When you run or work for a startup, you’ll probably have to get involved with areas of the business that you’re not exactly an expert in. It’s not uncommon for graphic designers or app developers to be responsible for marketing, content creation, human resources, or even the financial side of a business. If you’re a startup marketing rookie, however, you might not know where to begin. If this sounds like you, check out these four tips to improve your marketing strategy and get more leads (and more sales!).
1. Use Email Marketing
It’s easy to overlook the importance of email marketing, but if you can build an effective mailing list and send out eye-catching emails with a clear call to action (CTA), you could hugely increase awareness and sales for your business.
Boost your email marketing by sending out emails with attractive subject lines – look at the emails you receive from brands and companies for inspiration. Which emails do you open? Which do you delete without reading? Make a list and figure out what to do and what not to do.
2. Start a Blog
Blogs are a great way of promoting your business. Some industries are more competitive than others. For instance, car accident attorneys and dentists fight viciously for traffic online. Blogs drive traffic onto your start-up’s website, and this can be a great way to generate leads and set yourself apart from the competition. Once potential customers are on your site, use well-placed CTAs and clever wording to convince people of exactly why they need to buy your product or use your service.
You can also use your blog as a way to add people to your mailing list. You can just ask them if they want to sign up – keep things simple – or offer a pdf download with exclusive blog content if they submit their email address and sign up to your mailing list.
Don’t know where to start? Check out this guide to starting a blog.
3. Harness the Power of Social Media
In this day and age, everybody knows that a strong social media presence can be an effective (and free!) way of generating more leads and getting more conversions. If you publish social media content that people enjoy, you can attract more followers, and this should help you generate more sales.
As part of your startup marketing, you can also use social media to answer potential customers’ questions and respond to any concerns they may have about using your service.
Take a look at your competitors’ profiles on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. Figure out what they do well and what they are overlooking, then use your findings to create your own social media strategy.
4. Bring in an Expert
If you’re trying to break into a highly competitive market, startup marketing strategies like these three simply might not be enough to get your start-up noticed. If this is the case, it might be worth bringing in a professional to help you with your marketing strategy.
For example, performance marketing experts at yellowHEAD have developed Alison creative analytics technologyto help brands make data-driven creatives that are more likely to be effective. Using this type of expertise can help you optimize your startup’s marketing strategy, enhancing engagement and increasing your return on investment.
Don’t underestimate the importance of startup marketing. You could have the best idea in the world and a great team behind you, but if you don’t market your product or service effectively, nobody will know about it.
