Roberto Max Salas is President of Young Hero. In 2013, he art directed the Oreo BlackOut Tweet, a pioneering move in real-time marketing.
I’ve been spending a lot of time lately talking to startup founders, and the most common hurdle I see is how much seed funding they require in the early stages, leaving little to no budget to execute go-to-market campaigns.
This has inspired me to share a few tips on how to best bootstrap your go-to-market campaign.
Leveraging Skilled Teams
Now, before we share that, I wanted to call out the reasons why you should consider working with an agency if possible, for it can certainly have its advantages.
First, agencies excel at creative storytelling, a crucial element in engaging and selling to your ultimate consumer. Crafting compelling narratives is not as easy as it seems; it requires a deep understanding of your audience tied to the right strategy and tone in order to convey why your product or service is better than your competitors.
Furthermore, the execution of ideas is another area where agencies shine, thanks to their highly skilled teams. In today’s Instagram-first world of disposable content, the craftsmanship of an idea can often help break through the clutter.
A great idea poorly executed will fail to connect with your audience and underperform. With that said, here are a few tips that can help you get your product out there with buzz.
1. Define your key message and focus on it.
Craft consistent messaging that aligns with your brand voice. Whether you’re using social media, CRM or trade campaigns, make sure you convey the same message across all channels. Develop creative assets that support your messaging and be consistent.
2. Employ minimalist design.
Avoid cluttered layouts with too many images and messages. Use a minimalist approach to design, incorporating primary colors that reflect your brand’s core values and clean layouts that guide the eye through the hierarchy of elements. Ensure your company’s logo is present but does not overpower your message.
3. Avoid stock photography.
Stock imagery can make your company seem unreliable or generic and is an easy way to shatter your brand equity. Instead, rely solely on your product or service key visuals. If absolutely necessary, use illustrations or iconography to convey your message authentically and directly.
4. Build a content calendar.
Plan your content and promotional activities in advance. Create a content calendar to ensure timely and consistent execution. This will help you stay organized and maintain a steady flow of communication with your audience.
I find the best approach is to come up with three to five content series and execute three posts under each of these categories. This will help you have at least a couple of months’ worth of content ahead of time that you can share quickly.
5. Leverage low-cost tools and resources.
You can utilize free or affordable marketing tools like Canva for design, Hootsuite for social media management and Mailchimp for email campaigns. Explore community resources and partnerships that can provide additional support without straining your budget.
6. Create a balance between performance marketing and brand awareness.
Recognize the importance of blending performance marketing with brand awareness. While performance marketing drives specific consumer actions, brand awareness builds the foundational equity necessary for long-term success. Maintain a balance to ensure your marketing not only converts but also builds a lasting brand image.
With all that in mind, always make sure to get feedback from within your network before launching your campaign. Many marketers are willing to provide valuable advice in exchange for future work.
This is also an opportunity to vet future agency or marketing collaborators who not only understand your business but are willing to provide value to it.
Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?
Read the full article here
