Leveraging an Idea

On a bet, a buddy asked me if I was able to craft a revenue strategy for a web application of his choosing. In order, these were the next steps:

• I accepted his challenge.
• He sent me RunPee.com.
• Coffee came out my nose.

Synopsis: RunPee provides you the best time to leave a movie to visit the rain closet.
It’s simple…and clever.

Here’s a couple paths that may be worth exploring:

• Offer the application as a white label product that could be branded locally. This would be perfect for radio stations looking for ways to bolster online utility.
• Tap a third party developer to create mobile applications for the iPhone and Blackberry.
• Give the applications away (with a caveat to include ads).
• Invite participation from sponsors (NetFlix, Apple TV, Real.com, etc.).
• Carve out a revenue share model with the publisher (web).

I think we’ve answered all the pertinent points? To attain reach, we need adoption (free should do it?). To develop revenue, we need reach. And to attract viable partners there has to be benefit in participating (pay them). With greater reach comes the ability to engage the user to provide their own preferred times to hit the head; thereby increasing content and utility.

The stakes are golf and dinner.