Customer Acquisition for Early Stage Startups

1. Customer Acquisition for Early Stage Startups Chandini Ammineni Distribution Partner @ammineni @ammineni #500STRONG Google Campus Exchange Program, Seoul Oct 2016

2. Customer Acquisition SEOSocial Direct Organic ASO Content Marketing blogs, ebooks, infographics, podcast, video, webinars PR PPC Paid Referral incentives Afﬁliate Ofﬂine Ads ACQUISITION REFERRAL REVENUE RETENTION ACTIVATION Visitors Members Users Advocates Customers

3. Which channel is right for my startup? • Depends on your Business Model (CAC, LTV) • Depends on $$$$ in the bank - outsource, hire, explore paid channels, move quicker • Depends on Business Goals @ammineni #MHW #500STRONG@ammineni #500STRONG

4. Content Marketing FB SEM SEO Outbound Sales Referral Product Complex Ideas Thought Leadership Speciﬁc Audience Targeting Awareness High Intent High Intent High Friction Social Capital Target CAC $ $$ $$ $ $$$ $ Effort (Time) High Low-Med Low-Med High Med-High High Results (Time) Depends on Distribution plan Immediate Immediate 3-6 months Sales Cycle Depends on referral rate ROI Exponential Linear Linear Exponential Linear Exponential @ammineni #500STRONG

5. @ammineni #500STRONG But What about Content, Copy, & Creatives for these Channels?

6. Customer Acquisition 101 @ammineni #MHW #500STRONG@ammineni #500STRONG • Who are they? • Where do they hangout? • Why would they want to buy?

7. Who is my target customer? @ammineni #MHW #500STRONG@ammineni #500STRONG Different types of users or buyers Example: B2B: Users, Decision Maker Kid-focused: Parents, grandparents, aunts/uncles, teachers Already have users? Identify Power Users. Dig into data for top 5-20% of users, customers (Revenue, Usage) (Avatars)

8. Where do they hang out? • Know “Average Day” in life of your customer • Call/Email - start a conversation - ask them! • Hobbies and interests: Inﬂuencers, Industry conferences, Events, Magazines, LinkedIn Groups, Direct Mail, Fax, TV shows… • Email Ids - upload to FB and look up demographic info. • FB Pixels in Thank you/Cart @ammineni #MHW #500STRONG@ammineni #500STRONG (Channels & Targeting)

9. Why would they buy from you? MUST USE WORDS THEY CAN RELATE About their Frustrations, Fears, Aspirations, Motivations, Goals IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU, IT’S ABOUT THEM! @ammineni #MHW #500STRONG@ammineni #500STRONG Talk to 30 potential or current customers (Hooks)

10. Questions @ammineni #MHW #500STRONG@ammineni #500STRONG • Why do you do X today? (Motivations/Goals) • How do you do X today? (Competition) • How do you feel when you do X? (Frustrations/Positives) • What frustrates you about it? (Frustrations) • Why does it frustrate you? (Fears) • What makes you happy about it? (Aspirations) • Why does it make you happy? (Aspirations) • What is your average day like? (Empathy) • How will your life be different if you can do X better/faster/ cheaper? (Goals/Aspirations) Open Ended Questions, let potential users talk

11. Not Launched? No Problem Build a landing page and drive trafﬁc

12. Not Launched? Pre-sell or Prime @ammineni #500STRONG • $$$ • Emails • Friends' emails - social capital • Community Engagement • Build Brand Value / Thought Leadership in Niche Pre-Sell or Gather Emails of potential users

13. Exercise: Build a campaign @ammineni #MHW #500STRONG@ammineni #500STRONG

14. Digital Marketer Ad Grid @ammineni #MHW #500STRONG@ammineni #500STRONG

15. Digital Marketer Offer @ammineni #MHW #500STRONG@ammineni #500STRONG

16. Digital Marketer Avatars @ammineni #MHW #500STRONG@ammineni #500STRONG

17. Hooks - Emotional Triggers @ammineni #MHW #500STRONG@ammineni #500STRONG • Have • Feel • Average Day • Status • Proof/Results

18. Digital Marketer - Hooks @ammineni #MHW #500STRONG@ammineni #500STRONG

19. Digital Marketer - Ad Grid @ammineni #MHW #500STRONG@ammineni #500STRONG

20. @ammineni #MHW #500STRONG@ammineni #500STRONG

24. @ammineni #MHW #500STRONG@ammineni #500STRONG ROI of Avatars/Hooks

25. Content Marketing FB SEM SEO Outbound Sales Referral Product Complex Ideas Thought Leadership Speciﬁc Audience Targeting Awareness High Intent High Intent High Friction Social Capital Target CAC $ $$ $$ $ $$$ $ Effort (Time) High Low-Med Low-Med High Med-High High Results (Time) Depends on Distribution plan Immediate Immediate 3-6 months Sales Cycle Depends on referral rate ROI Exponential Linear Linear Exponential Linear Exponential @ammineni #500STRONG

26. @ammineni #MHW #500STRONG@ammineni #500STRONG ROI of Avatars/Channels CHANNELS AVATARS

27. @ammineni #MHW #500STRONG@ammineni #500STRONG Scale • Segment using CAC & LTV • Double down on best hook and avatar • Double down on best channel

28. Thank You! @ammineni #MHW #500STRONG@ammineni #500STRONG

Customer Acquisition for Early Stage Startups

Chandini M Ammineni

Customer Acquisition for Early Stage Startups