Did you know that 100 million businesses are launched annually? That is a crazy number! (Even crazier, check out this cool interactive chart showing the number of startups happening right now.)
Out of that 100 million, only 1 out of 10 businesses stays in business.
If you are successful to be one of the startups to stay in business, chances are, you did your research. A survey by CB Insights shows that 42% of startups failed because the market didn’t want their product or service. (If you need market insight, you can use a tool like UserTesting.)
If there is a market need for your product, now you need to make sure you are marketing it properly and growing a community around it.
There are startups that may be easier to market because of the product, but that doesn’t mean your ‘boring’ business can’t be promoted well. Here are some marketing tips for promotions and growing your startup like a pro.
Know your Business Goals
Is your goal a specific number of downloads of a mobile app? Or maybe you have a specific number of dollars you want to donate to charity. Whatever your business goal, you need to know this, along with why you are doing it.
What do your goals and your ‘why’ have to do with marketing? Because without fully understanding what outcome you have, how can you determine your message and audience?
I would assume most successful startups would already know their goal, but make sure it is clear and your goals haven’t changed over time.
Strategy
Once your business goals are clear, you can create a clear marketing strategy based on those goals. Incorporating both a strong online and offline presence is important.
Marketing tactics to consider:
- website
- social media
- video,
- live streaming
- forums
- SEO
- public relations and outreach
- PPC, e-mail marketing
- traditional marketing
Once you are clear on the mode of marketing, you should learn the best practices of each tactic and execute accordingly (or hire someone to do for you).
Building and Nurturing Community
You have to focus on building relationships, connecting with your audience and creating a community. People nowadays want to actually get to know you as a person and brand, and they like being able to interact with you and see behind the scenes into your business.
If your target market is on a specific platform, be there (as long as you can manage a strong presence). People want to be able to interact with you and create a connection with you. Social media allows for you to give an exceptional customer service experience if done correctly.
Doing live video is a way of connecting with people and giving them the opportunity to engage with you in a really authentic way. Consider Facebook Live, Periscope or Huzza to do this.
Finding Ideal Customers
If you are trying to target a specific person online, try Twitter search to search hashtags and for your specific keywords. Twitter is a great way of connecting with people and following them to watch their interests and what they are talking about. What you shouldn’t do is find people and just start selling to them. You need to build a relationship first by liking and sharing their content or replying to questions they have.
Another great resource is forums like Reddit and Quora, where you can gain valuable market information, as well as search for people looking for products and services like yours. Offer your expertise and share your knowledge on subjects similar to your product.
Be unique and different in your marketing and online. There are so many new businesses starting up (as we saw in the stat above), that you really need to be you, and show people that they can trust you.
What struggles did (do) you have with marketing your startup or new business? What is your best startup marketing tip? Let me know below!
