5 Marketing Strategies for any Startup

Here’s the hardest part about launching a startup company: nobody knows you exist! Most consumers probably have no idea that your doors are open and that you’re ready for business.

Here’s another difficult thing about launching a startup: most consumers are bound to be skeptical of you. You’re the new kid on the block, after all. Your product or service hasn’t been tried and tested, and there’s no word of mouth about you. A lot of people are afraid of spending money on a product or service they’ve heard nothing about.

Thankfully, there are some great marketing strategies you can use to overcome these two big hurdles for startup businesses. Here are 5 great marketing strategies you can employ to be a successful entrepreneur.

1.      Grassroots Marketing

Startup companies often place too much emphasis on digital marketing campaigns. Internet marketing is great because you’re able to reach a large mass of people. The problem is, you’re reaching a large mass of people. Many of these people have no interest in the product or service that your company offers. There may be a lot of Internet users who notice you, but you might only convert a tiny percentage of them. In other words, you’re not getting the most bang for your marketing buck. As a startup company, it’s not good enough for people to just notice you. You want to build a small and dedicated client base as quickly as possible so you can produce revenue streams before your initial financing runs out.

That’s why all Internet campaigns should be supplemented by grassroots marketing. Unlike Internet marketing, grassroots marketing is small-scale and highly targeted. You’re going to target small groups of people who may have the most interest in your product. If you impress them, they’ll spread the word to their friends.

For example, if you run a company that sells Vegan foods, you’ll want to set up a booth at events pertaining to Veganism or sustainability, like street fairs, festivals, and conventions. Give out samples of your food, as well as brochures, and entice them to come to visit your Vegan restaurant. Grassroots marketing takes some time, but you’ll get more short-term and long-term sales, and ultimately you’ll get a higher return on your marketing investment.

2.      Utilize SEO On Your Website

Many startup companies invest a lot of money in their website, but they don’t invest in SEO. In fact, there are still a large number of companies that have no idea what SEO is, or how to use it. SEO stands for “search engine optimization.” Basically, it’s the practice of making your website rank higher on search results. When you search “Vegan food” on Google, for example, Google will place what it thinks the most relevant “Vegan food” webpage is at the very top of the search results.

SEO is a complicated field, but it’s crucial that you understand at least the basics of it so you can employ it on your website. A website with strong SEO can bring a significantly higher amount of web traffic and sales to your company. Any company can benefit from good SEO, from small retail outlets to plumbing companies (we’re not kidding—see these SEO tips for plumbers here).

3.      Go to Trade Shows

Don’t miss out on trade shows! Trade shows and conventions are a great way to exhibit your product and gain new clients. You’ll have to pay a fee to get a booth at a trade show, but consider it a necessary expense in the first year of your startup.

At a trade show, there are usually a ton of prospective clients who are interested in the type of product that your business sells (nobody visits a garden show unless they’re interested in garden products, right?). But most importantly, trade shows give you a unique opportunity to network with other businesses in your industry. There will certainly be tough competitors at the trade show who will be less-than-cordial with you, but you can’t miss the opportunity to build strategic partnerships.

4.      Build Strategic Partnerships

Going off the last tip, it’s incredibly important for you to build strategic partnerships with companies that are more established. Well-established companies have a larger client base with which they can promote your company. Have your strategic partners promote your brand to their clientele. In return, promote their brand to your clients.

The difficult part about building a strategic partnership is that it can be difficult for you, as a startup company, to prove yourself capable of being a financially lucrative partner. You’re a smaller business and you don’t have as many resources that can benefit a larger one. That’s why it’s important you have a great core product that’s sure to generate strong sales, as well as a detailed business plan that draws out the future growth of your company.

5.      Establish a Positive Internet Presence

Like we mentioned earlier, it’s important to have great Internet marketing campaigns. Create social media pages for your company and frequently post content that can draw followers to your pages. Reach out to social media influencers and invite them to sample your product for free in exchange for posting about your product on their social media channels.

Don’t forget about Internet review websites, like Yelp. When you’re a new company, just one or two bad reviews on your Yelp page can be extremely harmful to your business, so make sure your core product and customer service are always great. If you get a bad review, reach out to the person and offer a refund or discount in exchange for them removing the post. Bad word of mouth can kill a startup company, so do your best to get nothing but glowing reviews and mentions online.

Launching a startup company has its challenges, but you can successfully make a name for yourself by running a strong grassroots marketing campaign, utilizing SEO on your website, making your presence known at trade shows, building strategic partnerships, and establishing a strong online marketing channel. Best of luck, entrepreneurs!