An excellent product could market itself if it were the only option available for consumers. Unfortunately for startup founders, customers have other options...
As a creative brand strategist who transitioned from medicine to front-end web development--before pivoting to marketing--I like to think that I've been exposed to just the right amount of stimuli to inform my creative processes.
I'm like a creative powerhouse of ideas, frameworks, and processes. But all that counts for naught when one considers that my perspective of myself is not enough to convince others of my expertise or of their need for the services my company provides. And that is why I will die on the hill of creative marketing.
You see, marketing is any activity that conditions an audience to see a product or service in a particular way; then inspires them to take action. Creative marketing adds to this by using amazing multilayered strategies to help your audience perceive your product or service as valuable. Kind of like what DeBeer's did with the "Diamonds are forever" campaign during the Great Depression.
I made a thread about it on Twitter
The diamond mining company convinced middle-class Americans that a worthless piece of jewelry, namely a diamond, is a powerful symbol of love. Since then, young women have desired a diamond ring as a proposal gift.
One creative marketing campaign done decades ago has continued to influence the behaviors of multiple generations.
You're probably thinking that not everyone has the resources to pull off a large-scale marketing campaign and you're right. But that's the thing about creative marketing. It's a dynamic approach that can adjust to the peculiarities of early-stage startups.
You don't need massive funding, neither do you need to be the next big thing. What you need is for your startup to be successful. And creative marketing can give you that.
I lead a team of creatives at The Content Advocates; a brand strategy and marketing startup and we're all about creative marketing powered by proprietary frameworks.
Here's a case study of a creative marketing campaign my team executed for a company that isn't allowed to advertise its services in line with rules of professional conduct. We utilized a thought leadership campaign as a walkaround to achieve demand generation and differentiation.
You can succeed with marketing. I'm available to help startup founders chart a marketing course. You can book a meeting with me here