Six Tips for Startups
Published in
2 min readApr 25, 2020
- The choice of business models (who will pay for what for whom) should not be made in haste. Failure to consider all the options and think “outside the box” has doomed more than one such venture. The world can only handle so many “us too” models.
- In a virtual COVID-19 reality, understanding the audience’s context and leaning into it has never been more important. Don’t even pretend that things will “go back to normal.” A good part of the economic change that has occurred was nature’s shot across the bow of our complacency; things will never be what they were again.
- Often what’s needed is a better distribution or monetization model, not a better mousetrap. Think about syndication, sponsored purchases, white labeling, out-licensing, third party roles, and so much more.
- When there are multiple target markets for a tangible purchase, start with one(s) that have money in that particular expense bucket. Then branch out to the strata that have money, period. Money can be moved, but the purchase cycle takes longer.
- The social web is much more than standalone media buys or messages. Everything matters, and everything represents. You can’t cover your lame LinkedIn page last revised in 2005 with your edgy Twitter feed. Your sleek holiday baskets don’t excuse the typos in your proposals.
- And, most importantly, don’t waste your time in digital if you don’t have an analog brand locked down. What’s your brand promise in 30 words or less? What’s your value platform, the sentence or two that explains “why you” instead of competitive products or ideas? Never stop stress-testing your reasons for being, the communication that will convey that value, and that value’s delivery where, when, and how it carries the most weight.
