5 Marketing Strategies That Work Even in Uncertain Times

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by Samuel Pordengerg Feb 3, 2023 News
5 Marketing Strategies That Work Even in Uncertain Times

Contributors' opinions are their own.

The startup world is disorganized and the economic outlook is not good. Mass layoffs, scaling back on initiatives, and rethinking their approach to sales and marketing are some of the things companies are doing. It won't be this way all the time, but that doesn't make it any easier. Every marketer has a big question about what to do.

There are five startup marketing moves to start with. Even in the best of times, they are a good foundation for any marketing strategy. When the cycle comes back around, you might find yourself above your competitors if you implement these.

In order to survive, marketing mistakes must be avoided.

1. Talk to your customers!

Talk to your customers when you're unsure. What are they going through, what do they need, and what do they think will happen over the next year? What's troubling them might be news to you, and what's troubling you might not matter to them. There are a few questions to ask.

  • What are the differences between this time last year and this time today?

  • Do you want to spend the same or more in this area?

  • What is your biggest problem right now?

  • The biggest challenge will be in six months.

  • What would make you purchase this item?

  • What would make you not spend money on this?

  • What are you enjoying the most about us? Is it true that you do not?

Customer interviews can be used to shape your marketing.

2. Create frictionless buying experiences

Everything that stands in the way of a purchase is removed by the best customer experience. "Frictionless" is a good target, but uncertain times are when you need to look for over the top ways to remove it.

There are a few ideas to turn things around.

  • Customers want to switch their data from competitors to you.

  • In order to get people in the door, you have to offer something incredible for free or at a huge discount.

  • Show the product and let the buyer make the decisions.

  • It's a good idea to create templates, packages, and similar things for customers to use.

You can use this to turn a bad landscape into an opportunity for both you and your customers.

There are seven steps to market a bootstrapped startup.

3. Communicate clearly and consistently

There are companies present that are remembered. It's especially true in times of uncertainty. You can't repeat what everyone else is saying. You need to be the leader.

You need to take a stance on a topic, flesh out your positioning and communicate it. Share that if you don't know what your position is or don't have the data to make a decision. People should be brought into the loop. Become a thought leader. It's important to get all eyes on you for your sales and marketing.

4. Bet bigger where you can

If you think about it, all of your competitors are cutting back. It's a good time to double down on what works. The gap between yourself and your competitors could be increased. No one will be able to catch you when the cycle ends.

It's still important to be responsible with your resources. It's great if you can invest actual dollars into projects and channels that are already working. Invest your time if you can't afford it.

There are options that take more time.

  • You can build your brand on social media.

  • You can create content for your channels.

  • You can use public relations and earned media to tell your story.

  • It's time to refresh your existing content.

  • The search engine should be improved.

  • Strengthening your followers or customers.

Account upgrades and repeat purchases are the lowesthanging fruit if you are under pressure to increase revenue. Invest in creating a bigger gap between you and your competitors.

There are seven paid marketing steps to fuel your startup's growth.

5. Audit your operations

"We'll worry about that later" is what operations tend to say. The operations get pushed to the side when you have enough fires to put out. It's a good time to review your operations and metrics when everyone is pausing and reexamining.

  • The cost to get a customer.

  • Retention and purchases are related.

  • Contract value or spend.

  • There are processes.

  • There are automations.

  • There are customer personas and buying journeys.

  • Key performance indicators are included.

It gets improved. To find out how good or bad of a situation you're in, audit your operations and other metrics. This data can be used to inform your marketing plan.

Don't react too soon

Everything comes in waves. There are sunny days when your business can thrive. You don't want to suffer long-term in exchange for short-term relief. Take a few big bets and watch your metrics. It is possible that things can turn out for you.