James B. Harter President © 2008 Sigma Pi Consulting LLC 1248 Rolling Meadow Rd. Pittsburgh, PA 15241 p) 412-576-2685 f) 954-206-1184 .

James B. HarterPresident

© 2008 Sigma Pi Consulting LLC

1248 Rolling Meadow Rd.Pittsburgh, PA 15241

p) 412-576-2685 f) 954-206-1184

www.sigmapiconsulting.com

How to market when you don’t have a lot of money.

Marketing for Entrepreneurial Companies

© 2008 Sigma Pi Consulting LLC

Introduction

Who I am Entrepreneur as Pioneer Strategic vs. Tactical Entrepreneurship

© 2008 Sigma Pi Consulting, LLC

Bootstrapping Marketing

Need to get it done No resources to do it

SO HOW DO

YOU DO IT?

© 2008 Sigma Pi Consulting, LLC

Develop Your Message

Elevator Pitch – Value Proposition Write you marketing literature

© 2008 Sigma Pi Consulting, LLC

Elevator Pitch

What is your Value Proposition?

Who are you? What do you do? Who do you do it for? Who is you competition? Why are you better? SO WHAT?

© 2008 Sigma Pi Consulting, LLC

Write you marketing literature

Value oriented Interesting Attractive Congruent

BTW – Your business card is the least expensive and most durable marketing document you will ever create.

© 2008 Sigma Pi Consulting, LLC

Get Your 1st Customer

Four Steps

1. Pick a Target

2. Close the deal

3. Make them happy

4. Leverage the heck out of them

© 2008 Sigma Pi Consulting, LLC

Step 1 – Pick a Target

Heart of your value proposition High profile in their market Early Adopter

© 2008 Sigma Pi Consulting, LLC

Step 2 – Close the deal

Whatever it takes!– Discounts– Custom Features– Extra training– Rebates– Equity

© 2008 Sigma Pi Consulting, LLC

Step 3 – Make them happy

Whatever it takes!– Make it work– Extra Training– Nights & Weekends– On-site support– Unbilled work

© 2008 Sigma Pi Consulting, LLC

Step 4 – Leverage the heck out of them

Ask customer for references Create case studies Leverage outside of geography Go to customer’s competition Identify parallels opportunities

© 2008 Sigma Pi Consulting, LLC

Partnering

Present “Total” Solution– Complimentary Product / Service– Become a “leach”

Halo Effect– Joint Logo – Cross links for web sites– Press releases

© 2008 Sigma Pi Consulting, LLC

Networking

You are your Evangelist!

MIT Enterprise Forum TiE Pittsburgh Entrepreneurial Thursday Happy Hour Pittsburgh Technology Council Others: trade / social / religious / charitable /

political

© 2008 Sigma Pi Consulting, LLC

Pro-bono

Seminars Non-profits Trade organizations

© 2008 Sigma Pi Consulting, LLC

© 2008 Sigma Pi Consulting, LLC

What NOT to do!

Avoid expensive giveaways. Don’t get “cute”. Avoid going head-to-head with your

competition. Don’t stray too far from your niche. Don’t look chintzy. Don’t STOP working until you get it right.

What Company is this?

© 2008 Sigma Pi Consulting LLC

Resources

Guerrilla Marketing : Secrets for Making Big Profits from Your Small Business by Jay Conrad Levinson

Selling the Invisible : A Field Guide to Modern Marketingby Harry Beckwith

© 2008 Sigma Pi Consulting, LLC

© 2008 Sigma Pi Consulting, LLC

Top 10 Self Inflicted Wounds

1. Charlotte’s Web Syndrome

2. Presumption of Profit

3. Poor Record Keeping

4. No Post Mortems

5. Wrong Person – Wrong Job

6. Lack of Accountability

7. Inconsistent Processes

8. Lack of Urgency

9. Lack of Strategic Planning

10. Technology is NOT a Solution

James B. HarterPresident

p) 412-576-2685 f) 954-206-1184

www.sigmapiconsulting.com

Questions?

© 2008 Sigma Pi Consulting, LLC