Startups have it hard. Not only do you need to compete against larger companies for their customers, you also have to find a way to survive financially past the first year. You need to do everything right in order to succeed. Globalization and the internet have been both a boon and a source of failure for start-ups around the world. Whereas before you might have been able to become a success in a local community, simply for selling something no one else was, you now have to compete with vendors around the world.
There are many aspects of a start-up business that entrepreneurs and founders are not aware of. If you are looking to start a company in a new and exciting different part of the world, you would need a lot more support than just marketing. For example, if you are looking to expand or open up a new business in a commercially suitable location like Dubai, you would need to work with the best law firm in Dubai. They will be able to help set you up with the best marketing agencies for all your online and offline needs. Additionally, they will also help in drafting the paperwork and ensuring that your new business is fully compliant with local laws, regulations and taxations.
This is why marketing is so important, and there is a lot that you can do before you even launch. Follow this guide to help you market your start-up and help you succeed:
Collaborate
One of the best ways you can market your start-up before it even launches is to collaborate. Contact influencers on social media and offer either free products of your prototype or pay them to review and publish your brand online. Other ways you can collaborate include design collaboration, where you partner with a more established brand to raise awareness towards your products.
News Outlets
If your business is local, then there is a very good chance you can market your launch through the local news media. Simply contact them about your launch and any launch party news, and see if they publish it. As you are local and offering an event that would be of interest to the local community, there is a very good chance you can receive free marketing from professional outlets. By doing so, this will not just help you market your launch but also improve your off-site SEO efforts if these news media outlets were to publish an article online.
Passive Marketing
Passive marketing refers to tactics that you pay once for, and then benefit without any extra work. Having posters in your establishment that market products or discounts are one example, but a more effective tactic is to add a vehicle wrap to your company car. You will want to ensure that the wrap installation is professionally done, to avoid any bubbles in the design, but after the initial costs, you can market your business to your community every day. People trust what they are familiar with, and seeing your brand on a daily basis will help you to build this familiarity that can help you succeed after you launch.
Social Media
Finally, there is social media. Social media requires consistent and organic engagement from you to your customers and community in order to work. Users are already quite accustomed to spam marketing tactics, so you need to do your best to be genuine and authentic. Build relationships person by person, and you can start to see real engagement and sales from your community.
Successfully marketing your startup can help your company not just survive past your first year, but to thrive. The more effort you put into marketing before your launch, the more success you will see right from the start. People are distrustful of what is new, so marketing before you launch can help them trust you before they ever set foot into the door.
I live in a small Georgia town that you most likely have never heard of and I LOVE it! My house is more than full as I am a single mother of four & caregiver to my aging mother and uncle. Lover of all things Outlander. Goes to the beat of her own drum woman.
Calvin says
Good to try all ways even non conventional ways to gain exposure!
Mary Gardner says
These are all great suggestions to gain exposure.