9 Marketing Strategies to Boost Growth and Visibility for Startups

Marketing

Are you exhausted from perusing the same marketing advice for your startup? When I began my voyage as an entrepreneur, I knew how to construct items, but marketing them was a completely different ballgame. Paid advertisements, email campaigns, blog posts, and search engine optimization (SEO) were echoed in every aspect of the web.

It appeared to be an oversaturated market, and I began to question if any marketing strategies could make a difference until I implemented these nine lesser known yet effective marketing strategies that will give your startup new life and help you stand out from the crowd.

1) Guerrilla marketing

Guerrilla marketing is an innovative and unconventional method of promoting your brand that allows you to leave a distinct impression by avoiding conventional marketing techniques. This strategy focuses primarily on low-cost, high-impact tactics that captivate your target audience’s attention in unexpected ways. For instance, a human-typography event where participants spell out your brand’s name and photographs are taken with their consent.

Here are some well-known Guerrilla Marketing examples:

Airbnb converted a replica of Van Gogh’s bedroom into an Airbnb rental as part of its “Van Gogh’s Bedrooms” campaign. The company promoted the experience via social media, and it went ubiquitous, resulting in a substantial increase in brand recognition.

Burger King’s “Whopper Detour” campaign promised customers a Whopper for one cent if they ordered it near a McDonald’s restaurant. The campaign generated discussion on social media, and downloads of the company’s mobile app increased significantly.

Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” Campaign: Coca-Cola replaced its logo on bottles with prominent names to encourage customers to share a Coke with family and friends. The campaign was a tremendous triumph, generating millions of social media mentions and a substantial sales boost.

Metro Trains’ “Dumb Ways to Die” Campaign: In an effort to promote railway safety, Metro Trains created an appealing song and video depicting cartoon characters engaging in risky behavior around trains. The video went viral and significantly decreased train-related accidents as a result.

Old Spice’s “The Man Your Man Might Have Tasted Like” Campaign: A shirtless man demonstrated Old Spice’s virtues in amusing ads.The ads went viral, resulting in a substantial increase in sales.

2) Promotional Products

Although it may sound trite at first, be inventive with your promotional merchandise. Instead of selling T-shirts on your website, you should be creative. For example, Discovery Dose prints and distributes free beer coasters with interesting alcohol facts to establishments throughout Europe. Very inventive, wouldn’t you say?

3) Online directories

Listing your startup in online directories can help you reach new customers and enhance your position in search engine results pages. Consider Wellfound (formerly AngelList Talent), Product Hunt, and CrunchBase as examples of directories that serve a relevant audience.

4) Responding to forum queries

Quora, Reddit, and Stack Exchange are all well-known question-and-answer websites where users can pose and answer questions on a variety of topics. Find questions pertaining to the issue you’re resolving and provide legitimately helpful responses while promoting your startup.

5) Profiting from your personal brand

Almost twenty percent of the leads for my startup come from my personal social media accounts. To achieve the same result, you must establish yourself as an authority in your field.

It can be as straightforward as posting status updates on your personal Facebook account; after all, Facebook moms are your most devoted supporters.

6) Public address

Public speaking is an effective method for establishing your personal brand and promoting your startup. You can build credibility and attract new customers by sharing your insights and experiences, particularly if you stand out.

Consider the following public speaking opportunities:

  • Podcasts
  • TEDx presentations in your area
  • Guest lectures at institutions and universities
  • Webinars and meetings
  • Meetings and programs for networking

7) Street marketing

Go out into the public and speak to whoever will listen. You can even organize public contests in which contestants answer queries related to your line of work, then record the experience and use it for promotional purposes if the contestants agree. Two targets with a single blast!

8) Hashtag marketing

Hashtag marketing is an effective strategy that capitalizes on the potential of social media to generate organic engagement and increase brand awareness. A clever and engaging hashtag can encourage people to use it, transforming them into effective word-of-mouth promoters for your business.

Coca-Cola’s #ShareACoke campaign, for instance, ingeniously utilized the potential of hashtag marketing by fostering a sense of community and encouraging users to share their experiences.

9)  Marketing subsidiaries

A marketing subsidiary is a distinct company that helps its parent company market. A marketing subsidiary can improve your startup’s marketing operations, but it takes more time and work.

For instance, if you operate a FinTech firm, launching a newsletter or publication that provides insightful information about trading and investing could help you attract an audience with a genuine interest in your industry. This audience can then be leveraged to generate returns and attract new consumers for your startup, ultimately serving your core business goals.

Read More: Top 10 Payment Gateway for Startups

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