How to be a standout startup
No matter how much funding you have as a startup, you are still a startup. Which means no one knows you or your mission and the fight for success is a giant mountain to climb against the others ahead of you or creeping right up behind you. The quest to climb that mountain isn’t just in the product or service you build, but being visible among the network noise and competition. So how do you climb the mountain faster to be seen above the clouds on a tight budget?
Build a network
Head straight to LinkedIn and Twitter and start linking up with those who work at the companies you admire or want attention from. While executive and decision maker linking is beneficial, even linking with other levels of personnel starts getting your name and company out there. Make sure your profile is clean and your tagline articulates your company and mission well. Then start sharing all you can to showcase your company to make a name for it.
Request an audience
As you start making connections, request time on their calendar. This isn’t a sales call but a coffee chat. Let them know you want their feedback or opinion and that you would like to connect with them about what you are working on for their advice. Many cannot resist the flattery of this type of request or the curiosity to be able to hear a good story so make it sound interesting (followed by a good delivery of course!). You can also ask them if they have other team members that may be interested in joining or even be specific and ask to get the name of the person who works in the department you would like to connect with. Put those soft skills into play and work your charm!
Create integrations
If you are building an app, immediately dive into the various APIs out there and create integrations. They don’t have to be flashy but should provide instant value. Having the ability to showcase your integrations list on your website, in your product, and through your social networks can provide even greater relevance to your product beyond just being a new company. Work with your customers or cohorts to find out what integrations are most important to them and build a priority list you can dedicate some of your development time to creating. Generally once you build one integration, similar integrations become easier from that point on and grows exponentially.
Do the pre-work
If you want something from a customer or company, do the pre-work to make it happen instead of waiting for them to do it for you. For example, if you want to have another company quote your product usefulness, convenience, or effectiveness, create the quote and reach out to them with an ask if someone is willing to put their name to it. Even better, research who you would like to represent the quote and be direct in your ask. Many companies are willing to help support smaller companies in their mission so a little ask can go a long way to get a big name behind it. And taking the quote into your own hands enables you to craft it as you wish it to be.
Guest blog
Similar to a quote, create a reader-worthy blog with insights, metrics, and other useful information that addresses hot topics or specific issues. Reach out to a company with a large audience that meets your product market and request to share your blog as a guest. Make sure you are able to include a link and reference back to your product so that readers can see your product within the the article which also provides the search engine context needed for your rankings as well. Share the article with your social network to gain more visibility for both you and your generous partner who posted on your behalf.
Join marketplaces
As you begin to build integrations, make sure they shine on 3rd party marketplace listings. Not only does this help with search engine visibility but also gets you noticed through the review and approval process of the company you are listing with. Make the integration stands out with clean graphics and a solid video showcasing how the integration works which not only makes your product look good but also makes the 3rd party look good as well.
Certify your app
Take your integration to the next level through app certifications. These generally do not cost (other than your time) and have a clear list of criteria you can work through. Having the marketplace seal of approval on your app can create greater visibility and help you stand out from the growing list of apps in your category. It is also another chance for the 3rd party to see the work you are doing with their product which has the potential to open doors for other opportunities with the partnership.
Get reviews
Get product reviews as quickly as possible. While you can do this manually with surveys, spending just a little on G2 or other well-established review apps can quickly boost your product and provide greater credibility. These reviews can be used on your sales collateral and website as well.
Ask for speaker opportunities
As you start to build a rapport within your network, ask to become a speaker at their workshops, webinars, and trade shows. You might think you are a small fish in a big pond but these large companies are thirsty for good content and new faces. If you have a good story to tell, notify your contacts and work your way to the right teams who are seeking to reinforce their messaging through unique and supportive storytelling.
Roll up those sleeves and be bold, contact, connect, ask, and build your way up the mountain. Seeing over the clouds has its next level of challenges but the sun will shine on your product or service to help you continue on your mission to the summit.
