Nevena Ilic – TMS https://tms-outsource.com/blog TMS Blog Fri, 27 Aug 2021 14:08:10 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.8.1 Impressive startup press kit examples to use as inspiration https://tms-outsource.com/blog/posts/startup-press-kit-examples/ https://tms-outsource.com/blog/posts/startup-press-kit-examples/#respond Mon, 17 Feb 2020 10:26:30 +0000 https://tms-outsource.com/blog/?p=1860 Do you want the media to help make your company popular? You can assist by making it more accessible. Journalists will not write about something they know nothing about so they should be able to easily find the most important information about your company. Your press page is the key to successfully promoting your company. Analyzing […]

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Do you want the media to help make your company popular? You can assist by making it more accessible. Journalists will not write about something they know nothing about so they should be able to easily find the most important information about your company. Your press page is the key to successfully promoting your company. Analyzing startup press kit examples will help you do this..

An online press kit provides all the important information about you in one place, making it easy for journalists to research so this should be a priority when building a website.

When your company’s name is mentioned in a press article this is not just promotion, but free promotion. The more popular the publication which writes about you, the wider your exposure. This means a lot of clicks and views on your page, as well as new potential clients.

Learn below more about this topic in this article created by our team at TMS.

What is a press kit? What does a press kit consist of?

A press kit, press page or a media kit, is all the same thing. A media kit is a specialized page or section of your website which offers informative resources for the press. Its main purpose is to introduce them to you and your business as quickly as possible. The best kits also provide images, clips, and other marketing materials that reporters can include in their articles.

Keep in mind that those who read the kit are always in a hurry. At most, your startup press kit should be a double-sided information page, including contact information and the main details about your products or events. Build it as a call to action for all your potential clients. It is important to choose the right channel to share this kit.  Uploading it as a PDF on your website may not be enough. Use it during your own promoting campaigns – in press conferences, email campaigns, or meetings.

Press kits are no longer only sent to professional PR or communication companies. Efficient managers use it as a detailed, often digitized business card.

Your well-constructed PR kit may well help you to be featured in a popular publication. The majority of people who trust that publication will be intrigued by their recommendation. Moreover, you can later add the logo of that publication to your website, which adds to your credibility.

Best startup press kit examples

The following media kit examples are useful and efficient. Consider how they are built then use the best parts of each example to make your own.

Unitel Voice

Unitel Voice

The simplicity of the press kit from Unitel Voice is impressive. They make their conditions clear from the beginning. This shows how to refer to the company in your publication. Then they offer different types of materials and everything from raw information to photos and logo files is readily accessible.

NewsBTC

NewsBTC

The  NewsBTC (June 2018 version) press kit example is pragmatic and transparent. It shows the types of advertising the company wants to be part of. Depending on which one you choose, there is also a list of prices..

Airbnb – short and clear

Airbnb - short and clear

AirBnB is a well-known company with excellent original marketing. They present their press kit as a “Fast Facts” page, which only includes some figures e.g. 4.5 mm listings, 81k cities, 191 countries and 300 mm guest arrivals. However, these figures are impressive and easy to use.

AWeber– diversified startup press kit example

AWeber– diversified startup press kit example

AWeber’s digital press kit can be used in a variety of ways due to its proposed diversified content. The company offers separate files for media products and for text printed products including an information guide s.

Uber Press Kit

Uber Press Kit

The Uber company receives a great deal of media attention so it needs a good online press kit. However, Uber likes to keep it simple and offer only the most important basic information about the company.

Impraise – an always visible press page

Impraise - an always visible press page

The Impraise startup is also an efficient press kit example. They have three different sections on their Media kit: “Press kit”, “Logo and Brand Assets”, and “Product Screenshots”, which is convenient and well organized.

BillFixers – fixed the Media kit problem

BillFixers - fixed the Media kit problem

Billfixers have combined the “About Us” page with the press page, so journalists have everything on a single page and they don’t waste time looking for additional information.

Design Roast – a step-by-step press kit

Design Roast - a step-by-step press kit

The Design Roast press kit is presented gradually. The information in the first entry is not overwhelming providing only basic information about the company in the “About Ussection. To find more, you simply download their full media kit.

Kickstarter

Kickstarter

Kickstarter now presents one of the best startup press kit examples in the industry. As a result of constantly adapting it over time they have a well organized and useful kit.

The page is creative and not limited to raw information about their company. It may seem somewhat abstract but it gives journalists the necessary freedom to approach a given subject. This is the perfect company strategy as their upcoming 10 years old anniversary will bring a lot of attention.

BuzzFeed

BuzzFeed

BuzzFeed simply uses an HTML page to present their latest appearances in the press and their collaborating conditions. They’ve also added a section with the personal data and contact details of their members of the staff. You may also download their logos and include them in your articles.

HappyFox

HappyFox

HappyFox’s well-built press kit has only the basics. You can download the Logo & Wordmark either on white or black background. Additionally, there’s a downloadable zip file that includes logos, screenshots, photos & video links.

TransferWise – extra service

TransferWise – extra service

TranswerWise’s kit gives you an extra service with the opportunity to get in contact with and researching their Press team. They offer a downloadable press kit with teasers and previous media appearances so you can find the version of the story of TranswerWise you want to share.

OptinMonster

OptinMonster

OptinMonster’s PR kit sample is well-sectioned. Apart from the basic information, you can find footage of previous press conferences or articles. They also briefly present their staff members so journalists can readily  access all they need.

Goodreads

Goodreads

As a niche site Goodreads keeps the uniqueness of their style and remains efficient. They have adapted their company media kit to their theme and called it Book Discovery Package”. However, all their collaborations conditions are stated clearly in the kit, including a pricing list and the description of different types of promotions.

