Content marketing is more than a blog
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The communications assets your startup needs before a launch that no one talks about
By Robin Anderson
As a startup founder, communicating what your startup does, who it’s for, and why your solution is the best available on the market isn’t the easiest thing in the world to do. Getting this piece right takes time and practice. However, it is essential to setting the stage for when you are ready to launch your product.
Basically, a start-up’s success depends a lot on how it communicates its value, passion, and uniqueness to the people within and the world outside.
Through pre-launch marketing, you will have been testing your messaging so that when you create communications at the time of launch you will know what you say is working. You will also have been testing various channels to determine the right place to reach your audience to effectively communicate your offerings. And all along the way, you will have had customers as a part of your product development process to help you know what messaging resonates and what does not.
Through pre-launch market planning, you will have confirmed:
Messaging + Communications Channel + Customers - > Ready at the time of launch
Pre-launch is where you perfected your messaging, refined your channels and developed basic communications assets in preparation for your launch. The goal is to develop sustainable communications for when you launch your product.
In addition to your core messaging, there are additional communications assets that are important to have available at the time of launch.
To begin with, it’s important to have established your messaging. This is the foundation for all your communications. The biggest benefit of having this messaging is it helps you and your team share what you do with others. Start this process early. Why? Putting a stake in the ground early, helps you to fine tune your messaging as you build your product. At the time of your launch you will be able to concisely communicate what your audience wants, needs, and why they will buy your product.
Next is your company story. The purpose of writing a company story is that it is one of the best ways to grab the attention of your prospective customers. Why you started the company, how your product solves their problem, how you are different from the competition, and your company values and goals. Your company story humanizes your brand. It gets people to trust you.
“What makes you unique, makes you successful.”
In addition to your messaging and company story, other assets that are essential include:
Prominent Assets
Press Kit
High Quality Content Assets
Data Sheets
White Papers/Thought Leadership Paper
Basic Content Assets
Newsletters
Podcasts
Videos
Blogs
Prominent Assets
Prominent assets are promotional in nature. A press kit is designed to provide fundamental information about your company to journalists. It consists of marketing materials, high resolution images, and even video clips. Include this as a separate web page on your website for easy access. This enables journalists to get the basic information they need to write about you and your product. The goal is to make it easy for a journalist to understand what you do, and why, while giving them the tools to properly promote your brand.
A basic press kit consists of a
Company Backgrounder
Who - Founders of the company.
When - When the company was started.
What - A description of your product.
Why - The problem your product solves.
Product Data Sheet or Fact Sheet
Features
Benefits
Statistics (speed tests, etc.), if relevant
Pricing
Images - High resolution images of your product and logo
Press Release for launching your product along with past coverage you have received
Contact - Who journalists can contact for additional information
High Quality Content Assets
These are assets designed to help your customers understand your product or service at a much deeper level. It’s designed to educate them about a challenging issue, provide a solution with the goal of helping move them along the journey to purchase.
Data Sheet: The purpose of a data sheet is to provide in depth information about a product. It includes the features of the product in technical terms, performance information (stats) along with the benefits and pricing.
White Paper/Thought Leadership Paper: A white paper provides much more detailed information about a topic. It is a persuasive piece that presents a problem along with a solution. The purpose of a white paper is to educate and explain about a complex issue and the methodology to solving the problem. A Thought Leadership piece is designed to establish credibility to the author based on their expertise and knowledge surrounding the complex problem and a recommended solution.
Communications Assets
Communications Assets are designed to reach and engage your audience. These assets are simply extensions of content you have already created. These include:
Newsletters
Podcasts
Videos
Blog Posts
It’s important to establish baseline communications prior to a product launch. This enables you to pursue outreach efforts which can help maximize your opportunity for exposure. Having communications assets available makes it easier for others to share your company and products, extending your voice to the world. The best part, once you create the basic pieces, you can leverage that content in the creation of additional communications assets such as your pitch deck, new blog posts, along with a multitude of social media posts.
“Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.”
Preparation is not only key, it is necessary. A missed opportunity for free promotion can be huge. Take the time to create the communications assets your company needs before you launch your product.
Need help getting your communications assets on track? Contact Us for a free 30-minute consultation!
FunFact Friday
A product launch that grabbed attention:
Towards the end of the calendar year, families in the United States tend to focus their holiday dinner purchases on turkey and ham, not chicken. To help drive demand for their fried chicken during this time of year, KFC created and launched a new product - the KFC 11 Herbs and Spices Firelog. When lit, the firelong made the space or room smell like fried chicken. This generated a ton of press - and they sold out in three hours.