Startups don’t have a problem starting. They hit a plateau when they try to scale. Typically that’s when spray-and-pray tactics occur. But before diving into random acts of marketing, let’s take a step back and evaluate who our solution is for and why anyone should care.
Key Takeaways
- Conversations with our best-fit customers help us understand their pain points, motivations, and fears.
- Once we know how our solution solves our customers’ problems, we need to clearly communicate that value.
- Competition may not always be another solution or company. Oftentimes it’s the status quo.
- Testing and iterating our messaging early helps us nail down what our customers care about.
- Understanding our customer’s buying cycle helps us gauge urgency.
I often get asked by founders of tech startups how to take their company to the next level once they have built their solution and created their website.
Typically these companies know more about the stuff they make than who it’s for.
It usually goes something like this:
- Make something cool
- Tell people about it
- Show it off to whoever is interested
- Make a cool website
- Then… um… yeah… now what?
There are too many amazing products and services with little to no marketing muscle backing them up.
When we’re getting going, it’s very common to get caught up in our tech and leave marketing to the 11th hour. It usually ends up being very tactical—lots of pretty pictures but zero substance.
Before you jump on the tactics bandwagon like everyone else, take a breath and walk through this preliminary discovery checklist. It will help you figure out if your solution actually solves a problem, if there’s a viable market niche, and whether customers will pay for it.
At the end, I’ll throw in a few quick wins to improve your website experience while you’re at it.
1. Customer Research
Yup, I’m beating this drum again.
The first thing to remember is that marketing is all about people. Living, breathing human beings buy our stuff, not machines.
If you have amazing tech that people should know about, you need to be able to tell them you have it… in their language… from their perspective. Yeah, it’s harder than it sounds.
- Best-fit customers. Make a list of the ones who cannot live without you. The ones who will love you even when you increase your prices. You want more of them. They will help you get to the next level. Not everyone will buy your stuff so don’t try being everything to everyone.
- Interview the customers on your list. Ask them why they chose you. Do they even know they have a problem? If your customer doesn’t recognize the pain point you’re solving, your solution’s dead in the water.
- Have a conversation and listen carefully. What’s driving their decisions? Understand their motivations, fears, and concerns. Fear is very real in tech purchases. Don’t fob it off.
NOTE: If you don’t have any customers yet, don’t panic. Make a list of the characteristics that would make up your ideal customer. Then reach out to anyone in your network who fits the bill. Then do the work mentioned above.
2. Problem-Solution Fit
- Focus on value. We may be in love with our bright shiny objects, but no one else is. At least not yet. To get their attention, buyers need to know that we have a solution to their problem and that we can be trusted. We need to communicate that differentiated value in simple language backed by credible proof. Our unique value should validate that what we’ve built addresses the pain and doubts buyers feel. Emphasis on “feel.”
- Need vs. Want. Just because our solution is cool doesn’t mean it’s needed. And even if it is needed, it still may not be wanted. Say hello to the status quo. That means we have work to do. Go back to the insights we collected in our customer interviews and figure out if we are solving a problem worth solving. Be honest.
3. Market Opportunity
- Know what you’re up against. Thinking we’re the only game in town is a fool’s errand. Don’t just check out competitors, think about alternatives—the status quo and the fear of fucking up are the underlying reasons deals end in no decision. Then be super clear about how you’re different. Do you stand out or are you just blending in?
- Is there room to grow? Make sure the market isn’t saturated or a barren wasteland. Then determine your category. Are you a big fish in a small pond? Are you creating a new category? Are you David going after Goliath? These questions are more difficult to answer when we lack insight.
4. Positioning Hypothesis
- Test your messaging. It won’t matter how amazing our solutions are if no one understands what they do. Test and iterate. Rinse and repeat. Early feedback helps fine-tune our positioning so that customers know exactly why they should care a lot about the stuff we make.
- Back it up. Build trust as soon as possible. If we’re not creating awareness, confidence, and trust at every opportunity, we won’t make the shortlist. Always ask for testimonials and case studies when interviewing customers. Proof points and success stories sharpen our messaging and showcase the credibility we have already established. This provides air cover for sales down the road.
5. Revenue Potential
- Be upfront about money. Don’t wait to have pricing conversations. Can customers afford it? Do they have budget for it? If they don’t have the budget now, cut your losses and come back when they do.
- Understand their urgency. Figure out their buying cycle. Are they serious or just curious? How soon do they need this? Is something holding them back? If they’re dragging their feet, you need to know why.
Website Tweaks to Improve the Buyer Experience
As you work through your validation homework, you will unearth insights that can potentially clarify your positioning and messaging. Keep things loose in the early going. When you have clarity, you can make adjustments to your website and get feedback relatively fast.
Here are some things to evaluate:
- Value proposition. Buyers need to know within seconds what problem you’re solving and why they should give a damn. Right now, your homepage might be too vague—clarify your message by focusing on what makes you different and unique.
- Navigation. Don’t make people work to find the info they need. Your site should guide visitors to the answers they’re looking for, not force them into a maze.
- Mobile-first. Content needs to be mobile-friendly. That means buyers “get it” within a few thumb scrolls. Nail the mobile experience first and you will nail the tablet and desktop experience too. Make sure the content is about your customers and how your solution solves their problems—leave the feature-dumps for later.
Final Thoughts
Before you burn through your marketing budget, make sure you have something people need.
Use this checklist to help you validate your solution, sharpen your positioning, and avoid costly mistakes.
And while you’re working through the process, don’t forget to keep things loose, making adjustments to your website content along the way. Don’t worry about the design at this stage, focus on the messaging.
After you have completed the checklist, dive deeper into these topics:
Need help with your validation process? Let’s talk!
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Cheers!
This article is AC-A and also published and discussed on LinkedIn. Join the conversation!
