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I am saddened by the statistics I have heard recently about today’s teenagers…specifically about how the average cell phone bill of a teenager would reflect zero minutes of talk time. It’s all about texting. I heard a quote from a teenager recently who said, “Talking on the phone is too personal.” Wow. I remember talking for hours with girlfriends and boyfriends on the phone. Yes, it’s personal. That’s the point, isn’t it? Psychologists are quick to report the harmful long-term effects of such a mentality… that today’s teenagers will grow up to be adults who cannot communicate face-to-face, cannot carry on a conversation, cannot expound on a topic for longer than 140 characters.

Whether those fears are grounded or not, we have to understand and adapt to this generation’s communication style. Even if these kids aren’t your audience now, they will be someday. Since I shout from the rooftops about knowing your audience, I have assembled (albeit a tad sardonically) a list of 12 quick marketing tips for start-ups, all of which are under 140 characters. Feel free to text these to the ambitious teens in your life.

12 Quick Marketing Tips for Start-Ups

1. Lay a strong foundation. Define who you are (and aren’t), what you do (and don’t), who you serve (and don’t). Do an honest SWOT analysis.
2. Write a positioning statement that identifies your services, your audience, your unique selling point and the personality of your business.
3. Be consistent. Use your positioning statement as the basis for all of your marketing efforts to ensure consistency and bang for your buck.
4. Invest in a professional logo. If your logo looks professional, so will your business. Use it consistently, everywhere you can.
5. Invest in a web site. It’s the 1st place people go to see if you’re legit. You don’t need high tech, but it needs to look professional.
6. Know your target audience. What motivates them? Where do they get there information? How do they make decisions?
7. Listen to your clients. Don’t assume you have all the answers. You can build goodwill, establish trust and increase the opportunity.
8. Offer introductory rates. As an unknown, you can’t charge what an established firm can.
9. Thank your customers. They are taking a risk hiring a start-up. A hand-written note and some goodies from a local bakery show gratitude.
10. Underpromise and overdeliver with both time and money.
11. Help others grow their business. Connect people, refer and recommend others. What comes around goes around.
12. Identify a mentor. Welcome him or her to “get in your business,” provide honest counsel and encourage you when you doubt.

Carol Reeve, marketing strategist
Girl on the Roof

A good facilitator can get to the heart of a matter – or the core of a business – simply by asking the right questions. Of course, asking the right questions requires that you’ve done some research on the organization and their competition in advance.  But again, don’t go in with assumptions; that research should only serve to lead you to the right questions (the answers should come from the group, not from you).

I have a series of questions that I tailor to clients.  Some aren’t appropriate for certain organizations, and sometimes there are obvious questions that need to be asked that are outside of the norm.  A planning session for me almost always includes a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis as well as discussions about services offerings and target audience (who are they, what are they looking for, what motivates them, how they make decisions).   There should also be a discussion about the competition (not just immediate competitors; think about other sources and solutions to the problems of the audience). Why should someone choose your solution over the competition?  This is a critical question to ask but can often be the most difficult to answer, so save it for the right time. (Don’t lead with a question that challenging.)
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When I am hired to do any marketing or positioning work for a client, I almost always start by facilitating a planning or positioning session. The objectives of that session are:

1. Get everyone in the room together, focused on this organization. Talented people are involved with lots of organizations, and at any given time, their attention is divided among a number of them. A planning session directs their attention 100% to the organization in front of them, allowing us to get their most insightful thoughts.

2. Teach me what I need to know about the organization so I can help them. Hearing from a group of people tells me more than if I get the download from just one person, however closely connected that one person may be. It also helps me understand individual passions and group dynamics which can be helpful when developing next steps.
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