From 2010 to 2020, start-ups were all the rage. Not only was it quite the new benefit for smaller businesses to operate with shoestring teams and nothing but plucky ideas to guide them, but it flew in the face of everything we knew about small businesses.
With the advent of the internet and the modern software we come to rely on, now people can uphold businesses remotely, start initiatives with people they’ve never actually met in person, and even completely pivot industries – look to challenger banks like Monzo, with no physical branches, to see the benefit of that.
That said, in 2022, soon to be 2023, startups are hardly anything special. We can appreciate the plucky courage of anyone who runs them, but there are thousands of dorm-room businesses out there, kickstarted projects, and entrepreneurs looking for funding. It’s hardly new to think you have the next big idea and no money or infrastructure to pursue it.
But let’s say that you have a genuine approach towards your startup, you really, authentically believe it could be something, and you have some of the fundamentals worked out, like a place to work, a little budget, and a small partnership you can trust.
Okay, so how do you cut through the noise of other startups? Let’s consider that below:
Excellent, Tailored Marketing Services
With excellent and tailored marketing services dedicated to ensuring you have the best and fairest shake at forward progress, you can make yourself known. That said, it’s easy for any marketing company to offer that, they are, after all, the most skilled at making marketing claims.
This is why it’s important to opt for a startup marketing agency that will be able to discuss and curate a plan for your forward progress. They will know all of the tricks that catch startups out, such as overpromising or trying to bring too many clients in at once, running shoddy promotions, and simply not having that professional branding to compete with other small businesses in the area. This advice, and the promotional services oriented around that, can be invaluable.
The Strength & Unity of Your Idea
You probably think you have a good business idea. That’s good. It’s better than going into business thinking that you have no chance. However, it’s important to recognize that you are biased, and that can be a problem.
Test your idea where you can. Run focus groups, take surveys, and make sure you’ve patented any unique ideas or products. Commit market research. Discuss any outcomes that may result from your discussions. Pivot where appropriate. Try a sample product, or onboard a test client you can work with for free to make sure everything goes smoothly. This way, you can iron out the kinks before you begin.
Cohesive Branding & Copywriting
It’s important to brand yourself well as a startup, because you need to convince people that you’re worth taking the risk on. Copywriting can also help with this, as hiring the services of an SEO firm or freelance copywriter can make sure all of your promotional material, website content, landing pages and even product descriptions are well-worded, accessible, and reliable.
Cohesive branding and copywriting is a worthwhile skill to develop, or to outsource. It will help you isolate and develop the identity of your brand. This means you become much more understandable, accessible, and shareable. For instance, perhaps you’re a recipe kit delivery service focused on vegan lifestyles. Perhaps you could use a slogan like “The purity of nature, at your door.” Make your startup as easy to onboard with as possible through your branding. It will commit less mental work to the ideal you wish for.
Set To Make Change
Ultimately, you have to have people believe in your idea and what you’re trying to achieve. “We want to be successful and achieve a lot of profit” is rarely something that inspires people, unless, of course, it relates to them.
So, set to make change, but not just for marketing. What is your startup uniquely poised to do, even with all of the restrictions you have upon you in terms of your small operational size? Might it be you hope to be a more inclusive brand in a tight industry, to cater to a niche market such as those who are vision impaired, or you’re willing to discuss an essential topic that not many people are through the products you develop? Perhaps you’re developing a digital app for journaling, but with a focus on mental health.
Make that known. Inspire with your approach. There’s always something new you can bring.
With this advice, we hope you can more easily cut through the startup noise as and when you might need to.
