Skip to content
  • Home Home Home, current page.
  • Moments Moments Moments, current page.

Saved searches

  • Remove
  • In this conversation
    Verified accountProtected Tweets @
Suggested users
  • Verified accountProtected Tweets @
  • Verified accountProtected Tweets @
  • Language: English
    • Bahasa Indonesia
    • Bahasa Melayu
    • Català
    • Čeština
    • Dansk
    • Deutsch
    • English UK
    • Español
    • Filipino
    • Français
    • Hrvatski
    • Italiano
    • Magyar
    • Nederlands
    • Norsk
    • Polski
    • Português
    • Română
    • Slovenčina
    • Suomi
    • Svenska
    • Tiếng Việt
    • Türkçe
    • Ελληνικά
    • Български език
    • Русский
    • Српски
    • Українська мова
    • עִבְרִית
    • العربية
    • فارسی
    • मराठी
    • हिन्दी
    • বাংলা
    • ગુજરાતી
    • தமிழ்
    • ಕನ್ನಡ
    • ภาษาไทย
    • 한국어
    • 日本語
    • 简体中文
    • 繁體中文
  • Have an account? Log in
    Have an account?
    · Forgot password?

    New to Twitter?
    Sign up
backus's profile
John Backus
John Backus
John Backus
@backus

Tweets

John Backus

@backus

Seeking alternative compression. Hopefully wrong on average. Shameless. Started @getcognito and @bloom

San Francisco, CA
Joined August 2012

Tweets

  • © 2018 Twitter
  • About
  • Help Center
  • Terms
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies
  • Ads info
Dismiss
Previous
Next

Go to a person's profile

Saved searches

  • Remove
  • In this conversation
    Verified accountProtected Tweets @
Suggested users
  • Verified accountProtected Tweets @
  • Verified accountProtected Tweets @

Promote this Tweet

Block

  • Tweet with a location

    You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more

    Your lists

    Create a new list


    Under 100 characters, optional

    Privacy

    Copy link to Tweet

    Embed this Tweet

    Embed this Video

    Add this Tweet to your website by copying the code below. Learn more

    Add this video to your website by copying the code below. Learn more

    Hmm, there was a problem reaching the server.

    By embedding Twitter content in your website or app, you are agreeing to the Twitter Developer Agreement and Developer Policy.

    Preview

    Why you're seeing this ad

    Log in to Twitter

    · Forgot password?
    Don't have an account? Sign up »

    Sign up for Twitter

    Not on Twitter? Sign up, tune into the things you care about, and get updates as they happen.

    Sign up
    Have an account? Log in »

    Two-way (sending and receiving) short codes:

    Country Code For customers of
    United States 40404 (any)
    Canada 21212 (any)
    United Kingdom 86444 Vodafone, Orange, 3, O2
    Brazil 40404 Nextel, TIM
    Haiti 40404 Digicel, Voila
    Ireland 51210 Vodafone, O2
    India 53000 Bharti Airtel, Videocon, Reliance
    Indonesia 89887 AXIS, 3, Telkomsel, Indosat, XL Axiata
    Italy 4880804 Wind
    3424486444 Vodafone
    » See SMS short codes for other countries

    Confirmation

     

    Welcome home!

    This timeline is where you’ll spend most of your time, getting instant updates about what matters to you.

    Tweets not working for you?

    Hover over the profile pic and click the Following button to unfollow any account.

    Say a lot with a little

    When you see a Tweet you love, tap the heart — it lets the person who wrote it know you shared the love.

    Spread the word

    The fastest way to share someone else’s Tweet with your followers is with a Retweet. Tap the icon to send it instantly.

    Join the conversation

    Add your thoughts about any Tweet with a Reply. Find a topic you’re passionate about, and jump right in.

    Learn the latest

    Get instant insight into what people are talking about now.

    Get more of what you love

    Follow more accounts to get instant updates about topics you care about.

    Find what's happening

    See the latest conversations about any topic instantly.

    Never miss a Moment

    Catch up instantly on the best stories happening as they unfold.

    John Backus‏ @backus Aug 21

    People make fun of startups pitching as “X for Y” (“Uber for hotels”, “Fitbit for cows”) but it is useful. Investors hear a lot of pitches. On average, if you don’t give a memorable lossy compression of your pitch, the audience will walk away with their own worse compression.

