“Grass Roots” Mktg for Startups
“Our speaker for 6/11 was Bob Goedjen – a Counselor to Startups & Small Business at SCORE for the past 8 years”, Peter/CXO Wiz4.biz + Organizer – Entrepreneur Meetups.
What are the most important things to do:
1. Find & promote your “unique” Advantage – that your Competition doesn’t have.
2. Determine your Value Price Proposition, so you can earn the most $$ and Customers are not turned off by the price, because they see the “value” of your product.
3. Create a Marketing Plan to detail the strategy & tactics you will use to find Customers and they will find you.
First, do Market Research:
1. Talk to competitors to see how their product compares to yours
2. Talk to customers to find out what they like, dis-like about yours
3. Talk to suppliers and see what they think of your product. Is it hard/ easy to produce? What are the current Market Conditions, Trends?
4. use Data Bases (ie, MarketReasearch.com)
Determining Pricing
1. Talk to friends, customers, advisors, marketers, etc, to see what they’re willing to pay, including setting quantity pricing
2. Establish Guarantee, Return & Contract polices.
Warning 1: Price defines Value. If you start too low, it’s hard to raise the perception & price.
Warning 2: Lowering Price is easier the raising. Never lower w/out stating reason.
Use these Marketing Tools:
1. “Word of Mouth” – which gets 80% of your business. Business Card: put contact info on the front & info about your Product/ Services on the back. Pass out to everyone you meet. Brochure: have them with you at all times and pass them out to those that are serious.
2. Internet Blogs & PR Articles to get the word out to potential users
Get Help everywhere you can.
1. Ask anyone who might help you – Advisors, Mentors, Peers at their stage of expertise.
2. Get Free Counseling from SCORE
3. Take Workshops at SCORE
4. Get Peter, 5 Start Services to help you write Executive Summary & prepare your Pitch.
Bio. Bob has 30 yrs in SemiCon. He’s worked at – from the giants to the startups. Most of the time he’s been in Sales & Marketing, so he knows how to find out what the Customer wants and figure out, how to give it to them. Contact Bob.Goedjen @svScore.org for Counseling or Peter for help with your Exec Summary & Pitch.
Comments: Share your ideas of what has worked for you.