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Tag Archive: marketing

  1. Branding & Communicating for Startups and Small Businesses (DREAM Series Webinar)

    When potential customers think of your business, what do they think of? Do they know how your product or service can solve their problems?

    In this free webinar presented by Pulse Marketing Agency and hosted by the Union River Center for Innovation, you’ll learn the importance of having a consistent brand for your business, how to create a brand, strategies for a strong brand, and how to communicate with your stakeholders and potential customers to create long-lasting, beneficial relationships with them. We’ll also cover free services available to small businesses to ensure an accessible and memorable brand experience across platforms. Seats are limited – register today! https://bit.ly/3JdLQVv

  2. 4 Marketing Tips for Pre-Revenue Startups

    Marketing Your Ideas: A Must for Pre-Revenue Startups

    When you’re first starting a business, marketing is probably the last thing on your mind as you’re searching for investors and developing your product or service model. However, a well-kept secret is that marketing is crucial at every stage of business, even for pre-revenue startups! While you likely won’t be ready to market to consumers, preparing informational materials for investors and potential partners is still considered marketing your business idea. To help you get into his mindset, these four marketing tips can show you how to grow your startup and reach your predefined goals while in the pre-revenue stage.

    1. Be ready to present to investors!

    In today’s digital world, you never know when your product or service might be put in front of potential investors. Keeping this in mind, be sure to have informational materials detailing your business idea, structure, market analysis, and financial projections on hand to give to potential investors or partners. Make sure you have business cards printed for the founders and senior managers of your company, and have a few collateral materials printed or available virtually, like an executive summary, to detail your product or service offerings and financial projections for investors. This way, whether it’s a formal presentation, or a random encounter with a potential investor, you’re prepared to make your pitch with supporting materials.

    1. Make sure you have an informative, professional website.

    A common misconception among pre-revenue companies is that because you may not be ready to drive consumer traffic to your website yet, you don’t need to have an online presence at all during that stage. This isn’t true! Having a website can be an enormous advantage for pre-revenue startups. Having a dedicated place that potential investors, funders, employees, partners, and office space owners can go to learn more about your business provides a professional touch while also creating an easy, streamlined experience for potential stakeholders. If you’re recruiting for funding, have a page dedicated to potential investors or funding organizations with all the information they’ll be looking for, like financial projections, market analysis reports, and product or service benefits. Be sure to use your website as a place to make your business come to life – don’t just talk about your product or service. Talk about the people behind the product, the problems that it can help your target market solve, how your offerings close gaps in the current industry, and what sets you apart from your competitors. 

    1. Invest in market research.

    While sometimes costly, market research may be the most valuable information you can come across during the pre-revenue stage. Even online surveys or small focus groups may give you a clearer picture of what your customers are looking for. Tailor the questions to the information you’re looking for or how to best serve your potential audience. For example, if you’ve already identified a market for your product, talk to those audience members to determine any gaps that may exist in the current market landscape and how your product can solve these problems. You can also take this opportunity to learn more about how to reach your audience by asking how they consume media and what channels are important to them. This way, when you are ready to go to market, you’re equipped to reach potential customers effectively!

    1. Utilize free resources!

    There are plenty of free or low-cost marketing tools available to new businesses. Some popular brands include Canva for graphic design, WordPress for websites, MailChimp for email marketing, and various social media platforms for engaging with your audience. Budget for the large expenses that you can’t do yourself, or are better done by a professional, and that will create a return on investment for your company; and give free tools a try to create marketing materials. You might be a pro!

    Looking for more resources to start or grow your business? Visit unionriverinnovation.com to learn more about our programs for startups, including a business incubator program, business affiliate program, coworking spaces, free seminars, and more. 

  3. Attracting New Customers with Inbound Marketing (Free Webinar)

    Learn how to use content to drive traffic to your website with this free webinar!

    Tired of feeling like you’re always promoting to your audience instead of engaging with them? Looking for ways to naturally lead prospective customers to conversion versus hard selling? An inbound marketing strategy might be just what you need. In this free webinar, you’ll learn how to create an inbound marketing strategy that will pull new customers in and help you retain them with compelling content.

    Join us at 11am on Thursday, June 17th on Zoom! Seats are limited, register today!

    This DREAM Series webinar is presented by Pulse Marketing Agency and hosted by the Union River Center for Innovation.

    Seats are limited, reserve your spot today! https://bit.ly/3cbpeaO

  4. Social Media Marketing: How Small Businesses Can Reach New Customers

    Reach new customers where they are – social media!

    Social media is the most powerful tool to reach a larger audience at no or little cost. In this free webinar hosted by the Union River Center for Innovation and presented by Pulse Marketing Agency, you’ll learn which social media channels are right for your business, how to reach your audience on these platforms, and how to keep your audience engaged once they’ve followed your business.

