It’s a huge moment in the lifespan of a startup: Securing funding! And it probably took a lot of work to get there, with all those pitches, investor relations, work with the press, business plans, loan applications, crowdfunding, managing expenses along the way, and more. It might be tempting to take a breath here and rest on your laurels a bit. And while a deep breath or two is probably okay, the smartest startup leadership knows this is also a moment RICH in opportunity. It’s a moment to take action.
Here are 3 things to focus on after you’ve secured funding at your startup:
Make the most of your newsworthy moment.
Funding is a BIG deal in the startup world - it signals to onlookers that your business is viable. It says “Hey, these guys are really onto something here.” And that sentiment makes everyone turn heads: consumers, other businesses, industry peers, and competitors. Everyone pays attention. And with all this attention, your business can be a star.
Take a few key actions to capitalize on the moment of fame:
Create a strong online presence prior to making any announcements.
Make sure your website is up-to-date with key messaging and calls to action.
Optimize your website content for search engines.
Use social media to connect with potential customers and partners.
Get the word out. Go big with launch announcements in all the channels you’re active in: social media, email, blogs, LinkedIn, etc.
Have a press release ready to announce the milestone and plans for next steps
Seek out opportunities to be interviewed; try:
Befriending local publications
Guest appearing on podcasts
While you have everyone’s attention, capture them as leads!
Getting attention at your point of funding is all well and good, but this moment is a flash in a pan. The attention won’t make much of a difference if you can never get a hold of these people again. Make this moment repeatable by capturing names, numbers, and email addresses as you go. With every opportunity you can, make sure you’re capturing leads.
Make it easy for people to sign up for your email list. Add a prominent form to your website where people can enter their email address and opt in to receive your updates.
Encourage everyone who interviews you to share your website. When you're interviewed, be sure to mention your website and give the interviewer a link to share with their audience.
Make your emails easy to forward and understand. Use clear and concise language that will be easy for new audiences to understand. Include a call to action at the end of your email, such as "visit (your website here) to learn more" or "Sign up for our email list".
Include your contact information and a link to your website in all of your articles, blog posts, and social media shares. This will make it easy for people to get in touch with you and learn more about your startup.
Build a team for scale.
As your lead list grows, so too will your need for fresh marketing materials - a lot of them. This is the time to start thinking about things like:
Always-on email marketing campaigns
Lead nurture campaigns
Onboarding campaigns
Content marketing assets
TOFU, MOFU, and BOFU assets
Advertising
This is more work than most startups can handle with their pre-funding team, so it’s time to ramp up. If you’ve got budget for headcount, great, start looking for top talent that’s rearing and ready to handle the load. If budget is more limited, or you don’t have a lot of time for ramping folks who are new-in-role, an agency can be a great way to add gas to your hot smokin’ fire.
With those 3 key steps well executed, you and your team are off to the races. You’ve got a great product, you’ve got capital invested behind you, your list of admirers and supporters is growing, and you’re geared up and ready to start sending them messages. If you’re looking for more help refining your approach to marketing, we’ve got a ton of tools on our site that can aid you. And don’t forget, we’re just a few clicks away and always offer free marketing assessments.
