Startups have excitement on their side, but they need momentum.
To get there, it’s vital to find ways to get people interested in what you do – that is, to engage them. When more people interact directly with your brand, then they fuel your growth.
Ideally, a startup should start to develop its own “tribe” of people who are not only customers but truly passionate about their mission. That tribe, in turn, recruits others to the fold.
Startups face the twin challenges of limited budget and no brand awareness, so they need bootstrap methods to get their marketing off the ground. Here are some startup marketing tips to help:
1. Start with Social Influencers
Social media influencers can get the party started by sending your content and offers directly to their followers. This may be the perfect way to get some initial exposure – and maybe a sale or two – which allows you to “dry run” all your marketing, advertising, sales, and ops processes.
2. Provide a Great Mobile Experience
If you’re a startup in 2019, you need a terrific mobile website. B2B and B2C businesses alike take note: More of your customers are using their smartphones for product research. At the same time, Google is making mobile ranking a priority. Be sure your site reflects the trends.
3. Start Automating from the Beginning
3. Start Automating from the BeginningIdeally, your team should be empowered with a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system from the very start. This gives you visibility into what leads are doing and allows your marketing team to pass qualified leads off to sales more efficiently.
4. Craft Fun, Exciting Video Content
Authenticity is the key to effective startup marketing. Nothing says authentic quite like a “behind the scenes” video shot on your cell phone. Whether it’s a product demo, unboxing, or just scenes from your break room, don’t pass up the unique opportunities video has to offer.
5. Put Your Values Upfront
Younger consumers are deeply interested in a brand’s values, as are B2B decision-makers who aren’t persuaded by price and features alone. Make a well-developed values statement one of the cornerstones of your efforts. Be sure every member of your team works toward those values!
6. Make Relationship Building a Priority
Relationships are the currency of the realm for startup enterprises. Make social media monitoring a priority and follow up on everything you hear – good, bad, and indifferent. That way, you can build lots of goodwill even if it turns out your products aren’t for everyone.
Digital technology has equipped startup enterprises with all kinds of new tools for marketing. You don’t need a Fortune 500 budget to get started: just enough creativity, ingenuity, and social savvy to make a genuine connection with others.