Updater's Success Story
It’s been almost two years since the day I joined Updater. While this wasn’t my first startup, it was my first opportunity to grow a brand and implement a marketing strategy from its introduction to an industry. To anyone looking to join their first startup, marketing may appear to be the creative, sexy and cool side of the business (and don’t forget the perks!). But, I have a confession to share, it’s hard as hell.
Today’s consumers use multiple devices, demand instant gratification and digital personalization, but ultimately don’t want to be “sold”. I could list their needs and wants for days. However, this isn’t why startup marketing is so tricky. So, what is it?
My two biggest challenges: 1) marketing a startup requires you to be your own harshest critic and, 2) the work never ends. Sorry, but there is no light at the end of the tunnel. There’s always an email to optimize, a partnership to initiate, a line of copy to improve, and so on. As a beautiful blessing, I’m able to work on something different every day; as a horrible curse, my obsession with marketing takes over my life.
By working at a startup (particularly in NYC), you trade stable work hours for ownership and the ‘potential’ of huge gains as your company grows. As the marketing mastermind behind the success, you can bask in the glory of public recognition and the small but sweet private victories. You can stand a bit taller, puff your chest a bit larger, and fall asleep knowing that you built that from scratch. However, you absolutely must be your own worst critic.
You need to accept the fact that your product may not appeal to everyone, or be sexy – mine isn’t. Who loves moving? ... Bueller? However, a clever marketer will brand their product as convenient or instrumental and build a demand – that’s the fun part. You also need to accept that some things are just good enough. While you should always do your best to strive for perfection, sometimes there aren’t enough hours in the day. Get it out the door, move on, and improve it next time. Repeat.
Bottom line – good things don’t come easily, but when they do, it’s beyond rewarding.
My favorite piece of advice?
“If dogs don’t like your dog food, the packaging doesn’t matter.” Stephen Denny in Killing Giants: 10 Strategies to Topple the Goliath in Your Industry
My sweetest victory?
Consumers vote with their wallets. Every time Updater makes a sale, a real estate brokerage, property manager, or moving company somewhere has said, “I’m voting for this. I like this.” Each time this happens it’s a minivictory for me. Add them all up, and that’s success.
My best mentor?
My first boss, who’s now a dear friend – Erica Schietinger, VP of Corporate Communications at Chelsea Piers. She didn’t conform to norms and constantly reminded me to think outside the box. In fact, she taught me to throw away the box altogether and stand on my own.
My best piece of advice?
All gates are made to be opened. No doesn’t mean no, it just means, “not this way.”
Coolest company I met at Tech Day?
Push For Pizza. The shirts, the app, the idea – it’s a textbook example of, “man, why didn’t I think of that?!” Well done, guys.
Special thanks to Jenna Weinerman, Marketing Director, Updater