Marketing for a startup is essential to let the World know who you are, what you sell, and how you can change the current market. Now, nobody would shift towards your brand unless you offer something unique that your competitors don’t. But how will people know what you are doing unless you have a solid marketing plan to send your brand message to the World?

This comprehensive guide will help you learn how to develop a startup marketing strategy.

Why do you need a startup marketing plan?

Hundreds of startups pop up in the UK every year, but only a few survive. Why? Out of many reasons, one is an unplanned marketing strategy. Experts say the four pillars of every business are management, marketing, operations, and finance. If one pillar breaks, the entire business falls.

You can hire an accountant for startups during the initial years of your business. They are experts in understanding the startup requirements and can help you draft an effective marketing strategy.

Having a marketing plan is very important for startups to boost their visibility. With technology in hand, creating a digital presence with strategic positioning can promote your business to half the World’s population.

Steps to develop a startup marketing strategy

Before developing a startup marketing strategy, you must learn the marketing basics. You have little funds in hand. Can you plan a marketing strategy? Yes, you can! If you understand the process of developing a strategy, everything is possible.

Here are a few steps:

1.   Draw the layout of your strategy

Two startups in the same industry will not have the same marketing strategy. But the key elements remain constant, goals, target audience, market research, and budget.

•     Set your goals

For early-stage startups, business goals are often categorized into raising brand awareness and acquiring new customers. Both are important; however, you need to prioritize either of them to make a sensible strategy.

•     Define your audience

It is essential to deliver the right marketing message to the right people, which requires a thorough understanding of who is your target audience.

•     Find where you stand in the market.

An accountant for startups can help you find your place in the market and avoid common pitfalls. Your startup can fail if the product or service you are offering doesn’t solve a problem or is not unique, and you have a small pool of potential customers. An accountant can help you set your position correctly and improve your chances of reaching the right people.

•     Set a budget

Having a budget for startups is important, as every penny counts. You need to determine your budget by including the operational costs and revenue forecasts. Plan a wise marketing strategy that comes within your budget and can still reach a huge mass.

2.   Select the marketing channel

There are numerous channels for your marketing, from traditional marketing channels to digital marketing. Most startups in the UK prefer digital marketing strategies as they are cost-effective and time-saving.

•     Build a website

You can build a website to communicate with your audience and grow your business. It is the window to your business where you can post product or service images and success stories, share useful content, and any news or promotional messages.

•     Email marketing

You can collect the email address of visitors to your website and share updates on the email from time to time. Asking for extra customer information can help you create personalized and relevant email content and improve the consumer experience.

•     Social media marketing

Modern consumers and millennials are on social media and prefer interacting with brands on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. You can use these platforms for brand awareness and marketing purposes.

•     Content marketing

Another popular marketing strategy in the market is content marketing. Brands can create or share content related to business for their target audience. These contents are not just for selling purposes but provide valuable information that people would love to read about and want to engage with.

3.   Measure your performance

Startups must measure the success of marketing campaigns by setting and tracking their KPIs and understanding if the strategy is working for the target audience. You must keep changing the strategy with the current trends and customer demands.

Conclusion

Planning an effective marketing strategy can be challenging for startup owners as it includes numerous factors, researchers, and smart actions. Therefore it is always recommended to look for an accountant for startups or outsource your marketing needs to a third-party company.