New Customer Acquisition for Small Startup

[emilee_tran]

Hi,

I'm a brand new member here. I'm currently working at an early-stage startup. We are an online peer to peer advisory platform for businesses. Our focus is on the execution of advice the learners get from experts. We launched our official platform recently. We have a good experts base however, we find it quite tough to get into the "learners" side.

Our target is SMEs who are looking for good advice from experts. The price is affordable since you share the financial burden amongst other peers who join the same session (maximum 8 people per session). What could be a better way to get advice? It's convenient, fun, and you get access to leading experts with just a fraction of what you have to pay for traditional consulting.

The business has lots of potential. Still, we can't seem to find the right customer yet. Or to be fair, people don't know about us. What advice would you have for us? Thanks a lot!

 

[Carl Barlow]

My advice would be to define your perfect customer then figure out where you can reach them cost effectively.

Working with lots of small businesses it sounds like you have a hard sell for 2 key reasons, firstly most think that they don't need advice so wont be actively looking for a service like yours. Secondly the ones that know they need help look to peer groups because they usually think that they aren't able to afford 'expert' opinions.

Just my thoughts on it

 

[telemax]

Hi,

I'm a brand new member here. I'm currently working at an early-stage startup. We are an online peer to peer advisory platform for businesses. Our focus is on the execution of advice the learners get from experts. We launched our official platform recently. We have a good experts base however, we find it quite tough to get into the "learners" side.

Our target is SMEs who are looking for good advice from experts. The price is affordable since you share the financial burden amongst other peers who join the same session (maximum 8 people per session). What could be a better way to get advice? It's convenient, fun, and you get access to leading experts with just a fraction of what you have to pay for traditional consulting.

The business has lots of potential. Still, we can't seem to find the right customer yet. Or to be fair, people don't know about us. What advice would you have for us? Thanks a lot!

I'm a small business? How can you help me earn more money?

 

[munaworks]

Find the most cost effective way to reach of to your target audience and gauge the demand for your service. I always think it to be a misstep to start a business without first defining and testing a clear marketing strategy.

 

[SWGlobal]

It sounds like you need to connect with federation for small business, local chamber of commerce
maybe through accountants etc. Its a tough sell but a much needed service. Can you JV with another business supplying into your market? Web developers maybe, print companies, serviced office space providers?

 

[ethical PR]

"Our target is SMEs who are looking for good advice from experts......
The business has lots of potential. Still, we can't seem to find the right customer yet. Or to be fair, people don't know about us. What advice would you have for us?"

Go back to the market research you carried out when you decided to start up your business....

• What do you know about your potential customers - demographics? consumer habits? communications channels that they use?
• What feedback did your target audience give you about your product/service and what would motivate them to buy your service?

Use this information to help you develop a marketing strategy and plan to help you reach your target audiences - promoting your services at business events, online advertising, a well optimised website, social media, direct mail, media relations, promotions, outdoor and media advertising can all work depending on your budget, the channels your target audience use and whether you have the knowledge and skills to use these channels.

 

[emilee_tran]

I'm a small business? How can you help me earn more money?

We group experts with up to 8 business owners per session. Session can be about any topic related to business. For example, how to get your first customers from Twitter, or Close at least 15% more of your leads, or Prepare your PR campaign, etc. You get to rate the experts according to the results and how well you execute the advice you get from them.

 

[emilee_tran]

It sounds like you need to connect with federation for small business, local chamber of commerce
maybe through accountants etc. Its a tough sell but a much needed service. Can you JV with another business supplying into your market? Web developers maybe, print companies, serviced office space providers?

We are in the process of making new partners with startup loans and funding businesses. We've secured one partner so far but since it's an early-stage for us, things are still pretty rough.

 

[emilee_tran]

My advice would be to define your perfect customer then figure out where you can reach them cost effectively.

Working with lots of small businesses it sounds like you have a hard sell for 2 key reasons, firstly most think that they don't need advice so wont be actively looking for a service like yours. Secondly the ones that know they need help look to peer groups because they usually think that they aren't able to afford 'expert' opinions.

Just my thoughts on it

Thanks, this is spot-on. We also realize these points so we only want to target SMEs who are actively looking for helps and advice from experts. The tricky part is to locate where most of them are, and what is the most effective medium to reach them.

 

[Carl Barlow]

Yeah absolutely, based on that I would look into 'disruptive' marketing like facebook ads, social media, possibly using things like the FSB (Federation of small business), Chamber of Commerce etc etc. I think VERY strong case studies or some sort of trial would be a good hook for your market

 

[Alan]

What I can say is it is unlikely they will be Googling for that sort of service. It is more likely they will be listening to referrals from their trusted networks of other businesses, business support groups, local councils, networking groups etc.

 

[StevePoster]

As stated above you need to have a marketing plan to reach your potential clients. You need to establish your website's services by providing interesting and engaging content for the users. Build your brand as every users will known your services.