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Startup Marketing: Rules for Revolutionaries - July 2010
1. Startup Marketing:
Rules for
Revolutionaries
Michael Gaiss
Senior Vice President
mgaiss@hcp.com
Twitter: @MichaelGaiss
2. Workshop Agenda
• Background
• Frame of Reference
– Technology Startup Stages
– Old School versus The Digital World
• Startup Marketing “Rules”
– More like suggestions on how to approach
things
3. My Background
• Highland Capital Partners (since 1999)
– Entrepreneurial initiatives
• Summer@Highland, PepsiCo10, Entrepreneur Centers, QUEST
– Portfolio company support & consulting
• CEO & Marketing Summits, one-on-one’s, Career Network
– Marketing & business development
• Various Tech Companies
– Gentia Software/Planning Sciences (Boston/UK)
– IQ Software (Atlanta)
– Unisys (Minneapolis, New Zealand, Blue Bell, PA)
• University of Michigan (Engineering)
• University of St. Thomas (MBA)
4. Nasdaq: BFRE Nasdaq: CKFR
$567,000,000 Nasdaq: ASKJ Nasdaq: AVID $67,200,000 $86,4000,000
Acquired by Cisco Systems $42,000,000 $56,000,000 Performance-based online Electronic bill pay
Broadband VPN solutions Online Search Video editing systems marketing systems
Nasdaq: CONR Nasdaq: EXAS $5,400,000,000
$78,000,000 $65,000,000 Nasdaq: LULU Acquired by Terra $1,100,000,000
Acquired by J&J for $1.4B Genomics-based $32,760,000 Networks Acquired by AOL
Drug eluting stents technologies Specialty apparel retailer Global internet network Advanced mapping solution
Nasdaq: NXCD $355,000,000 Nasdaq: ODSY
$120,000,000 Acquired by Tellabs $54,000,000 Acquired by Apple Acquired by Staples
Online credit provider Optical access solutions Hospice care provider Specialty retailer
Nasdaq: SYBS $325,000,000
Nasdaq: STAR $49,600,000 $295,000,000 Nasdaq: VPRT Acquired by Cisco
$126,000,000 Relational database Acquired by Lucent $120,200,000 Systems
Infrastructure Products management software Switching equipment Internet-based printing Web-enabled call center
6. Technology Startup Stages
• Concept
– Key element is creating the basic value proposition and testing it in the market
• Seed
– Key element is product development
– Business focus is researching potential market opportunity to refine the business model
– Product is raw but customers are using it
• Early
– Key element is market adoption
– Proving that customer are willing to use and pay for your products
– Business focus is sales & marketing
– Whole product is complete
• Growth
– Key element is scale
– Business focus is accelerating market adoption
– Product line extensions to address new market opportunities
7. Changing Paradigm
Old School The Digital World
Transmit Engage & Participate
Preach Advocate
Command & Control Influence & Persuade
Formal & Instructive Informal & Conversational
Tell Your Audience Build Community
Institutions People & Relationships
Deadlines Real Time
Powerful Media Powerful Networks
Target Audience Communities
8. Startup Marketing “Rules”
1. Immerse Yourself in the “Flow” of Your
Industry
2. Embrace Thought Leadership
3. Get Creative for Early Customer Access
4. Establish a (Far) Superior Online Presence
5. Leverage Media Relations to Project Credibility
6. Harness Word-of-Mouth
7. Scale Smartly
15. 2. Embrace Thought Leadership
• Become recognized within the
industry for innovative ideas, a
deep understanding of the
needs of its customers, and
the broader marketplace in
which it operates
• Clear differentiator for
companies
• Serves as the DNA to work
into all aspects of marketing:
– Messaging
– Communications
– Programs
• Platform for driving:
– Recognition & awareness
– Credibility & respect
Thought Leadership
16. The Real Opportunity
A thought leadership mindset can turn your organization
activity (content development & deployment strategy) into:
• Intellectual capital that distinguishes your position as a
knowledge resource and subject matter expert
• Point-of-view platforms to shape and influence market
perceptions
Objective is to establish yourself as a trusted client advisor
Critical for enabling a “content is king” approach to marketing
NOTE: You actually need leading thinkers to accomplish
Thought Leadership
17. How to Accomplish?
• Establish a differentiated and compelling position
– What’s your vision, perspective and insight?
– Is it relevant, knowledgeable, compelling, provocative & unique?
– Does it deliver value to your marketplace?