    Seats are limited – register today to receive an emailed Zoom link! https://bit.ly/3rXKfdZ

  5. Marketing on a Budget: Free & Low-Cost Solutions Webinar

    Learn how to utilize free and low-cost digital marketing solutions to increase your business’s reach! 

    Small businesses often have a tight marketing budget to work with, and this is especially the case for startups. However, this doesn’t mean you have to give up on getting your product in front of potential customers! Join us at 11am on March 18th for this free seminar that will explore strategies and tactics for running a marketing campaign on a low budget, including audience insights, effective channels, and inbound marketing. Expand your reach – register today: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/marketing-on-a-budget-free-low-cost-solutions-webinar-tickets-144218281763?aff=urci

    This webinar is hosted by the Union River Center for Innovation and presented by Pulse Marketing Agency.

  6. Marketing Moving Forward Webinar

    Learn more about effective digital strategies and best practices to drive more website visits, conversions, and online engagement.

    Get the answers to your most pressing marketing questions and learn to implement the best marketing strategies for your business! This presentation will cover free advertising options that every business should consider, paid search, social media, display and video advertising, among other digital topics.

    Join us on December 17th at 11am for a free webinar presented by Pulse Marketing Agency and hosted by the Union River Center for Innovation.

    Register today to reserve your spot and received an emailed Zoom link!

    *Please note: this is an online event with no physical location.*

  7. The Importance of Building Your Company’s Brand (and How To Do It!)

    You’ve started your new company, and you’re ready to get customers through the door. Marketing brings your audience to you – letting them explore your product and service offerings and giving you the opportunity to sell them on how your business can solve their problems, make their lives easier, or even help them reach their goals.

    The first step in marketing your startup or small business is to establish a brand. Branding is the way that you present your company to the exterior world, both visually and conceptually. More than just the shape and color of your logo and the packaging of your products, branding extends into your messaging, your voice, your product offerings, and even how you make your customers feel. Establishing a strong sense of brand awareness among your audience is imperative to ensuring that your company comes to mind when the potential customer realizes that they are in the market for your product or service. 

    What is the first thing you think of when you think of Target? Probably their recognizable logo.

    What comes to mind when you’re asked about Facebook? Likely their signature blue.

    What is most recognizable about KitKats? Their memorable slogan!

    These companies all have strong brands that communicate their product offerings, as well as their values, quickly. Your brand sets you apart from your competition, and establishes your business as reputable, trustworthy, and professional. You’ll want your brand to communicate who you are as a company, while also being a quick symbol for recognition.

    1. Start early.

    When creating a new business, it’s never too early to start building and promoting your brand. Think about what elements your logo should have – what colors make sense for your business? What icons or imagery complement your products or services? What matters most to your customers and other stakeholders? Make sure these elements are reflected in your branding.

    1. Stay consistent.

    As you’re developing your brand, it’s important to create a recognizable look and feel. To do this, make sure that your logo, colors, messaging, and other elements remain consistent throughout your website, packaging, ads, social media presence, stationery, or any other elements that reflect your brand and its distinct look and feel. Using your brand consistently across platforms allows your audience to instantly recognize your brand or product, raising the probability that you are their first thought when they become in-market buyers.

    Your logo should be used wherever possible to connect any of your content to your brand, and should not be altered. Create a list of brand guidelines, which dictate how you’d like your brand to be used, the exact colors used in your logo and in other imagery, sample messages, and more. Your brand guidelines will help your brand assets remain consistent across both print and digital avenues, especially if more than one person is utilizing your brand elements or designing with them in mind. This can even be a running document that is updated often, but should always be updated any time you change your logo, colors, or other brand assets permanently in any way.

    1. Be different, distinct, and recognizable.

    Set yourself apart from your competitors! Try to create and use logos, imagery, and colors that are different than others in your market. Even if you sell the same or similar products, you’ll still want to stand out, especially to stay top of mind for your potential and current customers. Think outside the box – what symbols convey your message or services without showing a direct picture of your product? Consider the industry you’re in, and how you help your customers. With a few brainstorming sessions, you can create a unique brand that is distinct from the rest of the market!

    Establishing a strong and consistent brand will help your business stand out from the competition, remain top of mind for your audience, and can even establish trustworthiness in your products and services. Remember to start thinking about creating your brand as soon as you’re able, remain consistent wherever your brand is used, and create a recognizable brand that can’t get confused with other companies in your industry.

    Need more information about running a startup or small business in Maine? Contact the Union River Center for Innovation today, where we’ll connect you with local business resources like our business incubator program or business affiliate program, coworking spaces, conference room rentals, and more!