Unique Startup Marketing Strategies That Actually Work

But how do you do that without spending a fortune on advertising or hiring a big agency? How do you create a marketing strategy that is unique, effective, and scalable?

The answer is to use some of the following 20 unique startup marketing strategies that actually work. These are proven tactics that have helped startups of all sizes and industries to achieve remarkable results. Whether you’re looking for ways to increase your brand awareness, generate more leads, convert more sales, or boost your customer loyalty, you’ll find something here that suits your needs and goals.

Let’s dive in!

1. Create a viral referral program

One of the best ways to grow your startup is to get your existing customers to refer their friends and family to you. This way, you can leverage the power of word-of-mouth marketing, which is one of the most trusted and effective forms of marketing.

But how do you incentivize your customers to refer others? The answer is to create a viral referral program that rewards both the referrer and the referee with something valuable. For example, Dropbox famously used a referral program that gave both parties extra storage space for free. This helped them grow from 100,000 to 4 million users in just 15 months.

To create a viral referral program, you need to:

– Define your target audience and what motivates them

– Choose a reward that is relevant, attractive, and easy to redeem

– Make it easy for your customers to share your referral link or code with others

– Track and measure the performance of your referral program and optimize it over time

 

Some tools that can help you create a viral referral program are:

– ReferralCandy

– Viral Loops

– GrowSurf

 

2. Launch a pre-launch campaign

Another way to generate buzz and excitement for your startup is to launch a pre-launch campaign. This is a marketing strategy that aims to build anticipation and curiosity for your product or service before it is officially launched. By doing this, you can:

– Validate your product idea and get feedback from potential customers

– Build an email list of interested prospects that you can market to later

– Establish a sense of trust and authenticity for your company through social validation.

– Generate word-of-mouth and organic traffic

 

To launch a pre-launch campaign, you need to:

– Create a landing page that showcases the benefits and features of your product or service

– Offer an incentive for people to sign up for early access or updates (such as a discount, a free trial, or a bonus)

– Promote your landing page through various channels (such as social media, email, blogs, podcasts, etc.)

– Engage with your subscribers and keep them updated on your progress and launch date

 

Some tools that can help you launch a pre-launch campaign are:

– Launchrock

– KickoffLabs

– Prefinery

 

3. Leverage user-generated content

User-generated content (UGC) is any content that is created by your customers or fans and shared on social media or other platforms. This can include reviews, testimonials, photos, videos, stories, etc.

 

UGC is a powerful marketing strategy for startups because it can:

– Increase your brand awareness and reach

– Boost your social proof and trustworthiness

– Enhance your customer loyalty and advocacy

– Reduce your content creation costs and efforts

 

To leverage user-generated content, you need to:

– Encourage your customers to create and share content about your brand (such as by running contests, campaigns, or hashtags)

– Curate and showcase the best UGC on your website, social media, or other channels

– Repurpose UGC for different purposes (such as ads, emails, blogs, etc.)

– Thank and reward your customers for their UGC

 

Some tools that can help you leverage user-generated content are:

– Bazaarvoice

– Yotpo

– Pixlee

 

4. Collaborate with influencers

Influencers can be identified as individuals who have amassed a substantial and active audience on social media channels or other platforms. These influencers could include bloggers, video creators, podcast hosts, celebrities or specialists in their respective fields.

Working together with these influencers is an effective strategy for extending your reach to new audiences and elevating the recognition of your brand. By utilizing the influence of these people, you are able to:

– Bolster your reputation and legitimacy within your specific market

– Drive a larger volume of traffic and potential customers to your website or promotional page

– Convert more sales and revenue for your product or service

– Create more user-generated content and word-of-mouth

 

To collaborate with influencers, you need to:

– Identify the right influencers for your brand (based on their niche, audience size, engagement rate, etc.)

– Reach out to them with a personalized and compelling pitch (explaining why they should work with you and what’s in it for them)

– Negotiate the terms and conditions of the collaboration (such as the deliverables, timeline, compensation, etc.)

