If you’re new to digital marketing for startups and unsure about effective tactics, this article is for you.
Starting a company involves many tasks, including market research, website creation, and product development. Marketing is vital, especially for startups that need to balance a limited budget with rapid growth. Effective marketing can enhance brand visibility, establish a digital presence, and drive business success.
As a startup owner, you’re likely adept at anticipating risks and familiar with tools to help you go to market and scale. Here are nine tactics you can use to create a winning marketing strategy.
1. Adhere to the Three Golden Rules for Startups
To succeed in startup marketing, you need both a great product and a solid strategy. UserGuiding recommends keeping these three golden rules in mind to achieve this:
You Will Regret the Things You Didn’t Attempt
If you have a unique and compelling marketing idea for your product, give it a try. This experimentation will help you discover the best channels and approaches for your brand and target audience.
Most startups find one or two channels that work exceptionally well for them. Whether it’s content marketing, social media, partner programs, or cold email outreach, persistence is key to identifying what truly works.
The greatest danger lies in avoiding risks.
The digital marketplace evolves rapidly, and avoiding risks could jeopardize your entire marketing strategy. Embrace your unique perspective in your blog posts, craft that innovative ad, and connect with leading figures in your industry to learn from them.
You don’t need to completely reinvent the marketing wheel.
If you aim to make a big impact, begin with small steps. You don’t need an enormous campaign or a groundbreaking marketing strategy to start building your presence.
Certainly, think critically, analyze, and evaluate—but don’t do it merely to reinvent the marketing wheel. Do it to add value for your customers and enhance their lives.
2. Identify the Most Effective Channels for Your Startup
In the early stages of your startup, focus on identifying your core marketing channel—one that will be your main growth driver. While an omnichannel approach is ideal, mastering one channel first is crucial for reaching product-market fit. Systematically test and refine different channels to find the most effective one.
3. Utilize Referrals
One of the toughest challenges in marketing is convincing people that your product is the perfect fit for them. The most effective strategy in this case is leveraging referrals.
Referral marketing has surged recently, with shoppers relying on testimonials and reviews to guide their decisions. Forbes reports that 60% of marketers find referrals excellent for generating quality leads, and 54% say they have a lower cost-per-lead than other channels.
Referrals are powerful for these reasons:
- A customer can refer your business to a professional contact who likely faces similar issues, making your product or service a strong fit for them.
- A customer can also refer your brand to a friend. This type of referral carries significant trust, regardless of the friend’s industry or situation.
The aim of this startup marketing tactic is to turn your customers into advocates. Whether they leave a review, mention your brand on social media, participate in a case study, or engage in other ways, referrals are effective for boosting brand awareness and gaining media coverage.
4. Emphasize What You Do Significantly Better Than Your Competitors
Facebook became the top social media platform by enhancing its competitors’ best strategies. Identifying and leveraging your competitive advantage can significantly boost your digital marketing, especially if you’re new to the industry. Analyze your competitors to find areas where you excel, and focus on the key niches or features where you outperform them. This approach will attract new prospects to your business.
5. Establish Yourself as a Subject Matter Expert
Becoming a thought leader can be challenging if you’re new to your industry, but don’t be discouraged. Start by establishing yourself as a subject-matter expert through your content. Subject-matter experts have deep knowledge in a specific area, unlike thought leaders, who are recognized for their informed opinions. To become a subject-matter expert, deepen your knowledge in a specific area and continuously seek opportunities to learn more. Test your ideas before sharing them. Present yourself authentically as an authority.
Begin by writing 3 to 5 blog posts on a relevant topic in your industry, optimizing them for SEO, and promoting them through your channels. Partnering with key opinion leaders can also be an effective way to enhance your credibility and grow your venture.
6. Make Every Email Matter
Your email list is a powerful marketing tool when used correctly. To maximize its effectiveness, start by evaluating your copy. Writing compelling emails is a skill you can develop over time. Here are some tips to get started:
- Write for Your Audience: Understand your target customers’ needs and preferences, and craft your emails with that in mind.
- Get personal: Use a friendly, conversational tone to make recipients feel valued.
- Craft an attractive subject line: ensure it matches the email content and delivers on its promise.
- Align Your Landing Page and Email Copy: This creates a seamless experience and boosts conversions.
Remember, it’s better to send 100 well-crafted, personalized emails than 1,000 generic ones..
7. Be Present Where the Industry Leaders Are
Don’t shy away from joining the spaces where your competition is active, whether it’s online events, professional networks, or specific channels.
As a startup, you may not win every client, but use it as motivation to spread your mission and values widely. By participating alongside industry leaders, you’ll establish yourself as an authority in your niche.
Get out there and demonstrate your strength!
8. Be Your Product’s Biggest User and Advocate
To convince others of your product’s value, become its biggest advocate. Don’t just talk about it—fully embrace it.
Being an advocate for your own products has multiple benefits. It ensures your team is invested in the product’s success, boosting productivity. Additionally, it helps you better understand your customers’ perspectives, making it easier to choose effective marketing strategies.
9. Connect with a Niche Community
To boost brand awareness and grow your user base, engage with a niche community relevant to your industry. This helps you understand your ideal customers better and educate them about your offerings.
Create targeted content that addresses the specific issues and concerns of this community. The more tailored your marketing efforts are, the more effective your strategy will be.
Final Thoughts
Building a startup and promoting its products is challenging due to fierce competition. To stand out, you need effective marketing strategies beyond the basics, like SEO, content creation, and social media.
Innovative tactics, such as referrals, brand advocacy, niche marketing, and establishing subject-matter expertise, can also drive success.
