Creating a tech startup is all the rage in the developed world today. Anyone with a little more than basic knowledge of computers thinks that they have the concept of the bestselling smartphone app that will conquer the world by storm. The truth is not quite as romantic as it seems, though. Only a very small percentage of tech startups become profitable during the course of their existence and the true success is a privilege of but a few.
What’s even more discouraging is the fact that even if you have a great product, you are doomed to fail unless you promote it adequately enough to rise up from the crowd and let people (your future users) know you exist. In this article we will try to go through a couple of useful strategies for the promotion of your tech startup which, if conducted properly, should be enough to make you visible and potentially successful.
Business plan
The first thing any serious startup needs to pay attention to is, of course, creating a solid business plan. We will not get into details on what you should include in the business plan because there is already plenty of material available online on that topic, however, it is important to mention that the business plan absolutely needs to include all your future marketing efforts.
Start small
The first important idea you need to adopt as your credo is to think small in order to later be able to think big. Your marketing efforts need to be focused and effective. Try to reach as many of your closest potential partners and make sure you show them you care. This way you will have obtained important allies in your future promotions.
Workshops and educational classes
You do not always have to spend money in order to advertise your company or product. As a matter of fact, sometimes offering your knowledge can take you even further. Creating a workshop where people would be able to come and learn something new while at the same time becoming aware of your company and its mission is a relatively easy and cheap thing to do and can be immensely useful. Offering Programming 101 classes will attract many enthusiasts who will spread the positive opinion about your startup in their social circles.
Promotional products
Next thing to remember is to create physical presence of your brand or company in order to make more people aware of your existence. This is best done by designing and ordering one or more types of promotional products. Try to be original and go beyond things like pens and post-its – there is a wide variety of promotional products available for you to choose: anything from stress balls to smartphone cases might make people more interested in what you have to offer.
The other companies don’t just have to be your competitors
Joining forces with similar startups and jointly presenting your products to the world can give you a much needed boost in capacity to make some bigger marketing ideas come true. For example, you alone might not have sufficient funds to advertise on the most popular online tech portals, but a group of startups gathered around a shared website can do much more.
In case you do not want to go as far as to partner up with other companies, you can still collaborate with them and, for instance, agree to do mutual guest posts on each other’s blog. This type of collaboration helps you gain exposure and establish yourself as a “player” in the world of startups.
About the Author
Ariel Bellamy is a curious and open-minded thinker – finding solutions where needed and writing them when needed. She hopes to be an inspiring online voice one day, so follow her on the way there – on @BellamyAriel.
