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What type of marketing do you need to do when you start with business?
When you start a new business, I assume you have little money.
In that case, I would pick:
Content marketing
because...
– at the start, you have time > money
– the advertisement from the very beginning can feel "aggressive"
– people should first get to know what you do (who you are) before you immediately push your offer on them.
When you have money, you can add performance marketing (ads).
Use ideally both of them.
What would be your start?
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Inid Leksina
When starting out, I think a balance of content marketing and community engagement can go a long way—especially if funds are tight.
Content marketing builds trust and establishes expertise, while engaging with communities (online or offline) puts you in front of potential customers without feeling ‘salesy.’
For example, sharing behind-the-scenes content, helpful tips, or even your journey as a founder resonates more than just running ads from day one.
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@inid_leksina absolutely! content marketing + community engagement is what builds a brand. And people buy from brands they trust.
@inid_leksina yes and very rewarding as well! I love when I'm recognized IRL because of a community I built
@inid_leksina I do the same but it is a very long journey. At least months but this is a game for a long-term players :)
What are your thoughts on cold emails, Nika? Do they still hold relevance in your "starter pack"?
@hennrunnel are you referring now to Bluesky Starter Packs? :D
I think that for some sort of businesses are relevant.
E.g. if certain companies or people didn't get me know about themselves, I wouldn't be aware about their activity.
I rather prefer different type of "attracting" – like pulling in but cold emails are also the path in marketing :)
@busmark_w_nika Haha, no, it's the 'getting-your-startup-started' starter pack.
I'm torn on this. Some marketers claim that (cold) email is still the channel with the best ROI. Others argue that ChatGPT has killed cold email—now inboxes are more flooded than ever with 'personalized' outreach, and no one reads anything anymore.
Welp, the good thing is, it doesn't cost much to find out for myself! :D
@hennrunnel TBH, everytime when I "feel" dishonesty and "AI", it is end. I close the email: "Bye, Tschus, Čau" :D
@busmark_w_nika Agreed. I could do a separate spam filter for all those "Dear Jan" and "Dear [First Name]" e-mails :D
That said, even cold e-mail can feel honest if done right. One I recieved recently started with something like "This is a cold email, but the intention is sincere." This one rose above the noise.
What a differentiator, though – being honest... 🙄
If you had asked me 2 days ago, I would also said content marketing.
But today, I want to share something I saw on TikTok yesterday. A woman just launched her clothing brand, and she used printed flyers and handed them out on the street in a funny costume to get more attention.
I think it's a creative idea, but I have some doubts about how effective it is🥲
@imlindsay
1. A little bit of ecological waste
2. Too much work
BUT
1. In this online world quite unusual (so point for a kind of originality)
2. They grabbed your attention online
So it could be worth doing.
At least for awareness.
@busmark_w_nika I'd start with relevant subreddits, Quora, Facebook, and LinkedIn groups. The goal would be to provide genuine value upfront in these communities by offering helpful insights and engaging with the audience.
Totally agree! content marketing is the way to go when starting out! 🎯 It’s such a great way to build trust and show your value without feeling pushy.
Personally, I’ve read so many product-building stories here on PH and found them super inspiring. Some of them even turned me into a fan of their product—and eventually, a real customer! It’s amazing how sharing your journey can build a genuine connection.❤️
Later, pairing that organic growth with ads is like adding fuel to the fire🔥
@busmark_w_nika
Hi Nika, thanks for asking! PH is incredible for bringing all these creative ideas together and giving founders/product builders a platform to share the real problems they’re solving. it’s so inspiring!
Take Ace Studio, where AI collaborates with you to make music (used by Grammy winners!), or Coval, turning Brooke’s Waymo expertise into tools that make AI agent testing painless. Muku.ai’s AI influencer agency. Absolute standout, redefining ad creation. And Reforged Labs—fast, affordable, impactful game ads powered by AI. Genius.
Big thanks to PH for giving these ideas a space to shine and connect.
@joe_guo1 @brooke_hopkins3 @ @huynhrobert @oscarxingluo @wongderekful
Nika.. Public Relations (PR) in the form of #Storyselling is what I would recommend which operates more from an 'Earned' cum 'Owned' media and Stakeholder communications perspective.
@varun_bhagath Isn't it a little bit "hated"? I mean... lately I have seen like people do not favour with articles in mainstream media because they assume that articles are paid.
@busmark_w_nika I guess you meant 'Dated'? Well.. you don't need story selling only for media stakeholders. For early stage companies, the stakeholders are incubators, accelerators, angels and potential partners to whom your story has to be told to win them over.
As for media.. you are right. The avenues for earned media even in startup focused portals is reducing with most of them adopting a 'Pay to Play' approach. So that's where 'Owned' media (Content Marketing) would kick in.
@varun_bhagath hated and dated too :D because more and more I read comments "this is PR" – but they feel so toxic like it is better not to be in mainstream media. :D
Unscalable stuff that helps you narrow down who youre actually trying to target, before you invest in paid stuff
Talking about content marketing, I also write "blog" articles via newsletter.
If you want to see how it looks like, feel free to have a look:
https://businessandmarketing.sub...
When I started my first business, I actually found that education-based marketing worked best - creating helpful content that solved real problems for my target audience. Start by sharing your expertise freely on 1-2 platforms where your ideal customers hang out. I built my initial client base just by posting helpful tips on LinkedIn and engaging in genuine conversations.
@tjlarkin Do you know any good creators? I need to widen my circles.
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What are the goals of the marketing campaign and where are your ideal customers (ICPs)? You mentioned you are just starting a business so are you trying to validate the business or are you actually looking to convert? What kind of business? Software/services/physical products?
If I am trying to validate software and if I am hitting the right ICP (say, software engineers), then I would go to twitter and hackernews, knowing that I am not optimizing for conversion yet. If I am targeting GenZ buyers & for physical product, 100% snap or tiktok for awareness and conversion.
Start with social media management by focusing on 2-3 key platforms where your audience is active. Develop a content strategy that defines your brand voice, delivers value through tips and insights, encourages engagement, and showcases your work with testimonials or case studies. This approach builds awareness and trust while keeping costs low.
Also, I’m currently looking for a remote job in social media management, so feel free to reach out if you come across any opportunities!
Word of mouth and referrals are the most effective at the start. Focus on delivering exceptional service to your initial customers and encourage them to spread the word. Once you have some traction, ramp up your content marketing efforts to establish thought leadership and attract inbound leads. Don't neglect offline networking too - attend industry events to make connections.
I'd start with content marketing - create valuable blog posts, videos, social media content etc that attracts your target audience. Work on SEO to rank that content high on Google. Then do outreach to get backlinks from relevant sites in your niche to build domain authority. Paid ads on social and search can help boost visibility too, if you have the budget. The key is knowing your audience and creating content they want to see.