– Monitor and measure the results of the collaboration and maintain a good relationship with the influencer

 

Some tools that can help you collaborate with influencers are:

– BuzzSumo

– Upfluence

– AspireIQ

 

5. Create a content marketing strategy

Content marketing entails the development and dissemination of worthwhile, pertinent, and steady content aimed at engaging a distinct demographic. The ultimate goal is to stimulate customer behavior that leads to tangible profits.

Content marketing is one of the most effective and cost-efficient marketing strategies for startups because it can:

– Increase your organic traffic and SEO ranking

– Inform and enlighten your prospective clients regarding your service or product.

– Build your brand awareness and authority in your industry

– Generate more leads and conversions for your business

– Nurture and retain your existing customers and increase their lifetime value

 

To create a content marketing strategy, you need to:

– Define your goals and key performance indicators (KPIs)

– Research your target audience and their pain points, needs, and interests

– Create a content calendar and plan your content topics, formats, and channels

– Generate top-notch, captivating material that offers substantial worth to your readership.

– Promote and distribute your content through various channels (such as social media, email, blogs, etc.)

– Analyze and optimize your content performance and results

 

Some tools that can help you create a content marketing strategy are:

– HubSpot

– CoSchedule

– SEMrush

 

6. Start a podcast

A podcast is an audio show that is distributed online and can be listened to on various devices. Podcasts are becoming increasingly popular among consumers and marketers alike. According to Statista, there were over 2 million podcasts and 48 million episodes worldwide as of April 2021.

Starting a podcast can be a great way to market your startup because it can:

– Help you reach a large and loyal audience that is interested in your niche

– Showcase your expertise and personality as a founder or marketer

– Build trust and rapport with your listeners and potential customers

– Drive more traffic and leads to your website or landing page

– Create opportunities for collaborations and partnerships with other podcasters or influencers

 

To start a podcast, you need to:

– Choose a topic and format for your podcast (such as interviews, stories, tips, etc.)

– Name and brand your podcast (including a catchy title, logo, description, etc.)

– Record and edit your podcast episodes (using a microphone, software, etc.)

– Publish and distribute your podcast episodes (using a hosting platform, RSS feed, etc.)

– Promote and grow your podcast audience (using social media, email, blogs, etc.)

 

Some tools that can help you start a podcast are:

– Anchor

– Audacity

– Podbean

 

7. Run a giveaway or contest

A giveaway or contest is a type of promotion that involves giving away something valuable to one or more winners who enter by performing certain actions. For example, you can ask people to follow you on social media, share your post, tag their friends, sign up for your email list, etc.

Running a giveaway or contest can be a fun and effective way to market your startup because it can:

– Increase your brand awareness and exposure

– Increase your followers and interaction on social media

– Generate more leads and email subscribers for your business

– Create more user-generated content and word-of-mouth

 

To run a giveaway or contest, you need to:

– Choose a prize that is relevant, attractive, and aligned with your brand

– Set the rules and criteria for entering and winning the giveaway or contest

– Create a landing page or post for your giveaway or contest

– Promote your giveaway or contest through various channels (such as social media, email, blogs, etc.)

– Pick and announce the winner(s) of your giveaway or contest

 

Some tools that can help you run a giveaway or contest are:

– Gleam

– Rafflecopter

– KingSumo

 

8. Use video marketing

Video marketing is the use of videos to promote or market your product or service. Videos are one of the most engaging and popular forms of content on the internet. According to Wyzowl, 86% of businesses use video as a marketing tool in 2021.

Using video marketing can help you market your startup because it can:

– Capture the attention and interest of your audience

– Explain complex concepts or features of your product or service in an easy way

– Showcase the benefits and value proposition of your product or service

– Build trust and credibility for your brand

– Increase conversions and sales for your business

 

To use video marketing, you need to:

– Define your goals and target audience for your video

– Choose the type and style of video that suits your purpose (such as explainer videos, testimonials videos, demo videos, etc.)

– Script and storyboard your video content (including the message, tone, voiceover