The founders of Squeeze1 are hoping to draw attention to themselves – and their business – by promising to have the company’s logo tattooed on their body if they reach 15,000 signups before they launch on February 24.
Squeeze1, based in Perth and led by 18-year-old James Billingham, is a website where entrepreneurs and companies can test their ideas before investing in them.
With the tagline “Anything could happen”, the site centres around non-official petitions – called “limes” – and “squeezes”, which refer to signups.
“Squeeze1.com will be a great platform for entrepreneurs to help them understand what the people want,” Billingham told StartupSmart.
“Whether you have a start-up that’s been going for years or you haven’t launched yet, Squeeze1 could help you with big decisions.
“It could also be a great marketing tool to get people interested in your start-up.”
Billingham says the platform will also prove useful for those looking to generate hype about a new product or service.
“Say you will only release it if your lime gets 3,000 squeezes,” he says.
“It encourages people to share and talk about your start-up with their social networks, and it’s something official, not ‘Like this on Facebook 100 times and we will do something’.”
“When you post a lime you can attach a video if you desire, much like Kickstarter, and when your lime is successful you can send a notification to all those who squeezed the lime with any relevant links, updates, and of course thanking them.”
Billingham and his business partner, Duncan Shaw, are willing to go to great lengths in order to get their business off the ground.
“The founders of Squeeze1 will both have the Squeeze1 logo tattooed somewhere on their body if we reach 15,000 signups (squeezes) before we launch,” the website says.
Billingham says the tattoo will either be on his ankle or bottom. The website has so far attracted 345 squeezes, with 16 days to go.
“It started off as a joke but soon became serious,” he says.
“We needed something a bit controversial to get people talking – some people hate tattoos and think the lime is a silly idea, but others love it and really hope we have to get it so they can get a good laugh out of it.
“Making people laugh, whether with you or at you, is great. So many people have tattoos these days – at least this one will have a story if it happens.”
