We Tried 100 Marketing Experiments. These 10 Produced 90% of Our Results.
As the founder of Translate.video, I’ve had to become a marketing expert by necessity. When I started out 5 years ago, I had zero marketing experience. Our video translation software was revolutionary, but I struggled to get it in front of the right audiences.
Through countless experiments and mistakes, I’ve developed core competencies in everything from search to social media marketing. There are so many nuances to marketing effectively — too many to cover comprehensively.
But here are 10 foundational techniques I’ve used to level up my marketing skills that any startup founder can apply:
1. Obsess Over Your Target Customer
I used to generically market to “video creators.” But once I intimately understood Translate.video’s ideal user — a mid-market YouTuber creating DIY tutorials — my messaging improved immensely.
Get crystal clear on who you serve. Map out their demographics, challenges, goals and objections. Develop buyer personas. Niche down instead of marketing broadly. Your messaging will resonate so much more deeply.
2. Always Be Testing
Don’t assume you already know what will work. The only way to perfect marketing is relentless testing. I constantly A/B test messaging, offers, ad creative, email sequences — you name it.
Testing reveals surprises and opportunities for optimization you’d never discover otherwise. Make continuous small experiments part of your marketing process. Be willing to test radically different approaches, not just incrementally.
3. Learn the Data and Analyze Obsessively
Pore over your analytics to understand what’s truly working. Don’t rely on vanity metrics like impressions. Dive into granular conversion data.
Analyze customer journeys. Identify sticking points. Find which channels drive conversions. Attrition can hide in aggregate data — drill down to expose it. Mastering analytics is marketing gold.
4. Use the Right Tools
Leverage purpose-built tools that streamline complex marketing tasks. For example, Translate.video uses SEO tools like Ahrefs for keyword research.
Don’t limit yourself to generic software. Find platforms tailored for marketing functions like ads, analytics, personalization and more. The right martech stack amplifies results.
5. Always Be Optimizing
One-off campaigns are short-sighted. The best marketers continually optimize based on data and testing. Don’t get complacent with a launch-and-leave mindset.
Review analytics regularly. Double down on what works while pruning underperformers. Update messaging with new insights. Optimization compounds results over time.
6. Obsess Over Copy and Creative
Many founders neglect copy and creative. But words and visuals make or break your marketing. Master copywriting and graphic design — or hire experts.
Test different angles in your copy. Use psychological principles in your messaging. Make bold, unexpected creative. Words and images determine whether your marketing converts or flops.
7. Leverage Influencers and Communities
Don’t just buy ads and expect sales. Marketing is about developing relationships. I nurture influencer partnerships and active communities to organically spread awareness.
Identify relevant influencers to partner with. Offer them value, not just a sales pitch. Engage in existing communities to build trust before promoting. Relationships amplify marketing reach.
8. Promote Cross-Channel Synergy
I used to manage channels like email, social and SEO separately. Now I coordinate campaigns across channels to maximize exposure.
Drive social followers to your email list with giveaways. Promote blogs on social. Build links to pages you want to rank. Every channel should feed into the others.
9. Always Be Learning
Marketing evolves quickly. I stay on top of trends by reading daily. I listen to marketing podcasts during commutes. I take courses and attend conferences.
Make continuous learning part of your routine. Subscribe to blogs, newsletters and communities to stay informed. Make small investments in your knowledge daily.
10. Stay Organized and Consistent
Juggling multiple campaigns across channels gets chaotic fast. I use tools like Asana to stay coordinated across initiatives and teams.
Consistency also boosts results. I have standardized processes for creating and distributing all types of marketing collateral in a reliable cadence.
Build systems and structures that allow creativity to flourish at scale. Balance organization with inspiration and you’ll become a marketing machine.
There is no straight path to marketing mastery — only continuous learning, testing and optimization. But using these 10 techniques as guideposts, any startup founder can level up their marketing skills dramatically.
The greatest marketers stay curious. They analyze data obsessively. They form authentic relationships. And they never stop striving to improve. With the right foundation, your marketing will become a core competitive advantage.
Conclusion
I’m still on my own marketing learning journey with Translate.video. But the progress in our traction and conversions from implementing these techniques has shown me their immense value. So don’t wait — start applying one technique today. Gain insights from data. Build relationships with influences. Test bold creative. Keep learning, keep optimizing. Compounding small improvements will work marketing magic over time!
What marketing channel or skill do you want to improve most right now? How could you apply some of these techniques to move the needle? Share your key takeaways on foundational ways any startup can get better at marketing!
