Conversations with

Startup CEOsabout

Judy Schramm, CEO ProResource, Inc.February 11, 2014

Don’t think about marketing until after you have your first

customers

In an established business, marketing comes before sales

ESTABLISHEDBUSINESS

In a startup, there’s too much that’s uncertain…

You don’t know enough to create a marketing plan until you have your first customers.

The process of getting those customers will give you the information you need to create your marketing strategy.

STARTUP

Who are your first customers? People you know

People who know people you know

So tell everyonewhat you are doing!

“Startup Marketing:How to Get YourFirst Customers Fast”

Don’t worry about someone stealing your idea…

• Most people are not entrepreneurs

• Entrepreneurs have their own ideas (which they think are better than

yours)

If they actually can do it better than you…

Let them!You can come up with an even better idea.

Next Step to Getting Early Customers

Run experiments on LinkedIn to discover:

Who is most interested in what you are doing How best to describe your solution

Create a Testing MatrixMessage

#1Message

#2Message

#3Message

#4Message

#5

Target#1

Target#2

Target#3

Try differentbenefits

Use different words

Try different industries, job titles, keywords

You need 50-100 per cell Tag them so you know who was in each group (and you don’t contact anyone twice) Track results!

1000 introductions = 50 interested

How to Price for Your First Customers

Early Pricing• First customers – FREE• Next customers pay

something• Start charging full price as

quickly as possible

Better Strategy• Find 3 customers willing to

fund development• Give 50-75% off• They get in first• They get to help define the

product• You get proof, early

references

Now it’s time to think about marketing…

Educate

Build Credibility

Identify

People who have the problem

Know they have the problem

Know there’s a solutionWilling to solve

it your way

Willing to pay what you charge

Your Target Market

Inbound vs. Outbound

Being findable• SEO• Blogging• Social media• AdWords

Finding them• Email blasts• Direct mail• Conference• Public relations

Closer to the center of the target? Inbound.At the outside? Outbound.

Content Marketing Strategy

Focus education efforts on the biggest issue…• Do they recognize they have a problem?• Do they know it’s solvable?• What are the solutions they know about?• Do they understand your approach?• Do they appreciate why it is better?

What do they need to know?• What problem(s) do you solve?• How do you solve them? (how the

process/product works)• What will they have to do to

before they can use it?• What are common objections or

misconceptions?• How does pricing work?• What kind of results can they

expect?• How long will it take to get results?• What sets you apart from similar

solutions?• Why is your solution worth what

you charge? “Ideas for Educational Articles”

Build credibility

• When you have customers– Quotes, case studies

• Before you have reference-able customers– Statistics – show you understand the process– Third-party validation– Social media activity

“5 Ways to Increase Credibility on Your Website”

Marketing has to be debugged,just like software.

Try

MeasureAnalyze

Do small,inexpensive testsuntil you get something that works

“The Role of MarketingDuring Beta Testing”

Getting Ready to Hire Marketing

Before you hire, set the foundation:• LinkedIn experiments• Keyword analysis• Personas

Message#1

Message#2

Message#3

Message#4

Message#5

Target#1

Target#2

Target#3

“Create Website Personas”

Your Marketing Team• Get advice, strategy from a senior person– Take advantage of free consultations– Buy an hour of brainstorming at a time

• Execute with junior people• Hire for skill in the area you need most +

expertise in your target market

“12 Questions to AskAny Marketing Professional”

Contact

Judy SchrammProResource, Inc.703-824-8482jschramm@proresource.com

http://blog.proresource.com/

www.linkedin.com/in/judyschramm

@proresource

We design LinkedIn lead generation programs

for B2B tech firms.