This document discusses agile marketing strategies for tech startups. It recommends that startups (1) understand their target customer segments and position themselves accordingly, (2) develop a deep understanding of the entire market ecosystem including customers, partners, and competitors, and (3) continuously engage with customers to understand perceived value and feedback that into their analysis in an iterative process. Case studies are provided on startups that successfully leveraged ecosystem partnerships and a narrow customer focus.

1. Tech start up school
Agile marketing
November, 2011
huw.davies@verticemarketing.com

2. What a great title for a discussion.....
• Agile:
– Characterized by quickness, lightness, and ease of
movement; nimble(1)
• Marketing:
– Identifying and consistently delivering appropriate
customer perceived value to target customers (2)
(1) TheFreeDictionary
(2) Kotler et al, Marketing Management, Pearson Education Ltd, 2009
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3. Identifying and targeting
Segmentation Positioning
Targeting
http://seogadget.co.uk
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4. Customer perceived value
Engage with all sectors in the market
ecosystem to develop a profound
understanding of customer perceived value
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5. Ecosystem – example stakeholders
Customers Governments Complementary
technologies
Special interest Standards Enabling
groups bodies technologies
Competitors Influential players Suppliers
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6. Leverage the ecosystem
Identify shortcuts to revenue
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7. Some recent examples
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8. Case study: NewCo: Internet access for the elderly
NewCo
+
Partners
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9. Case study: Audium semiconductor: Audio chips
Two man marketing team
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10. Summary
• Understand market segments
– Identify target segments
– Position and differentiate within the target segments
• Develop an in-depth understanding of the ecosystem
• Engage with customers to develop understanding of
perceived value
• Leverage all relationships within the ecosystem
• Continue to engage with customers, feedback
perceived value into your analysis.....step & repeat
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11. Final thought
Understanding the ecosystem will give you the
chance to back the winner
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