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There are many things to consider when it comes to putting together a marketing strategy for a startup. Think about it: like the rest of your business, you need to piece everything together from scratch. The process can be overwhelming and time-consuming.
Approaching startup marketing should be handled the same way as eating a whale: one bite at a time. Here are some questions to ask to get you started on your journey of selling a product or service to the right people, in the right place, at the right time.
What Sets Us Apart?
One of the most important things you can work to discern is what sets your business or product apart from the others. Realistically, unless you’ve reinvented the wheel, chances are there are similar product offerings on the market already. You need to determine your unique selling proposition (USP) to know why customers should choose your product over a competitor, then tell your customers those reasons through strategic marketing.
Your USP acts as the foundation for your brand messaging and the core of your SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis as a part of your marketing plan.
If you look at vistaprint coupons by Deal News, you’ll notice how very specific and targeted their deals are. This helps narrow down to understanding what your potential buyers want, that also helps your buyers find the products they’re interested in easily.
Do We Need to Outsource?
There are a lot of different bits and pieces that fit together to create a marketing strategy. Everything from packaging design to SEO to website messaging falls under this broad umbrella. Startups usually have limited resources, including limited employees to do the work that needs to be done. Determining what components need to be outsourced early on will make a significant difference.
Components that are commonly outsourced include brand design and digital marketing strategies. Depending on your preferences and strengths, you will need to know how to evaluate an online marketing agency. You may even wish to handle most components yourself with the assistance of a virtual assistant, which is a popular option for growing startups.
Who are Our Customers?
Before you can sell anything, you need to know who your customers are. What’s your target demographic? What age group, income level, gender, geographic location or interest group will you be targeting. Determining your target market can help shape the various marketing efforts you will be conducting to convince someone to spend money with you.
Consider the difference knowing your target market can make in your marketing strategy. If you’re targeting single 20-something women with a product or service that is lighthearted and fun, your branding should reflect that. If you’re targeting middle-aged men in executive roles with a product to boost their career performance, your branding should reflect that. The two strategies will look very different from one another.
Why are We Doing This?
This question compels you to look beyond the money you hope to make as a startup and consider the deeper reasons behind why you do what you do. What problem do you hope to solve for customers with your product or service? Does this business align with your passion and values or are you an opportunist? There are no right or wrong answers, simply considerations to direct your marketing efforts.
You might find that the questions you ask lead to more questions. That’s fine– the point is thinking critically and brainstorming to create the best marketing strategy possible for your startup. After all, without the right approach to marketing, your business won’t go very far.
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