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Launching your startup. How to get traction in the social media era.

Published on Nov 18, 2015

Launching a startup business on a bootstrapped budget? Here are proven guerrilla product launch, Public Relations and Social Marketing tips on how to get noticed with little or no money. Wisdom from Silicon Valley PR and social marketing veteran and Founder Institute mentor Giselle Bisson of www.visibilityshift.com

PRESENTATION OUTLINE

Bootstrapped Growth Hacking for Startups

Gisele Bisson, Mentor, Founder Institute www.fi.co

Everyone starts somewhere.

Even Google was a startup.

Advertising is the awareness you PAY for.

Expensive.

PR is the awareness you PRAY for.

No matter how much $ you have, you can't buy it.
Photo by whatleydude

Social media is the new PR.

Free. Ubiquitous. Super viral.

This is great social marketing.

How many people probably Instagram this? 
Photo by sitemarca

It's 2020.

So don't do PR like it's 1999.
Photo by gruntzooki

Who reads newspapers anymore?

People over 55 mostly.
Photo by TheeErin

Do you see anyone reading a newspaper here?

Nope, me neither.
Photo by Ed Yourdon

You CAN get press coverage.

Even if you're a broke startup.

Marketing is a contest for attention.

How do you stand out?
Photo by Retinafunk

You can't afford this.

 Don't blow your precious seed funding!
Photo by friskierisky

Or a press conference.

Cost: $250,000 and up.

But you can afford this.

Social media is free. Use it.

Stories are like seeds.

Social media spreads them.
Photo by tom_focus

Identify your influencers.

They amplify the message for you.
Photo by Marc_Smith

Find your early adopters.

These are the champions of your buggy Beta product. 

Connect with influencers, not just customers.

Photo by mslgroup1

You're not building a Fan Page

You are building a COMMUNITY.
Photo by willozap--

Launch Strategy.

Photo by Brandy Shaul

Don't waste your resources.

With scatter shot marketing.
Photo by jessicareeder

Put all your wood behind one arrow.

Focus.
Photo by penguincakes

Be specific.

What is the one thing you want the most?

Every successful product launch starts with a dream.

Imagine what you want. Then reverse engineer.
Photo by TechCrunch

Personalize your pitch.

Do not send it to: "Dear Reviewer." or "To whom it may concern."
Photo by slworking2

Follow. Follow. Follow.

Comment and compliment.
Photo by andrewrennie

Use Social Media to IM the Press

This is how you pitch the press in 2015.

Be concise.

1 paragraph pitch. Fits in one screen.
Photo by M. Keefe

Announce what makes it new.

New feature. New market. New funding, New hires.

Use visuals

PR Web puts your visuals on Google News, Yahoo News for $100.

Be a source.

Help A Reporter Out

Notify the press in advance.

Use free Press Release Services

Hang out with influencers and press.

Make friends with them.
Photo by TechCrunch

Who are the Influencers?

Get them to follow you.

Stalk infuencers on Facebook.

I mean, follow them. 

Go to their events.

What if I can't afford it?
Photo by TechCrunch

Volunteer.

This is the best way to meet movers and shakers -- you will meet everyone!
Photo by GeoffreyC.

Pay to play press parties.

CES has this one, called Mobile Focus. 

Get the press list.

Send your NDA announcement to reporters in advance, invite them to your bo.

Tag along with a big company.

Get a partner pavilion booth. (Usually free.) 
Photo by ak37

Get a hotel suite

Much cheaper than a booth. Best if it's in the same hotel as the conference.

Borrow a badge.

Yes, startups do this. Or the whole team shares one.

Crash parties.

Yes, it's been done by startups before. Look cool. Carry lots of cards. Be ready to demo your app.
Photo by maubrowncow

Hang out in the lobby.

Surprisingly free. 
Photo by LipBomb

Case studies.

Incredible Startup Guerrilla Marketing Stunts That Worked

The Acid Launch

COMDEX 1990s. This was the beginning of digital music editing.

CyberMedia "Spring Cleaning"

How to Spring Clean Your PC. (This is the LA Times)

Hear Planet App Launch

MacWorld Expo 2008

Cafn8rx Coffee

Photobombing Comicon in San Diego

Roam the streets of London with a Polar Bear.

That's one way to get Tweeted.

Be different.

If you don't like the news....

Go out and make some of your own.
Photo by carterse

Gisele Bisson

Mentor, Founder Institute Silicon Valley | www.fi.co | @visibilityshift | www.visibilityshift.com | Visibilityshift@gmail.com

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