• Package into messaging, content & points-of-view (POV)
• Engage the industry “influencers”
• Industry analysts
• Partners
• Media
• Incorporate feedback, refine and build buy-in
• Articulate and further communicate it
Thought Leadership
19. 3. Get Creative for Early Customer
Access
• Focus on the product
– Strong product-market fit?
– Learn as you go
• Relentlessly work assets
– Board of Directors, advisors, employees
– Actual & potential investors
• Additional options
– Freemium
– Product Advisory Councils
Early Customer Access
21. Weak product-market fit cannot be
fixed by good marketing
Good marketing will not fix a bad product
Source: Drew Houston, Dropbox Early Customer Access
22. A Good Product Will be a Tailwind
Source: Drew Houston, Dropbox Early Customer Access
24. Learning on a $0 budget: Talk to people!
Source: Drew Houston, Dropbox Early Customer Access
25. Go where your early adopters hang out
Early Customer Access
26. Product Advisory Council
• Product definition well defined but 9
months from going live
• Brought on inside sales person to validate
their assumptions
• Established Product Advisory Council
– Walked through value proposition, pitch
– Solicited feedback and input
• Signed up 1,000 members
• Primed the sales pump
Early Customer Access
27. 4. Establish a Superior Online Presence
• Smart website architecture
– Content management system (CMS)
– Database management system
– RSS
• Professional look-and-feel
– Look like the “big guys”
• Own the “Golden Triangle”
– Compelling content strategy
– SEO, SEM, Social Media
Online Presence
28. What’s the “Golden Triangle”?
Pay Per Click ($$$)
Natural (Free)
Stats
- 85% click on “natural” (unpaid)
results
- 72% of searchers click on the
first link of interest
- 25.5% read all listings first,
then decide
- Position 7-10 in natural listings
= top 4 PPC slots on the right
hand side of the page
Online Presence
29. Compelling Content Strategy
• Content is “King”
– Where it drives/spurs discussion/interaction
• Create highly relevant site content
– Thought pieces / White Papers
– News & articles
– Customer case studies
– Podcasts/Videos/Webinars
– Microsites
– Newsletters
– Blogs – under right conditions
• Deliver value that naturally draws visitors
Online Presence
30.
31. Exploit the Architecture of the Internet
• On-Page Search Engine Optimization
(SEO)
• Title Tags, Meta Description, Keywords
• Relevant Body Content with keywords worked in
• Add Headings Tags, ALT text to images
• Off-Page SEO
– Linking strategy
– Directories
• Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
Am I present everywhere people discuss my industry?
Online Presence
32. SEO & SEM All Starts with Keyword
Optimization
• Sources
– Brainstorm from messaging
• Relevant to your target markets
– Google Analytics (how are people currently find you)
– Competitive analysis (meta keywords tags)
– Keyword Tools
• Selecting keyword phrases
– Objectives
• Search volume (goal = high)
• Relevance (goal = high)
• Competition (goal = low)
– Types
• Core competitive
• Long-tail keywords
– Segment into multiple lists
• Primary
• Secondary
Online Presence
33. On-Page SEO Techniques
• Title Tags – HTML element that displays the title of a web page in
your web browser and in the search results.
• Meta Description – HTML element that summarizes the content of
your web page and enforces your marketing message.
Source: Todd Friesen Online Presence
34. On-Page SEO Techniques
• Body Content – must be readable and contain your key phrases.
• ALT Tags – HTML element describes images in the page. Alt tags
boost relevancy as well as provide a new avenue of traffic from
image searches.
Source: Todd Friesen Online Presence
35. On-Page SEO Techniques
• Heading Tags – an HTML element that provides structure and tells
search engines which parts of your page are most important.
• Internal Linking – proper linking leads to better indexing. Using
your keywords in your internal links helps boost relevancy.
Source: Todd Friesen Online Presence
36. Off-Page SEO Linking Strategies
• Competitive Intelligence – Analyze the backlinks of your
competitors. Try to get links from the same sites
– Google/MSN Search: “link:www.hcp.com”
• Submit to Quality General Directories
• Submit to Verticals/Topical Guides
• Search Ad Networks – AdBrite, AdWords, Blog Ads, etc.
