Marketing can feel like a maze, especially for those new to the field. In this article, I’ll unveil typical marketing traps that young startup founders may face, along with invaluable insights on gracefully navigating around them.
Just a heads up, my insights are drawn from a limited pool, so they might not resonate with everyone. Nonetheless, if you’re in a similar boat, I trust these suggestions will add finesse to your marketing efforts and propel your business forward with style!
Marketing trap #1. “We don’t need a marketing manager (yet)”
Picture this: you are a young founder with a brilliant idea, limited funds and the burning desire to make it big. Naturally, you take on the role of marketer-in-chief to conserve resources. While understandable, as your business gains traction and you seek to scale, hiring a dedicated marketing manager becomes crucial. They can help chart a realistic growth trajectory and execute effective strategies alongside you.
I have seen founders paint overly optimistic growth plans to secure investment, only to realize later that their goals were far-fetched. By then, bringing in a marketing manager feels like a last-minute scramble, leaving little time for impactful results, especially in B2B scenarios where results may take a long time to materialize.
Learning: Invest in a marketing manager early on and involve them in your scaling plans from the get-go.
Marketing trap #2. “The best solution on the market” – That’s us
Your startup is your baby, your pride and joy. Naturally, you believe it is the best thing since sliced bread and the world needs to know. While passion is admirable, effective marketing isn’t about singing your praises – it is about addressing your customer’s needs. Focusing too much on your product’s greatness can overshadow the value it brings to your customers.
Learning: Stay customer-centric and ensure your marketing efforts highlight the benefits your product or service brings to your audience.
Marketing trap #3. “Our marketing is so cool – Our videos and SM posts are top-notch!”
Young founders may easily get excited from flashy videos and fun-but-meaningless social media posts. Who wouldn’t enjoy the praise from friends and connections, even if they are not your target audience? Yet, while flashy content can catch eyes, without a solid strategy, it is just noise.
Unfortunately, many young founders fall into the trap of prioritizing style over substance, neglecting the core principles of marketing: strategic planning and robust process management. Sure, you may have cool videos, but are they serving a specific purpose, or are they merely random ideas? And if intentional, do you have a system in place to effectively capture demand and grow revenue?
Learning: Focus on building a strategic foundation for your marketing efforts, ensuring every piece of content serves a purpose and aligns with your overall strategy.
Marketing trap #4. “Everyone is doing it. Let’s do it, too!”
The fear of missing out (FOMO) can drive startups to blindly chase trends without considering their relevance to their target audience. Whether it is jumping on the TikTok bandwagon or adopting the latest marketing fad, it is essential to understand your audience’s preferences and behaviors to ensure your marketing efforts resonate with them.
Learning: Base your marketing activities on a deep understanding of your target audience to avoid wasting resources on irrelevant trends.
Marketing trap #5. “An expert told me …”
You get advice from an acquaintance claiming marketing expertise. They dish out advice left and right, oblivious to your business’s unique needs. Excited by the free consultation, you eagerly share it with your marketing manager the next day, who is rightly skeptical.
Frustrated by their lack of action, you feel dismissed and start to doubt their capabilities. Little do you realize, from your manager’s perspective, it is just another round of irrelevant advice that won’t move the needle for your business. This cycle repeats, eroding trust in your marketing team and fueling frustration for all involved.
Learning: If you know experts, have them talk directly to your marketing team. But first, make sure they are the real deal. Random meetings with no tangible outcomes only serve to frustrate your team and hinder progress.
In summary, these marketing traps might seem really obvious, but young founders still fall into them. That is just how traps work – they are meant to catch you off guard. It is easier to see them from the outside, I know. So I hope these insights from a different viewpoint can help you spot these traps, avoid them and keep your business on track for success.