Marketing tips for start-ups

by Jeff Soltesz
USmarketer.com

If you're like most start-ups, you don't have a multi-million dollar marketing budget (yet). In fact, you might not have a marketing budget at all. But you still need to crank up your marketing efforts to develop an all-important customer base. What's a start-up marketer to do?

Plenty. Many times the best marketing ideas come from necessity, and a small budget shouldn't keep you from roaring out of the gates. There's no magic to it, marketing on a shoestring takes a good deal of sweat and hard work. But pound for pound, the results are often better than big budget, big universe campaigns. Here are a number of ways to improve the way you market your company, without breaking the bank (or burning cash) to do it.

Be where your customers are

In many cases, potential customers are hovering all around you, but you have to put yourself in front of them. Today there are more associations, trade groups, shows and industry meetings than ever before. They buzz and hum with the influencers and decision makers who could be your first sales. BE THERE. BE EVERYWHERE.

But it's not enough just to join your target market's trade group or organization. You need to be there time and again, contributing, networking and offering advice. This type of constant networking builds your company's brand and credibility, both cornerstones of your future marketing efforts.

Make an offer

Always, always, always have an offer. In your direct mail, on your Web site, in your collateral, even in your elevator pitch to a surprise prospect. Whether you're marketing to consumers or other businesses, everyone nibbles at the bait every once in a while. Even if your offer doesn't close a sale, it puts you on the trail where further selling and incentives can close a deal.

E-mail: simple, immediate, effective

Direct e-mail brings direct results, but only if sent properly and within established industry protocol. We all hate spam and know it's generally not going to help our business, or build our reputation. But sending e-mail to prospects you've contacted, your house e-mail file, or to targeted, opt-in e-mail lists is a great way to generate immediate response.

Don't get fancy. The best prospecting e-mails are short and snappy. Address your target customer's needs, make your offer and tell them who you are with contact info. Then monitor responses carefully. It's cheap, it allows you to test offers and price points, and you can do it yourself.

Hire people who can help the most

Seems obvious right? Not necessarily. When the time comes, start-ups often race to hire ad agencies, consultants and PR firms to help achieve immediate goals. But careful questioning and screening can reveal further levels of value. These businesses often have connections with other clients that could become customers, partners, even eventual investors. These introductions can add tremendous value to the relationship, helping you discover contacts you may never have made otherwise.

Choose an identity—then stick with it

Sometimes you move so fast it seems like even the alphabet is changing. But sticking with a solid, consistent corporate identity will pay dividends and make your brand more memorable.

Entrepreneurs and new companies are constantly tinkering with themselves and their image. The urge to change logos, colors and tag lines is often difficult to resist, especially when you're living with that critical identity day in and day out. But you'll get tired of your identity months, and sometimes years before your target market does. Schizophrenic brands rarely thrive. Strong, consistent identities will flourish.

December 2000

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Updated:
15-Jul-2003