We all know that when it comes to sales and marketing, startups face a lot of limitations, particularly in respect to their budgets. In addition to budget constraints, there are the limitations of manpower and the lack of experience and qualified professionals to look after the marketing wing.
Most startups invariably encounter these stumbling blocks when marketing their products and services.
But in spite of these challenges, companies can give their marketing efforts a performance boost by following some time-tested principles. Business leaders can implement the same strategies that other successful startups have effectively used in their organizations.
Here are some of the sales and marketing tips that small startups can find helpful.
1. Do FABing
Many in the marketing industry agree on the importance of being customer centric, so I recommend you follow the FAB principle. FAB is an old marketing concept referring to feature, advantage, and benefit (FAB). It describes the common steps people should take in a marketing pitch when explaining the unique selling points of a particular product.
When pitching a service or product, marketers need to mention its features. They should then explain the of advantage of each feature and the benefits users will derive from each one. Now when doing so, you also should explain how your product is competitively diverse and unique.
Throughout marketing channels and platforms, you should apply FABing. The principle of FAB helps your marketing to become more customer focused and user centric. And besides following the FAB principle, you also need to showcase the monetary advantage of your offerings.
2. Leverage Testimonials from Happy Customers
Customers these days will listen to other customers who have already used your product. They will take other users’ opinions more seriously than commercial ads. This is why your customer testimonials are so important for gaining the favor of potential buyers.
If you have a website or a social media page, you can easily publish testimonials and give your marketing a solid boost. Every business has some happy customers. You can effectively use their reviews for social promotions and proof of the real life benefit of your brand.
3. Make Use of Your Existing Strengths
Instead of being confused about where to start, you should rely on your own strengths. Startups, unlike established, large brands, are normally more energetic. They typically have a fresh talent pool and a collaborative work atmosphere.
Because they work in a small space, most of your people will have a better sense of ownership toward your brand. So instead of spending the money to hire marketers, you can easily ask everyone to give their opinions. Your employees can share new ideas about the marketing of your products and services.
It could be that the young designer who has been working for you for a few weeks could come up with a breakthrough marketing idea. And your regular marketing people might just stick to conventions.
4. Continue with Social Media Buzz
Social media is practically free. You do not need to shell out a hefty sum of money to make your brand discoverable on social media. Simply share and frequently post valuable content. By doing so, you can build your own audience and create buzz around a new product. Far before the launch of your product or service, start a campaign on social media and follow up with online conversations. Here are some effective tips:
- Post small video clips about your product. Instead of publishing flashy videos with a lot of noise, publish something informative and educational.
- Publish expert articles and blogs in your niche.
- Publish infographics and interesting images in your niche.
- Engage with your niche audience as much as possible.
5. Work with Influencers to Boost Your Outreach
Some people enjoy more influence and a larger audience than others on the web. To help your product gather momentum from your users, it is extremely important to let experts with larger audiences discuss your product. Before the launch of your startup or any particular product, you can approach these influencers to review your products and offerings on some niche websites or social media platforms.
Did We Miss Something?
You might think I missed mentioning something very important. But I actually didn’t. I believe that business analytics is so valuable that it should not be referred to merely as a tip. Whether you are in an established business or a startup, business analytics offers everyone in the business world a goldmine of actionable insights. Business analytics guides your company and can prevent you from taking a wrong step.