The Agile Startup: Quick and Dirty Lessons Every Entrepreneur Should Know

Do It Twice

The market has the answers, even to your advertising questions. People respond differently to messaging, so it’s hard to know exactly what will resonate with your target market. You will probably be surprised which messages resonate and which fall on deaf ears, especially when you start out.

Marketing strategy is no different than product development in that your approach should be market-driven. Experiment with different messaging and channels, and react to feedback. Listen to customers, and be on the lookout for ways to get better.

A/B testing is a great way to test your messaging. Select a channel—direct mail, for example—and send out two different ads. Be sure that you can easily tell which ad people responded to.

The trick to maximize your learning is to begin broadly. Don’t start your tests with minor differences, like colors. Instead, experiment with drastically different messaging. Only when you discover what broadly resonates with customers does it make sense to narrow in on specifics.

Even if you have years of experience, it’s impossible to know what messages and channels will resonate with your target market. Try your advertising twice, and see what sticks.

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