• Use Blogs and RSS – Google loves blogs
• Create Videos/Podcasts – Bloggers love posting them
• Buy Text Links – But be careful. Google doesn’t like it
Source: Todd Friesen Online Presence
41. Random Tips & Suggestions
• Unique long tail keyword URLs for SEO –
www.datacentersoftware.com
• Leverage trustmarks
– Member professional organization
– Security/privacy compliance
• Facebook on weekends, Twitter during the week
– 51% of corporations block Facebook
• $75 to try Google AdWords (thru 30Sep10)
– www.google.com/adwords/75offer
– Coupon code: 4P4E-3VEP-GXLY-42NP-5GWJ
• Listening posts as input for bragging about prospects –
tweet, tell colleagues
Online Presence
42. Additional Resources
• SEO/SEM Website Analysis
– HubSpot’s www.websitegrader.com
• Keyword Tools
– Google AdWords keyword tool
– HubSport’s KeywordGrader
– WordTracker (advanced)
• Social Media
– Eloqua’s Playbook - http://blog.eloqua.com/eloqua-social-playbook/
• Free Link Research Tools
– Google & Yahoo’s Site Explorer - siteexplorer.search.yahoo.com
– Netconcepts’ Link Checker - www.netconcepts.com/linkcheck
– WeBuildPages’ Neat-o Tool - www.webuildpages.com/neat-o/
– SEO For Firefox - tools.seobook.com/firefox/seo-for-firefox.html
– TouchGraph GoogleBrowser - www.touchgraph.com/TGGoogleBrowser.html
– Tattler - www.webguerrilla.com/down-loads/tattler.zip
Online Presence
43. 5. Leverage Media Relations for Credibility
• Establish direct connections and personal
relationships
– Focus on trades
– Be opportunistic with beat reporters
– Build credibility and trust over time
• Generating coverage
– Have a healthy news flow
– Get creative and come up the “angle” for a reporter
– Channel compelling thought leadership into expert
commentary, contributed articles opps
• Stay focused and watch costs
Media & Credibility
44. Additional Tips/Resources
• Media resources page on website
• PR Web
– Cheaper news release distribution channel
– Optimized for SEO
• HARO – www.helpareporter.com
• Twitter
– Follow key reporters
Media & Credibility
45. 6. Harness Word-of-Mouth
• Step #1: Have a great
product
• Step #2: Do the hard
work
– Build referenceable
constituencies
– Make it part of the
culture
• Step 3: Turn into
communities
– User groups
– Advisory councils
– Extranets
– LinkedIn Groups
Word of Mouth
46. More on Word-of-Mouth
• Give them something to talk about
– Deliver a great experience
– Give customers a voice
– Foster customer reputations
– Engage the community
– Tools to help them spread the word
– Referral programs
• Leverage
– Scarcity
– Customer testimonials
– Social networks
Word of Mouth
47. At the End of the Day…
A happy customer
is the greatest
endorsement
Word of Mouth
48. 7. Scale Smartly
• Tie yourself to a bigger trend
• Data is your friend
• Simplify to drive virality (if you can)
• Build repeatable lead gen engines
– Direct marketing campaigns
• Email can still be effective
– Viral referral programs
– Newsletters (automated)
• Own more in the sales funnel
Scale Smartly
54. Startup Metrics Model
SEO Campaigns,
SEM PR Contests
Social Biz
Networks Dev
Blogs Affiliates
Apps & Direct,
Widgets Email Tel, TV
Domains
ACQUISITION
Emails &
Alerts
Blogs, RSS,
n
ntio
News Feeds
R ete
Ads, Lead Gen, Biz Dev
System Events & Subscriptions, Rev
Time‐based Features en
ECommerce ue
$$$
Source: Dave McClure Website.com
56. Simplify to Drive Virality
Every 10% easier 50% larger audience
Source: Drew Houston, Dropbox Scale Smartly
57. Don’t make me think:
No decisions nothing to screw up
Source: Drew Houston Scale Smartly
58. Don’t make me read, either:
Designing landing pages & signup flows
early beta
• concise beats
comprehensive
• call out the next step
• simple converts better
late beta
Source: Drew Houston Scale Smartly
59. Hook the User First
Educate over time (tours, tip emails, etc.)
Source: Drew Houston Scale Smartly
61. Recap – Startup Marketing “Rules”
1. Immerse Yourself in the “Flow” of Your
Industry
2. Embrace Thought Leadership
3. Get Creative for Early Customer Access
4. Establish a (Far) Superior Online Presence
5. Leverage Media Relations to Project Credibility
6. Harness Word-of-Mouth
7. Scale Smartly
62. Startup Marketing:
Rules for
Revolutionaries
Michael Gaiss
Senior Vice President
mgaiss@hcp.com
Twitter: @MichaelGaiss
