What Every Startup Should Know About Marketing:

The Secret to Success

By Beth Gallob

“Marketing is not an event, but a process. It has a beginning, a middle, but never an end. You improve it, perfect it, change it, even pause it. But you never stop it completely.�

Jay Conrad Levinson

We all know that a significant number of technology startups fail. Success seems to be the exception rather than the rule. Why? Because many of today’s entrepreneurs have little time and less patience. They want to move at “Internet speed,?� marketing their company, product, or service immediately—the “read, fire, aim?� approach. However, the truth is that taking action without a clear view is a good way to shoot yourself in the foot!

Here’s the secret to successful marketing: there isn’t one. There is no secret, no magic formula. There are no short cuts. The marketing process remains the same—even in the “new economy.� And while it is true that in today’s highly competitive marketplace you have to do it fast, that doesn’t mean you can’t take the time do it right.

On second thought, maybe there is a secret. It’s back to the basics—because NOTHING takes the place of sound planning, customer-driven marketing strategies, and thoughtful execution. And even though you’ve heard it all before, the basics bear repeating.

· Develop a plan. Taking action without a clear view of where you want to go and how you’re going to get there is a recipe for failure. Take the time to develop a marketing plan. There’s a template for one on my Web site.

· Have a real product. No vaporware. No empty promises. A product isn’t a product until it is priced, packaged, and licensed with a sales and distribution plan articulated. Don’t underestimate the effort it takes to “productize.�

· Understand your target market. It’s important to define and understand your market niche. Who are they? What is their pain? What motivates them to buy? You must also understand current trends. Know what the industry analysts are saying.

· Talk to your customers. Even potential ones. Get feedback on preliminary marketing materials during product beta test, or put together an informal focus group. It’s hard to understand what customers want until you ask. Don’t assume you know.

· Identify your competition. Yes, you have competition. If nothing else, it’s the status quo. Understand what your competitors are offering and to whom. Be able to articulate why your solution is better than all the others.

· Clearly define your message. Leave out the industry jargon and overused buzzwords. If you can’t explain your product or service to your mother, it’s too complicated. Keep it simple, clear, and succinct.

· Focus on benefit rather than technology. Technology is the enabler, not the end result. The question is: how will your product or service stop your customer’s pain and provide business benefit? What business problem does it fix?

· Identify the objective of each marketing piece. Rather than just thinking you need a brochure, start with the results you want and work backwards to the best way to make that happen. Check my site for a project worksheet template.

And one last tip: hire a marketing professional to help. As a rule, I avoid doing my own dental work. The same is true for developing your marketing plan and creating your marketing materials. Use a professional designer and copywriter. It’s what they do. The truth is that you often get only one chance to successfully market your product or service. So it had better be good.

Beth Gallob is the principal of Gallob Communication, providing marketing communication and consulting to high tech companies. She can be reached at . Visit her Web site at www.gallobcomm.com.

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