less estoteric, more tangible product categories that have cool specs, then I’m recommending because a) I think the product is great or b) it gives me a chance to show off knowledge.

Or, if you’re someone I care about particularly, then I’ll probably recommend something that I actually like or value…

By: Steven Mason

Steven Mason — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 01:54:29 +0000

Doesn’t matter if it’s a person, a service or a product. Anything I recommend (or you) is a reflection of myself (or yourself). So if I recommend something, and the person hates it, they will really think “Steven has bad judgment or is a fool, etc.” If they love it, they will really think the opposite. Suppose I recommend a restaurant to you and it makes you remember fondly the last time you toured a sewer. Sure, you won’t go back there, but what’s the chance you’ll trust any recommendation from me again? The point is that recommendations are personal and are perceived as such. So to recommend something, I’ve got to believe it’s a cut above whatever else is out there; that it really has value and isn’t a scam or a me-too product. That’s as true whether it Qworky, an attorney, a doctor, a restaurant or a national park. Those parsimonious with recommendations are valued more highly than those who can’t stop recommending everything in site.

By: Kelly

Kelly — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:57:35 +0000

I recommend products when they are delightful to use, not too widely known, and offer a significant advantage over the old way of doing things. Google image search, email to SMS, and DimDim come to mind.

When recommending a company, I think the space has to be very large (TAM), the team is top notch, and execution is the only thing standing in the way of sales.

Kelly

By: jon

jon — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 02:12:02 +0000

Great questions …

In general I’m willing to recommend a product to friends and colleagues if I think it might help them — and that they’ll be able to try it out and see if they get value without spending a lot of time. Products in early stages aren’t necessarily right for everybody; at least initially, I want to understand where the sweet spot is, and will think of a few connections who I think are most likely to benefit to try it out. A lot depends on their experience as to whether or not I recommend it more broadly.

“Compel” is a much higher bar. To get to that level, I’d have to feel like people were really missing out by not using a product.

Of course with Qworky I’m a little biased … still, I plan to mentally apply pretty much the same standards. Excelt that I would UNRESEVEREDLY recommend it to investors

jon