    7:29 PM - 21 Aug 2018
    • 2 Retweets
    • 24 Likes
    • Autumnal Misha Dennis Kennedy Dave Craige⚡️ Evan Sandhoefner Tushar Jain David Atkinson Nifty Tweets Sar Haribhakti Captain Hook
    6 replies 2 retweets 24 likes
      1. New conversation
      2. Adam David Long‏ @adamdavidlong Aug 21
        Replying to @backus

        You may have seen this already but great discussion of this in the book Made to Stick, by Chip and Dan Heath, specifically about movie pitches. "Speed" was sold as "Die Hard on a bus". "Alien" was sold as "Jaws on spaceship"https://amzn.to/2OWPl7e 

        2 replies 1 retweet 18 likes
      3. John Backus‏ @backus Aug 21
        Replying to @adamdavidlong

        I haven’t. Love the examples though

        1 reply 0 retweets 0 likes
      4. Adam David Long‏ @adamdavidlong Aug 21
        Replying to @backus

        This book is my short list of great books for entrepreneurs. They kick off by asking, why are urban legends so powerful and persistent, even when PROVEN to be untrue. Lots of great examples from multiple domains on how to get your message across. Lots of specific advice.

        1 reply 0 retweets 3 likes
      5. Visakan Veerasamy‏ @visakanv Aug 22
        Replying to @adamdavidlong @backus

        +1 it’s def top 3 most significant marketing/comms books I’ve read that’s shaped my thinking

        1 reply 0 retweets 0 likes
      6. Adam David Long‏ @adamdavidlong Aug 22
        Replying to @visakanv @backus

        Mine too. My other three are (1) Positioning by Al Ries and Jack Trout (2) Ogilvy on Adverting and (3) Tested Advertising Methods by John Caples. Words that Work by Luntz is also very helpful. Curious to hear your list.

        1 reply 0 retweets 2 likes
      7. Visakan Veerasamy‏ @visakanv Aug 22
        Replying to @adamdavidlong @backus

        Ogilvy too, and Cialdini’s Influence

        1 reply 0 retweets 1 like
      8. Adam David Long‏ @adamdavidlong Aug 22
        Replying to @visakanv @backus

        YES. Should have included Cialdini as well. Good point.

        0 replies 0 retweets 1 like
      9. End of conversation
      1. New conversation
      2. Ben DiFrancesco‏ @BenDiFrancesco Aug 21
        Replying to @backus

        Fitbit for Cows! When’s the ICO??

        1 reply 0 retweets 0 likes
      3. John Backus‏ @backus Aug 21
        Replying to @BenDiFrancesco

        Heh, this is a real company. This phrase has been stuck in my head since which I think speaks to the form.https://www.techinasia.com/cowlar-ycombinator-winter17 …

        1 reply 0 retweets 0 likes
      4. Ben DiFrancesco‏ @BenDiFrancesco Aug 21
        Replying to @backus

        pic.twitter.com/1AMxoUycIg

        0 replies 0 retweets 0 likes
      5. End of conversation
      1. Gordon Mohr  👁 👁‏ @gojomo Aug 21
        Replying to @backus

        naval & nivi’s pre-angellist ‘Venture Hacks’ blog called these ‘high-concept pitches’ & promoted in 2008: http://venturehacks.com/articles/high-concept-pitch … (also in following post & their ‘pitch hacks’ PDF dl’able from sidebar)

        0 replies 1 retweet 4 likes
        Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. Undo
        Undo
      1. ryan_‏ @ryan_nayr_ Aug 22
        Replying to @backus

        I heard 'the Uber of Universities' today...

        0 replies 0 retweets 1 like
        Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. Undo
        Undo
      1. Erwin Kuhn‏ @ErwKuhn Aug 22
        Replying to @backus

        Is it really memorable after the tenth "Uber for X" though?

        0 replies 0 retweets 0 likes
        Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. Undo
        Undo
      1. Anirudh Pai‏ @ani_pai Aug 22
        Replying to @backus

        But by definition, the great companies would be sui generis – they happen once. Airbnb is just Airbnb and not the "uber of x."

        0 replies 0 retweets 0 likes
        Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. Undo
        Undo

    Loading seems to be taking a while.

    Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.

      Promoted Tweet

      false

      • © 2018 Twitter
      • About
      • Help Center
      • Terms
      • Privacy policy
      • Cookies
      • Ads info