Case studies of the top startups

Canva

Canva's early priorities were showing off social proof, template numbers, and their growth stats.
They contacted influencers and bloggers in the SME/creator world and had Guy Kawasaki as a big supporter.
Every template and design had its webpage, making them more visible on search engines and helping them grow naturally.
Canva sent friendly welcome emails to new users, encouraging them to create amazing designs easily.
They spent a lot on Facebook ads that focused on trust and happy customers.
Canva is still really good at advertising on Facebook and Instagram.
Canva's commitment to users is clear, as they offer free plans to non-profit organizations.

ClickUp

Zeb Evans, the founder of ClickUp, shares three crucial lessons that played a pivotal role in the platform's success in a highly competitive market.

The first lesson is about achieving a 'natural' Product/Market fit. They focused on creating an exceptional product with built-in viral elements.
ClickUp has achieved remarkable success with its organic content engine, generating over $12 million in monthly free clicks. This advantage sets them apart from competitors.
They excel in 'social listening' and actively gather user feedback through vibrant communities like Twitter, Quora, and Facebook Groups.

Dropbox

Made a crystal clear value proposition. Dropbox's core value proposition was straightforward and well-articulated. They emphasized their ability to securely store and share files across various devices, making file access easy for users.
Even before having a product ready, they created a landing page to collect email addresses, resulting in a massive waiting list of 70,000 signups on the first day of the private beta launch. That's also a cool tactic for early-stage online startup businesses.
Dropbox initiated a referral program that rewarded both referrers and referred users with extra storage space. This encouraged users to invite others, leading to significant word-of-mouth marketing. The "Get More Space" referral program went viral, propelling their growth by a whopping 3900% in just 15 months.
Dropbox made it effortless for users to invite others by integrating the referral program into their product. Users could invite friends via email, social media, or by generating a unique referral link.

Notion

Notion's marketing strategy is all about using content and thought leadership to engage and educate its audience. They create valuable content like blog posts, webinars, tutorials, and templates to show how their platform can solve productivity challenges.
By sharing insights and tips, Notion positions itself as a leader in the productivity space, showing users how it can help them.
Notion also relies on user-generated content and building a community. They encourage users to share their experiences and collaborate.
Influencer marketing is another key part of Notion's strategy. They partner with influencers in the productivity and organization space to showcase their platform's capabilities and benefits to a wider audience.

Calm

Over 80% of their ad spend goes to Facebook, with some investment in mobile ad networks. Instagram accounts for less than 1% of their budget. They run more than 300 creatives a day, focusing on new user acquisition.
Celebrities like Eva Green, LeBron James, and Matthew McConaughey feature in their ads.
Virality is encouraged by sharing meaningful quotes tied to meditation sessions.
Reminders prompt daily app usage and potentially increase retention.
Their future plans include Calm hotels and possibly Calm Island, a tranquil resort.

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What does marketing strategy consist of?

Market research

This involves gathering and analyzing data about the target market of your software startup company, including demographics, behaviors, preferences, and trends. Market research helps you understand your customers and competitors better. Ignoring this step is one of the common mistakes startups make.

Target audience

Define ideal customers or target audience segments. This step involves creating buyer personas that represent the characteristics and needs of your potential customers.

Positioning and branding

Determine how you want your brand to be perceived in the market. Develop a unique value proposition that sets your brand apart from competitors.
For example, if you're implementing new technologies, you can position yourself as an innovation lover, educating others on the next-gen techs and building a community of tech fans.

By the way, CGS-team is a custom software development services provider. We cover everything you need, from helping to figure out how to start an online startup, discovering ideas, and designing to development, testing, launch, and maintenance.

Marketing goals

Set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals aligning with your business objectives. These goals could include increasing sales, growing market share, or improving brand awareness.

Marketing budget

Allocate resources and budget to various marketing activities and campaigns based on your goals and expected ROI.

Marketing channels

Choose the most appropriate marketing channels to reach your target audience. This could include digital marketing (e.g., social media, email, SEO, PPC), traditional advertising (e.g., TV, radio, print), or a combination of both.

Content strategy

Create a plan for producing and distributing content that resonates with your audience and supports your marketing goals. Content can include blog posts, videos, infographics, and more.

Risk assessment

Identify potential risks and challenges that could impact your marketing strategy and develop contingency plans to address them.

Analytics

Determine how you will measure the success of your marketing efforts. Key performance indicators (KPIs) may include website traffic, conversion rates, sales, customer retention, and ROI.

Action plan

Create a detailed timeline that outlines when each marketing activity will be executed. Assign responsibilities to team members or departments and establish deadlines.

Testing

Regularly review and analyze the performance of your marketing campaigns. Use data-driven insights to make adjustments and optimize your strategy for better results.

So...

Today, we figured out the tactics and strategies of successful startups to inspire you to apply them in your online startup business. Also, we discovered in detail the steps you need to make an effective and smart marketing strategy.

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