Startup Marketing Techniques that Actually Drive Sales Long-Term

by Startacus Admin

The startup world varies immensely depending on the funding a particular company receives. There are those that are flooded with cash due to angel investors and others that are cash-strapped.

Marketing will be imperative regardless of the funding scenario a startup is in. The budget for startups with less cash flow will require a far more creative marketing approach. Marketing techniques that drive sales long-term should be put into place and updated regularly. Collecting data on ROI of tactics is imperative as it can lead to the reallocation of funds to a tactic that is converting. Below are marketing techniques startups can utilize to drive sales long-term. 

Personalized Sales Materials 

Startups are going to have to need great sales materials for a client not to opt for a more established company. The appeal of working with a smaller company is increased quality of customer experience. For example, simple marketing efforts such as personalized envelopes to invite a client to an event or containing a contract can make a client/prospect feel more valued.

The creation of custom pitches instead of pushing packages with services/products a customer doesn’t need can drive sales. Personalized pitches that include the company’s logo and pain points the prospect has identified is important. 

The sales materials need to be printed in the highest-quality fashion as well. Small details like this are noticed by a savvy customer that has been working in a particular industry for years.

Content Marketing Converts 

The focus on digital marketing can impact a startup in various ways. The right marketing campaign can help with search engine rankings for relevant keywords. The search engines drive organic traffic to websites for consumers searching particular keyword phrases. Content marketing can also help a business look more legitimate during its infancy. 

Content does not just include written copy but can also include video content. Podcasting has become increasingly popular and is a low-cost option to create long forms of content. Transcribing these podcasts into searchable text is recommended as it becomes a piece of content far easier to refer to. 

The creation of extensive resources that can be updated regularly is considered evergreen content. This content can be very useful in building backlinks in a content marketing campaign. These resources will also be linked to by others creating content. The writer could be referring to statistics or case studies the content includes. 

Email Blasts

Email blasts are a common way to drum up leads and drive sales. The difficult aspect of email blasts is collecting information. The contact page on the website and others in the sales funnel should receive these blasts. Purchasing relevant data and contact information is common. These blasts should promote a special or simply give a recap of industry news. The copy in the email should be written by a copywriter with quite a bit of sales copy experience. The beauty of the email blast is that the ROI is extremely high due to being able to send thousands of emails for free. 

Social Media Marketing 

Social media can drive sales in a variety of ways. The promotion of content that is mentioned above can help increase the reach of the content. Engaging with followers and others in the industry will help build a positive brand image. The proper hashtagging in an industry is going to be essential. Local hashtags can be perfect for local service businesses like that of pest control or HVAC repair. Setting up a content calendar is important as it is easy to schedule posts for the entire month in a matter of hours. Highlighting customer service can also be done to drive sales. Plenty of people flock to social media to discuss/mention their less than stellar experience with a business. 

Attendance of Industry Events

Marketing for specific businesses provides the highest ROI at industry events. Of course right now the event industry awaits the end of covid-restrictions, but once life is hopefully back to normal, 
tradeshows or conferences have an extremely high volume of B2B opportunities available.

The investment in a booth at a conference can provide exposure to help legitimize a brand. At many events, speakers are given a free booth as compensation for presenting at a conference. Items like that of pens or t-shirts can be great but do not ensure sales without any product/service demonstrations or case studies. Below are a few tips to help you at industry events: 

• Collect business cards and note specifics on the back about conversations that were had with an individual. A small reference to a conversation can make the person feel valued. Conferences are full of exchanges so it can be difficult to remember all conversations unless you detail them in notes on the card.
• Your display needs to be legitimate as throwing together a booth will reflect poorly on the startup.
• Setting up meetings before the event with current customers and prospects is important. Identifying sales targets can also be important when interacting with other event attendees. 

Startup marketing techniques that drive sales can lead to long-term success for a business. Customer retention will also be extremely important. Retention will relate to the customer’s experience and the quality of the service/product provided. 

 

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Published on: 11th May 2020