1. Focus on the solution, not the product
Successful startups focus on the customer and customer needs and therefore focus less on 'the product'. A model that startups regularly use to map customer needs is Value Proposition Design , from the eponymous book by Alex Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur from 2014 (aff.). In this work, Osterwalder/Pigneur provide practical tools with which companies can build or revise their value propositions.
The starting point for every value proposition can be divided into three parts:
Building insight into the 'customer jobs' (the tasks that consumers are trying to perform);
The 'gains' (which positive outcomes consumers expect from this);
The 'pains' (which negative outcomes and risks consumers try to avoid).
Value Proposition Design
An example: someone who uses a vacuum cleaner usually does this once a week (jobs); he hopes to get the house dust-free (gains); the big disadvantage of vacuuming is the time it takes (pains). With a deep understanding of customer jobs, pains and gains, companies keep a fresh look at their target group and the 'solution' they are hosptial ceos mailing list looking for. Based on this, a company can determine much better which (marketing) buttons to turn in order to recruit and retain customers.
2. Invest in online & social
Startups breathe online. The product, distribution and communication are all or partly online. When approaching customers and prospects, the buyer journey or customer journey is considered – if all goes well . There are many models that describe the customer journey. Hubspot assumes the stages: stranger – visitor – lead – customer – promoter. The marketer is tasked with attracting potential customers and guiding them through the customer journey with the right resources.
hubspot journey
Image via Hubspot
It is important to have insight into where the customer is in the buyer journey. After all, it is not very useful to talk extensively about the details of your product, if the customer does not know that you even exist.