{"id":155120,"date":"2023-09-26T14:12:33","date_gmt":"2023-09-26T10:12:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forbes.ge\/?p=155120"},"modified":"2023-09-26T14:14:47","modified_gmt":"2023-09-26T10:14:47","slug":"an-early-stage-startup-marketing-handbook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.forbes.ge\/en\/an-early-stage-startup-marketing-handbook\/","title":{"rendered":"An Early-stage Startup Marketing Handbook"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is for y\u2019all one-person marketing \u201cteams” and founders out there. I feel you and this is my attempt to help.<\/em><\/p>\n

Disclaimer<\/em><\/strong>: I\u2019ll be heavily borrowing from my favorite marketers and newsletters: <\/em>Elena Verna<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>Leah Tharin<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>MKT1<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>Kyle Poyar<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>Lenny Rachitsky<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>Julian Shapiro<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>April Dunford<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>Kevin Indig<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>Reforge<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>Demand Curve<\/em><\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Part 1: Getting Things Straight<\/h1>\n

Look, startups are amazing; they\u2019re fresh, energetic, and full of hope.<\/p>\n

But, let’s be real for a second \u2013 marketing in a startup is rough.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no money. There\u2019s no data. There\u2019s no clear Ideal Customer Profile. The product is full of bugs. The landing page sucks. And brand? Are you kidding me?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s like assembling IKEA furniture. You’ve got a rough idea, some tools, and instructions in a language you barely understand. Fun, right?<\/p>\n

But the fun doesn\u2019t end there.<\/p>\n

In most startups, the marketing department, if you can even call it that, is just…well, you. Just a one-person team. You\u2019re the whole orchestra and you better play every instrument.<\/p>\n

Imagine all the fun you can have under all this responsibility.<\/p>\n

Every dollar you put into marketing is a dollar less for product development. And, you don’t have the privilege of past data. You know, the comfort of thinking, “Hey, this worked last time!” You\u2019re basically setting sail without a map.<\/p>\n

\u10e8tarting from scratch is both a curse and a blessing. There’s no legacy, no baggage \u2013 sounds great, right? But it also means there’s no established voice, no brand presence. You\u2019re creating everything on the fly while trying to ensure it all makes sense.<\/p>\n

Sure, the title might say “Growth Marketer”, “Marketing Manager” or even \u201cCMO\u201d, but come on, when you\u2019re in a startup you’re the plumber, the electrician, and occasionally, the gardener too.<\/p>\n

I would know. I\u2019m a founder and I\u2019ve been a one-man marketing \u201cteam\u201d here at Kernel for years. So this is for ya\u2019ll solo startup marketers and founders out there – a handbook for startup marketing.<\/p>\n

But first I\u2019ve got a bone to pick with some of the startup founders.<\/p>\n

Founders, Curb Your Ego<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Here’s a scene I’ve witnessed too often: founders believing they can wear the marketing hat just as effectively as their entrepreneurial one.<\/p>\n

I mean, how hard can it be?<\/p>\n

\u201cI can create Facebook ads. I can build a website on Wix. I can write blog posts and send emails and honestly, my product is so good and there\u2019s such a big need for it that it\u2019s basically gonna sell itself.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n