Question

Topic: Strategy

New Start Up Initial Stage Marketing Strategy

Posted by Anonymous on 12/17/2008 at 6:07 AM ET 250 Points
I'm in the early planning stages in what I hope would be a potential start-up. Basically I'm planning to set up a web portal catered to c level executives and directors. My portal will provide information on specific boardroom issues and providing the above mentioned group with the ability to network,etc.

Question is while I have a clear line of sight (in terms of ideas and plans) with regards to the mid stage marketing. I have only a smattering of an idea on how to get the ball rolling and start enticing the first few guys.. ie. What should my marketing strategy look like in the beggining stages?
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 12/17/2008 at 8:32 AM Accepted
    You need to put yourself in their mindset. What would make your portal better than LinkedIn, Plaxo, Ryze, Spoke, or even Xing? The value of social networking sites is the number of (and quality of) people already in the network. These networks already have at least 500,000 members in their group. Convincing anyone (especially an executive) to join yet another portal/networking website with me-too information will be an uphill battle (unless you have some amazing proven content, well-known pundits, etc.).
  • Posted by Paul Kemper on 12/17/2008 at 8:49 AM Accepted
    Make them share by your rules. Create research on specific boardroom topic and then have a survey around them. Publish the results and invite the attendees to join your site.
  • Posted on 12/17/2008 at 5:41 PM Accepted
    I am your target market!

    I have been a senior executive in the financial services industry and have been CEO of a number of start-ups.

    I like information that I can use. I am generally interested in checking out any tools available, but what really annoys me is being spammed by aggressive marketers! This is happening to me on AliBaba, Twitter, LinkedIn, and every other site I join. This kind of aggressive spamming ruined Ryze.

    I like having the ability to sort through lists of business service providers in order to find people I want to talk to. On the other hand, I don't normally have time to get on a site like LinkedIn and spam people. I have too much to do. Generally the spammers are not executives. They are usually inexperienced sales types.

    I would like LinkedIn but with protection from the aggressive spammers.

    One feature I really like on these sites is the 'Question Section'. I like to be able to get referrals and advice easily and often I am asking those questions in order to interview potential service providers.

    [contact info deleted by staff]

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