The ultimate digital guide for pandemic-induced startups

During the pandemic all of our everyday lives were altered significantly in more ways than one.

Many industries struggled as they were forced to close or change the way they operated. The leisure and hospitality sectors were hit the hardest, with 4 in 10 of every US job lost in 2020. Whilst many lost their jobs, many began their remote working career.

This strange chapter of our lives instilled a new sense of purpose and renewed focus for many people. People began to prioritize what matters most in life, and so the mass exodus of big city office jobs began. Anthony Klotz predicted this phenomenon and coined the term The Great Resignation.

People began to seek more fulfilment and a greater sense of purpose when the start-up boom started.

The numbers don’t lie…

• 71.6 million people left their jobs between April 2021 and April 2022.
• 74% of people admitted being stuck at home was the root cause for them to reconsider their employment.
• Nearly 5.4 million new businesses were formed in 2021, 50% higher than in 2019.

A while ago, we published a post about the Do’s and Don’ts for start-ups. Whilst those still apply, today there is an entirely new set of issues that startups are facing.

This new generation of disruptive start-ups are altering the way businesses operate.

The rise of direct-to-consumer (D2C) is paving the way for a new model of e-commerce. This offers businesses more control over their brand, reputation, and marketing. There is no signs of this trend backing down anytime soon with 40% of shoppers saying they intend to purchase from a D2C brand in the next few years.

With 1 in 4 D2C ecommerce sales coming from a digitally native brand, here are some key digital marketing challenges to consider.

Top 6 digital marketing tips for start-ups:

1. What’s your USP? (Unique Selling Proposition)

Knowing what sets you apart from everyone else should be central to every marketing activity your business partakes in. 

At this stage, research is key. 

It isn’t always immediately obvious what your USP is in a crowded market. If lots of other brands out there are already doing what you want to do, then think of a way you could do it better. 

If no one is doing what you want to do, then consider if your product or service is too new, requiring too much education in addition to brand marketing. 

If you need help in finding your niche and gap in the market check-out this 7 Step Process to discover your USP.

2. Become BFFs with your target customer

Once you have identified your target customer you need to get to know them – like, really know them – identify key customer touch-points and map their digital journey. 

63% of consumers now expect businesses to know their unique needs and expectations.

Find out what social media they are on, what content they engage with, and what their digital pain-points are, this gives you the best chance of bonding with your customers. 

If you are able build and nurture customer relationships, you stand a much better chance of creating a community of brand advocates.

Think outside the box.

There are many ways to spark meaningful conversations and create relationships. Often this requires adopting a slightly different approach such as humor.

It goes without telling you that this is two-way dialogue; you need to listen to customer feedback and thoughts to keep them onboard with your business.

3. Curate a bespoke and targeted digital strategy

Once you have identified what makes you unique, your next task is to communicate this to your target customers. 

It can be easy to get carried away. Decide what platforms are worth engaging with and when.  There is no need to be on all of them – it’s better to stay focused and prioritize the ones that speak most to your core customer. 

Generally speaking, the top three social media platforms for start-ups are Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Out of 1,000 start-ups surveyed, 69.6% actively use Facebook, whilst 48.3% and 47% are active on Instagram and Twitter.

Ultimately your start-up needs to create a targeted and well-informed digital strategy to help achieve the business goals. 

A strategy should act as a roadmap to digital success.

There are many online guides out there on how to form a start-up digital strategy such as the GSOT strategy framework (Goals, strategies, objectives and tactics).

If your start-up has the resources, approaching a digital marketing agency to assist in your digital strategy will give you an extra edge against competitors.

4. Invest in proper branding

Branding is the process of creating and distributing the brand name, its qualities and personality. 

Create the visual look and feel of your brand, at every customer touch-point.

Start-ups need to create a powerful visual identity that embodies their personality. This is where UX/UI design [EW1] should be carefully considered. Your brand’s entire visual image will have four key elements: a logo, color palette, fonts and imagery.

There are many benefits that come with the creation of a strong visual identity. It can enhance brand awareness, especially with 64% of people wanting brands to reach out and connect with them. Visual marketing will help you cut through the noise and get people talking and thinking about you.

Crucially, your branding must be consistent across all your business communications and touch-points. This will increase brand recognition and trust through creating unified experiences for customers.

5. Reap the rewards of email marketing

Don’t get side-tracked with the shiny new platforms.

As new tools and platforms continue to emerge on the digital marketing scene, you may be tempted to neglect the more traditional email marketing route. When in fact email marketing is a vital tool for start-ups, allowing them to reach customers in a personalized manner. 

Email marketing is an affordable option for start-ups with reportedly a $42 return on every dollar spent. 

Check out HubSpot’s Email Marketing Kit for Start-ups and Entrepreneurs to help ace your email marketing as a newbie. Email can be interactive, which increases engagement. The analytics email marketing can generate are invaluable.

Take a look at our blog post [EW2] to find out which CRM is ideal for your email marketing.

6. Expose your brand through content marketing

It is no secret that content consumption is at an all-time high, with the average person spending around 7 hours a day consuming content. 

Content is ideal for small businesses with its relatively low cost and endless opportunities to generate brand exposure and engagement.

Making unique content an essential ingredient to a start-up’s digital strategy.

Don’t get side-tracked with the shiny new platforms.

As new tools and platforms continue to emerge on the digital marketing scene, you may be tempted to neglect the more traditional email marketing route. When in fact email marketing is a vital tool for start-ups, allowing them to reach customers in a personalized manner. 

Email marketing is an affordable option for start-ups with reportedly a $42 return on every dollar spent. 

Check out HubSpot’s Email Marketing Kit for Start-ups and Entrepreneurs to help ace your email marketing as a newbie. Email can be interactive, which increases engagement. The analytics email marketing can generate are invaluable.

Take a look at our blog post [EW2] to find out which CRM is ideal for your email marketing.