Capital venture companies have given wings to the business dreams of young minds. A promising idea gets converted into a great product and a small team of entrepreneurs slowly establish a company. But a great product is not the only requirement to succeed. Marketing also plays a significant role. A start-up needs you to have both, a great product and great marketing. Apparently, a start-up needs to gain more from marketing than any other company. It might seem like a different science but good start-up marketing is not a myth. Here are a few ideas which start-ups can consider.
P.S: They may sound easy but require a significant amount of hard work and dedication.
Pre-launch
Converting your product into a brand is one of the most essential activities. Build a unique brand first. The name, logo, design, packaging of your product should stand out and mean something. They interact with the consumers before the actual product does.
An attractive and insightful website is the best way to begin. Build a good web presence. If possible, upload a small demo or e-guide of the product/s.
Good media exposure is important to create awareness and build contacts. And press releases are a good way to achieve that. Give the press good content about the product. A short trailer to build curiosity can be a good idea.
A number of exhibitions, fairs, seminars, etc. take place throughout the year. Take part in them. Build your network before you need it. However, launching a product during/at these events is not a good option.
Launch
The launch of a product is the first step to penetrating the market. Everyone wants it to be a grand experience and hence founders are ready to chunk huge amounts on such events. But, the big bang launch of a product is actually a waste of money to start-ups that are tight on funds. Keep it a simple event. Invite key industry people and the press. Let the product talk and not the money invested in the launch.
Carry forward pre-launch activities. Maybe you can start posting blogs on the website or make a presence on social media platforms as the launch date arrives. Build good business connections.
Post-launch
Once the product is launched in the market, craft a marketing plan at least for the next 6 to 12 months. Focus on selling the solution in your communication. Educate consumers about how they can solve the problem using your product instead of telling them what problem they are facing.
Guerilla marketing or viral video content can be a good tactic. Distribute t-shirts or other giveaways with your brand visible on them. It helps in generating brand recall. Viral videos sound like an exciting option but are very tricky. You may create a video that you think can go viral but once released, it may not. There is no formula to make a video go viral.
Start targeting early adopters and innovators. They are the first ones to try new products. If possible, involve them in your team to develop a better product.
Expand web presence. Generate more original and relevant content. An active presence on social media has become mandatory for all brands. Invite blog writers/ review sites to review your product and publish it on their site. But before publishing, make sure you know what you need to publish. Once you have a good database, start sending e-mailers, newsletters, promotional offers, etc. Depending on what product you have, video content should be developed for video hosting sites.
Another good investment is web banners, pay-per-click ads and search engine marketing, in-app ads, etc. They usually come in the complete package of digital marketing. Offline public relations also play important role. Be everywhere. The majority of start-ups fly around in the digital space and stay invisible offline. Remember, there is a real world. Smart guerrilla tactics can be cheap yet beneficial move. Keep newspaper ads and television commercials for later stages as they can empty your pockets.
To sum it up, a start-up is not a child’s play. But once you get into it, you need to nurture it like a child; and the right marketing strategy would always help you raise this child better.