Many startups are started to turn them into something big. To do this, they need to find new customers and do so quickly. Damon Becnel discusses nine marketing strategies you can use to grow your startup business, including tips on implementing these strategies.
Build an Email List to get Feedback
Email marketing is one of the most effective ways to keep in touch with your users and potential customers. Create a lead magnet, like an ebook or cheat sheet, and use it as a bribe for people to sign up for your email list. This way, you can stay connected even after they download the freebie because nobody likes getting spammed!
Encourage Customer Referrals by Rewarding Them
Nobody wants another person telling their friends about something bad that happened to them (and believe me, if someone has had a terrible experience with your company, there’s no doubt they’ll tell everyone). For this reason, encouraging positive feedback from existing customers is critical not just for retaining current ones but also for bringing on new business. One great idea I’ve seen work successfully is offering a referral program where existing customers can earn points toward discounts and free products by getting their friends to sign up for your product.
Create Case Studies and Testimonials
While not every company has the resources to hire professional copywriters (though it helps!), there are certainly other ways to get great content without a lot of effort. If you have a good relationship with your clients, ask them if they’d be willing to write up an honest testimonial or case study about how working with you helped their business grow. It’s also possible that one of your customers would enjoy writing out the details to help other entrepreneurs looking for a solution like yours.
Create a Facebook Page for your Business
Facebook is a great way to connect with potential customers and learn about what they want from your company. You can create an “ad” or business page, so long as you have at least 30 likes on the page. Next, use Facebook’s ad manager to promote posts that will reach people who are most likely interested in your products/services.
Post regularly on Twitter
Twitter has a lot of users, and it would be wise for businesses to leverage this social network by posting links back to their websites. When someone clicks through then signs up for more information, there’s no doubt they’ll feel compelled to buy! In addition, try tweeting out contests where followers enter by retweeting. This not only gives you free promotion but also unique ideas from your customers.
Post to Reddit
If you’re looking for a way to drive traffic and get in touch with people who may be interested in your products/services, posting on Reddit is the perfect solution. From my personal experience, I’ve seen business owners post their website URL or an interesting infographic (in hopes of getting it onto the front page) and see an influx of traffic that results in conversion.
Host a Contest on Social Media to Generate Buzz
Social media is a great place to promote contests because the word spreads like wildfire. If users see that their friends are already participating, they’re more likely to join in too! The trick with running social media contests is making sure you get legitimate entries (i.e., requiring them to submit content or follow your page).
Invest in Paid Advertising on Sites
Paid ads are a great way to reach more people quickly. If you have the budget, this is an excellent strategy for getting new customers fast! However, it’s important not to overspend on these types of ads because they can become quite costly and take away from your marketing budget in other areas (like organic search engine optimization).
Create Videos that Showcase Value
Videos are becoming increasingly popular, and there’s no doubt that millennials love them! I’ve seen successfully used by companies like KISSmetrics to create how-to videos where viewers learn valuable information through watching the video – such as how many steps are involved in setting up their software tool. This type of video is likely to be shared among friends and family, resulting in more users.
Build a Blog on your Website
Blogs are great for providing information that educates people about the industry you’re operating within or an aspect of your product/service they may not know much about. For example, if I was running social media contests for my dog walking business, I could write an article about taking the best dog photos or build a blog post around what breeds are most common in my area. This is great because it provides valuable customer insight and helps with search engine optimization (i.e., Google sees your articles as new content on your site).
There are many ways to grow your startup. One of them is using the power of marketing strategies to help you achieve your goals and objectives, generate more sales, target new customers, or increase brand awareness. We’ve outlined nine different marketing strategies in this blog post to use to grow your business!
