Smart marketing for startups cto academy 6-29-2012

Smart Marketing for Startups

Cleantech Open Academy

June 29, 2012

Beth Zonis

http://www.eco-mktg.com/

Agenda

• Introduction

• Focus on value proposition

• Positioning and SWOT analysis

• Go to market strategy

• Measurement

• Now it’s your turn!

6/29/2012 Smart Marketing for Startups 2


You have great technology,

now you want to get paid for it!

• Investors (funding)

• Partners (employees/market)

• Customers (prospects/influencers)

Smart Marketing for Startups 3 6/29/2012


What is marketing?



Marketing is…

A. Creating value

B. Communicating

C. Partnerships

D. Branding

E. Websites

F. Events

G. Media (social media, PR)

H. All of the above



Your brand is a collection of

perceptions in the minds of your audience

BRAND



How do people learn about you?


Internet Statistics 2011 change since

2010

Email users worldwide 3 billion 67%

Share of emails that were spam 71% -20%

Number of websites 555 million 118%

Internet users worldwide 2.1 billion 7%

Internet users in North America 271 million 2%

People on Twitter 255 million 46%

People following @ladygaga 18.1 million 135%

People on Facebook 800+ million 33%

Number of video playbacks on YouTube 1 trillion 37%

Mobile subscriptions worldwide 5.9 billion


Consider these critical success factors

• Clarity

• Consistency

• Credibility

• Engagement



Marketing begins with a value proposition

Your value proposition is a statement that

summarizes why a consumer should buy your

product or use your service.

This statement should convince a potential

consumer that your particular product or service

will add more value or better solve a problem than

other similar offerings.

Source: Investopedia

http://www.investopedia.com/terms/v/valueproposition.asp#ixzz1rC1IXcRt



http://www.investopedia.com/terms/v/valueproposition.asp



An effective value proposition will help

• Attract customers’ attention

• Generate interest

• Establish credibility

• Grow sales faster and more profitably



Whom do you connect with and how?

• Decision-makers

• Channels

• Influencers



First: identify your target audiences

• Categorize

• Prioritize

• Analyze

Imp

ort

an

ce

Role



Then: articulate your value proposition

Value Proposition Worksheet

For…

Who want/need…

We offer…

We are better than alternatives,

because…

Proof points:



Create a SWOT analysis for each segment

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

OPPORTUNITIES THREATS

• Be honest

• Be realistic

• Be specific


internal

external

negative

positiv

e


Where does your product fit in the marketplace?

Engagement

Credibility Consistency

Clarity



What is your go-to-market strategy? (more tactical than overall marketing strategy)

• Who needs to know?

• What do they need to

know?

• What do you want

them to do?

• Plan a cadence of

actions

• Consider a 360º

approach


Awareness

Motivation

Influence


Your marketing strategy begins internally

• Corporate mission, goals & objectives

• People

• Product

• Relationships

• Make sure everyone can articulate the

same company story!



Then it goes external

• Market needs

• Market trends

• Competition



Website

Social

Networking

BRAND

Collateral

Direct

LOGO

PR

Clarity: Simplicity is a virture

– even for sophisticated

technology

Engagement: Are the

elements in synch?

Interchangeable?

Compelling?

Consistency: Look, feel,

tone – from one element

to the other

Credibility: Market-

speak or ideas that

resonate

Are your targets aware of your brand?



Make sure to measure your marketing efficacy

• Achievement of corporate objectives

• Sales…leads, volume, cycle, costs

• Traffic…buzz, hits, replies

• Loyalty…satisfaction, repeat business



Now it’s your turn:

Let’s articulate your value proposition

Value Proposition Worksheet

For…

Who want/need…

We offer…

We are better than alternatives,

because…

Proof points:



Value proposition guide FOR:

NOTES: Each unique “client” set should have a separate chart. Pick one to start. : Think about defining them in a way that might be

searchable in a database or directory.

What characteristics define clients or likely prospects? What is unique about them? Consider attributes that would be searchable in a

database.. What role(s) do they play? What are their titles? Who has the budget, authority, need and time frame for a solution?

WHO WANT/NEED:

What problems do they need to solve? What are the reasons to buy? After we have a list, we can prioritize the list. We may be able to

organize the list according to categories of buyers within each client group.

WE OFFER:

What does MY COMPANY/PRODUCT do? What are the steps in the process? Describe solution in terms that address client needs or

pain points. Use customer terminology (aka the “voice of the customer”). How does it work?

WE ARE BETTER THAN ALTERNATIVES, BECAUSE:

NOTES: List top alternatives, including doing nothing. Who are key competitors? What do they offer? How else can people solve the

same problem?

How is MY COMPANY unique? How is it better than existing alternatives and approaches?

PROOF POINTS:

NOTES: Use statistics and client testimonials, as well as patents and certifications. The results should be defined in terms that directly

address client needs or pain points, using customer terminology and meaningful numbers. If you don’t have actual customers yet,

consider putting together a few scenarios to demonstrate cost savings.

How does MY COMPANY/PRODUCT directly address each pain point? What benefits can clients expect?

What do clients say about how MY COMPANY has helped them? Have any 3rd

party organizations certified or endorsed MY

COMPANY/PRODUCT?

Can we point to specific examples that demonstrate the impact?

What are the anticipated results and benefits for the target customers

How can you prove the value ?



THANK YOU!

Beth Zonis

Principal and Founder

Eco Marketing LLC

www.ecomarketingonline.com

617-501-9660

[email protected]



http://www.ecomarketingonline.com/

mailto:[email protected]




Smart marketing for startups cto academy 6-29-2012

Business

6292012 smart

smart marketing

address client

swot analysis

proof points

pain points

customer terminology

beth zonis