“Business only has two functions – marketing and innovation” – Milan Kundera
ExchangeLeads has the latter down already, now it’s time for Marketing. Start-up marketing is one of the most difficult aspects of the start-up process; the endgame is for the product to be so awesome that it sells itself. How do we do that, you ask? … by generating customers! Marketing sometimes fails because companies spend their money on a fabulous website, but – although it’s definitely important – there is no use having an awesome website if no one is visiting.
As mentioned, ExchangeLeads is an innovative start-up launching in the fall of 2014, based out of Toronto. The business revolves around exchanging leads for new ones. Society is changing at a rapid rate, and so are businesses, so it’s absolutely important to make sure that your company is always on the cutting edge of technology and marketing. Today, marketing is about gaining clicks, likes, shares and more. We’re flooded in a world of social media where competition is abundant and you have to be different to be seen.
There are 3 steps to managing marketing for your start-up:
- Generate traffic
- Turn clicks into customers
- Maintain subscriptions
Generate Traffic
Search engine optimization and advertising generate traffic. Traffic is the key to gaining customers and word of mouth is the best form of advertisement. Clicks, customers and subscribers are impossible without company awareness.
Turn Clicks into Customers
The next step is to turn the clicks into customers. One of the best ways to do this is repetition, there are different forms of advertising and marketing that targets the customer based on their visit to your website. Also, customers want to know how the product helps them (let the idea sell itself!).
Maintain Subscriptions
The final step, which never ends when there is business involved, is maintaining the customers you have gained! In order to do this, it is important to get feedback from your customers in order to make sure they are happy. This is a cycle that continues as you gain new clicks and new customers. It’s always important as a company to know why people are clicking but not subscribing, and even why people are subscribing!
At the end of the day, knowledge is power, and marketing is about knowledge, so marketing (in a nut shell) is power! It’s the power to know your customers, to grow your business, and to succeed.
Good luck and all the best!
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