Marketing should always be #1 on the entrepreneur’s priorities.
IMHO you should start marketing the day you start working on your idea.
Why?….
There are 100s of products, apps and MVPs launched daily.Why should people pay attention to yours? Why should people download your app?
Information overload is driving us crazy and its hard to keep up with the new shiny objects.
We only remember people and products that have helped, educated or informed us in the past. We also remember stories so don’t forget the power of storytelling.
Startup founders must constantly be thinking of customer acquisition & marketing and not just the product development. It doesn’t matter if you have a great platform or the best apps. If no one knows about it, what’s the point?. At the end of the day, all businesses come down to money, which won’t come in without sales. Also without brand awareness, there will be no sales.
Here are some questions you can ask yourself to start thinking like a marketer.
- Answer the “WHY”. Why am I creating this business, app or product?
- Who is it for? or who is my target audience. Be as specific as possible. e.g. My app is for 18 to 24-year-olds who are college students and live in the New York city.
- Where does my target audience spend the most time? Are they more active on Facebook or Twitter or watching how-to videos on Youtube?
- What is your target audience most interested in? (besides your business)
- How can I help, inform or educate my target audience with my content?
In your business, you may not perform the tactical aspects of marketing. But when you hire a “marketing consultant” you will be able to ask better questions. Now Imagine this. If a “marketing guru” tells you that you need to invest in Instagram marketing. You can ask WHY?
Or ask him questions like these
- What is my target audience doing on Instagram?
- How would he or she find them on Instagram?
- What type of content do you need to produce on Instagram?
So now over to you. Have you started educating people about your startup? or still waiting for the MVP launch?