Boston Startup Vsnap provides a simple way to send a personalized short video message (called a Vsnap) which can be sent from any Internet-enabled device through email, LinkedIn, or loaded directly to your Twitter feed.
Vsnap is focused on making communication between small businesses and their customers more personal and interactive. According to CEO Dave McLaughlin, “it creates a profound and personal connection in a world of impersonal email or social media text only connections”. It has created a 40 percent higher response rate than traditional emails for companies and recruiter types who have embraced the product to connect with the people in their marketplace. It is utilized for personalized introductions, thanks, and customer service requests in a large scale ecommerce environment. Vsnap continues to watch their product expand into varied business arenas, including ecommerce, healthcare and HR recruitment just to name a few.
Vsnap frequently updates their blog with great new ideas for how business owners can best utilize this service. For example, one tip reads “Go to your LinkedIn home page and see what announcements people are sharing. Pick one and Vsnap that person to say congrats. They’ll love that you took the time”. Vsnap has also been reportedly used in political campaigns. The service is currently a freemium model, and will remain so, but they plan on introducing a feature rich premium SAAS version as well.
Vsnap Founders (and their Illustrious Past)
Vsnap was co-founded by Dave McLaughlin, Jim Joyce and Claudia Santoro. McLaughlin is also a co-founder of another Boston start-up named Fig Card that worked with mobile payments. Fig Card was acquired by eBay in April, 2011 for an undisclosed amount. Claudia Santoro, who is now the chief technical officer at Vsnap, was the engineering vice president at Exit41, a restaurant startup app. Jim Joyce, who resides in Ireland, began experimenting with video messaging to communicate with his family that was living in Italy. Joyce is McLaughlin’s cousin and when McLaughlin sold Fig Card to eBay, he decided to work with Joyce on his idea instead of taking up a position at PayPal. Trish Fontanilla is their brilliant community manager.
Vsnap Funders and Investors
On July 7th 2012, Vsnap Inc. reported closing a $750,000 round of seed capital led by Ted McNamara, presently the resident executive at General Catalyst and founder of flash sales website Rue La La. Vsnap has also been funded by angel investor Chris Stafford, Warm Springs Venture Investments and MassChallenge Fast-Track Funding Program.
Business video messaging is a $30 Billion market, with so many varied arenas for growth, Vsmap is certainly fishing in a pool with plenty of fish! Have you tried Vsnap already? Tell us what you think!
Startups – send us your Vsnap startup pitch!
