Where to Start in a Brave New World? Starting up a business is a difficult time. It feels like there aren’t enough hours in the day to complete all the things that you want to get done.
As you look through the never-ending checklist that you need to get finished, things can start to feel a little daunting.
But don’t be put off – you’ve done the most difficult bit already! Getting your product or service out there is the next step on the to-do list and we’ve simplified it for you.
If you’re running a start-up then these should be your marketing priorities.
Organize A Giveaway – Generosity Goes a Long Way
One of the most effective ways of converting new customers is to offer them something for nothing.
The sports betting sector (Also read: VPN for sports betting) is a master of this approach, with comparison sites like oddschecker compiling free bets offers for customers as a way to get them to sign-up to a new betting website.
This approach works because if the customer signs up and wins the bet, then the provider has effectively paid for a new customer, whereas if the customer signs up and loses the bet, then they’ve got a new customer for free.
You could replicate the same idea in your business in lots of different ways: free tasters are always popular with those in the food and drink industry; free consultations are great if your business is service-based; and free gifts for the first people through the door are great at your new shop opening.
Think carefully about what your business can afford to giveaway and do something nice for your customers.
Carefully Curate Social Media to Forge a New Identity
The temptation with social media is to throw as much content as you can at it until something sticks.
Whilst you’re bound to have some successful posts using this rather indiscriminate quantity over quality method, those results won’t last.
Instead, you need to have a clear idea of what you want your social media presence to look like, you need to think of the overall image of your social media rather that focussing on individual posts.
Imagine the images, statuses, videos and blogs that you share as a gallery and curate them with the same care.
Make sure that your posts have enough variation to keep viewers interested, but have core themes running through each of them that will make sure everybody knows exactly who’s posted before they see the name in other words, create a social media identity.
Another important factor to consider is multi-platform posting.
Some businesses will have all of their customers, more or less, on one platform, but others will have their customers across a wide variety.
Instead of relying on Instagram to accurately share your posts to Facebook for you, or copying your Twitter statuses the same way, get yourself organized with a timed social media posting app.
You can customise tags, hashtags and location tags dependent on the platform you’re using and it will all look much more professional.
Work With The Competition – Two Heads are Better Than One
So many startup checklists work on stamping out the competition, but that’s not necessarily a recipe for success, working with brands that are similar to you can be a great help.
Whilst you don’t want to be working in collaboration with your direct competitors, look for businesses that will attract a similar target market and offer something slightly different.
That way you’ll have double the marketing budget to reach customers as well as two products or services that they might be interested in, rather than just one.
Having double the budget means that you can afford to splash out on that expensive double page spread, or hire a professional photographer for the day.
The benefits aren’t only monetary though; collaborating with people in your industry is a brilliant way to learn.
If you’re working with a business that’s been established for a while then you’ll pick up some tricks of the trade.
If you’re working with another startup then you’ll have the benefit of fresh and innovative thinking.
Your collaboration is the perfect opportunity to broaden your business network as well and you never know when one of those contacts might come in handy.
There’s so much to be said for the positives from collaborating, but the best way to find out is to do it yourself and see.