7 Free Ways To Build Buzz For Startups What I’ve learned the last two years building SocialGrow’s brand with no marketing budget Marsh Sutherland Boston BizSpark Meetup September 8, 2011 ©2011 SocialGrow, Inc.
7 Free Ways To Build Buzz For StartupsWhat I’ve learned the last two years building SocialGrow’s brand with no marketing budget
Marsh SutherlandBoston BizSpark MeetupSeptember 8, 2011
©2011 SocialGrow, Inc.
Tweeters?
Tonight’s hashtag is #BostonBizspark
My Twitter profiles are @SocialGrow and @MarshSutherland
Please tweet out things you learn using either or both of the above!
©2011 SocialGrow, Inc. Page 2 of 10
Page 3 of 10©2011 SocialGrow, Inc.
Speaking of…. Add a custom background with your logo and personalize with main tweeter’s photo
Demonstrate original THOUGHT LEADERSHIP in your target customers’ vertical and in the startup world. #startups
Follow tweeters who tweet using RELEVANT hashtags. i.e. #BizSpark
Tweet 3X+ per day and ENGAGE other tweeters in your specialty and #startups
Share “LINK LOVE” by tweeting about posts from the thought leaders in your field. Best way to get noticed.
@SocialGrow grew to 46K+ followers using these methods
SocialGrow Proprietary (Restricted)
DO NOT PRINT OR SHARE Page 4 of 10
Email Lists
Again, demonstrate THOUGHT LEADERSHIP by SHARING interesting articles RELEVANT to startups and to your customers’ vertical
Meetup.com, Yahoo! Groups, and Google Groups are excellent forums.
ENGAGE in email list discussions about startups & your vertical. SHARE and GIVE referrals if requested.
Email to the list so your auto-signature is seen.
I post to BostonBizSpark Meetup, LeanStartup Circle Boston Meetup, and Harvard Startups Yahoo! Group regularly.
Page 5 of 10©2011 SocialGrow, Inc.
GroupsJazz up your LinkedIn profile describing your startup & create a Company page
Join RELEVANT LinkedIn groups focused on startups and your customers’ vertical
Again, demonstrate THOUGHT LEADERSHIP by posting new discussions in these groups & ENGAGE in relevant discussions, especially with thought leaders
Invite other RELEVANT group members to connect with you on LinkedIn
Share interesting posts on your LinkedIn Status.
Page 6 of 10©2011 SocialGrow, Inc.
VideosGet your YouTube channel with your startup’s name. i.e. www.youtube.com/socialgrow
Demonstrate THOUGHT LEADERSHIP by doing video blogs about working on a startup & issues RELEVANT to your customers
Post up interviews with people on RELEVANT topics
Use ANIMOTO to make some killer videos like we have on the SocialGrow YouTube channel and tweet about them
Share these videos on your Facebook Like page
Page 7 of 10©2011 SocialGrow, Inc.
Like PageGet a Facebook Like page for your startup
Invite all your friends to join
Tweet about your Like page and send emails out to your email lists asking people to join
Once you get 25 people liking it, get a custom domain like www.facebook.com/socialgrow
Demonstrate THOUGHT LEADERSHIP and INITIATE topical discussions with your fans
Sign up for Involver.com to automatically share other social media
Page 8 of 10©2011 SocialGrow, Inc.
BlogsPut up a branded-looking blog. Great themes at Themeforest.net
Again, demonstrate THOUGHT LEADERSHIP by posting original articles on relevant topics
Have links to your other social media channels on your blog, like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and CrunchBase
Announce your latest blog posts on email lists, Twitter, LinkedIn groups, and Facebook Like pages (Brad Harkavy is *awesome* at this. www.harkador.com
Comment original value-adding comments on thought leaders’ blogs relevant to startups and your customers’ vertical. Don’t just say “I agree. You’re so smart!”
Page 9 of 10©2011 SocialGrow, Inc.
HelpAReporter.com
Sign up for HARO – HelpAReporter.com
Email comes out 3X per day
Respond immediately to articles as soon as you see a relevant one.
Free PR drives people to your site & helps you demonstrate THOUGHT LEADERSHIP!!
Page 10 of 10©2011 SocialGrow, Inc.
Thanks!
Any Questions?
Marsh SutherlandPresident | Co-Founder
SocialGrow, [email protected]
(888) SOC-GROW Ext 1