Blossom

Blossom

The Blossom press kit has interestingly dedicated an entire section to the spelling of their name which ensures that journalists will never write the Blossom name incorrectly.

Fast company

Fast company

The Fast Company media kit is definitely attractive to journalists. They state some figures in a creative, easy to use way, and offer both a printable and digital version of the press kit.

Close – additional help

Close - additional help

Close gives information, as well as demonstrating how to use it. Various screenshots of articles about the company show how to best use and download their material as PNG or EPS files.

Ending thoughts on these startup press kit examples

Remember that a press page is not only an “About Us” page. Journalists are looking for more than a text made by your marketing department. They want sincere, raw information able to be used in their own articles so they will generally avoid your About Us page and look for a specially designed press page.

However, when building a startup press kit, you should also think about other potential beneficiaries of your activity as well as journalists or influencers and bloggers. For example think about a new client, a prospective partner, or an investor. It’s equally important to build the image of a liable company through your website. You can ensure this by providing the journalists with the exact information you want them to share.

At TMS we value the exposure that benefits a business so we rely on professional services and good quality products, which are the keys to the success of your company. If you want a trustworthy partner, contact TMS, an app and web development company with extensive experience in the field.

Are you part of a startup looking for a web dev partner? Check out TMS. We’re creating amazing products.

If you enjoyed reading this article on startup press kit examples, you should check out this one about startup failure.

We also wrote about a few related subjects like startup advice, startup consultants, financial projections for startups, failed startups, Berlin startups, types of investors, share options, London startups, gifting shares, best startup books and risk management process.

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The different types of investors you could meet for your startup https://tms-outsource.com/blog/posts/types-of-investors/ https://tms-outsource.com/blog/posts/types-of-investors/#respond Fri, 24 Jan 2020 11:00:08 +0000 https://tms-outsource.com/blog/?p=1721 The first step people often think of in having a successful business is finding a gap in the market and filling it with a service or product. In reality, you need to get your business up and running before you can do this… and that requires a lot of money. Receiving investments in your startup […]

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The first step people often think of in having a successful business is finding a gap in the market and filling it with a service or product. In reality, you need to get your business up and running before you can do this… and that requires a lot of money.

Receiving investments in your startup can be a vital step to getting your business started., but securing startup funding is not always as easy as it sounds. There are many different types of investors around who may or may not be interested in your pitch, for many reasons. Business investors look for projects that they believe will be successful or match their interests or beliefs. It’s important to find a few types of investors you think you’d have success pitching to.

So, there are multiple types of investors you can get funding from. Who’s who – how do they differ from each other? What types of investors could be a good match for your startup?

In this article created by our team at TMS, will explain in more detail about some of the most popular investing types for seed funding startups:

  • Accelerators & Incubators
  • Angel Investors
  • Banks
  • Bootstrapping
  • Corporate Investors
  • Micro Loans
  • Peer-to-Peer lending
  • Personal Investors
  • Venture Capitalist

Bootstrapping

Bootstrapping is a feasible option only if you have the money to fund your own startup. In this type, you are investing in your own company. This type of investment most often happens at the idea stage when you are just starting out. You may not have a business plan or pitch yet, and for this reason, it’s hard to attract funding. Putting your own money into the company comes with a myriad of risks, but you get the benefit of complete control over your startup.

Money from bootstrapping is often used for new equipment, supplies, designing a new product or even expanding the business.

If you’re looking at funding your own business, there are different ways you could achieve this. Some people take a second mortgage on their home or borrow money from a life insurance policy. Some retirement accounts will let you borrow money, or you could establish a Home Equity Line of Credit. There are benefits and risks to each of these ways. Make sure you research thoroughly before committing to any course of action.

Banks

Banks

Banks are not technically one of the types of investors, although they can be a way to get your funding. It’s usually pretty tough to obtain bank loans for a startup or new small business. However, as you get going and start making revenue, they might allow a line of credit, business credit card or merchant advance loan for your business.

You’ll need an in-depth business plan in your hand when you head to the bank. Bring along a complete business description, which should include future opportunities you foresee for the company. The bank wants to see that you are serious about your business and have a plan to get it running. It is also vital to bring a business proposal with you, including your financial projections and an implementation plan, plus a description of what your startup offers.

Getting a loan from a bank where you’ve never been a client is harder than with one who knows you. No matter which bank you go to, you’ll need to prove that you have a way of paying back any loans and managing debt.

Sometimes the Small Business Administration will back loans as well as they have guidelines for partners to follow. Its partners include lenders, microlenders and community development organizations. In some cases, the Small Business Administration will be a guarantor for the loan, which could add leverage to your application.

SBA Microloans and Microlenders

Another of the many types of investors are those institutions who offer microloans. The amounts are generally between $500 to $100,000. The loans are generally given to those who can’t get a traditional bank loan, such as a non-profit. These loans could come from crowdfunding sites or from SBA guarantees.

Sometimes all a startup needs to really get things flowing is a microloan. It could buy you the equipment essential to your business so you can start creating products and therefore earning revenue. For example, a bakery startup cannot start making equipment without an oven (or two). The control these small business investors have is highly variable. If you want to have complete control in your startup, you’ll need to set the terms for this from the outset – in writing.

Angel Investors

Angel Investors are those who come to your aid when you’re struggling to find seed money for your startup. They are often entrepreneurial investors with their own business experience who want to help others. They will generally look for a startup that they really believe will succeed.

These types of investors have been trending lately, so most people have now heard of the term angel investor. It will often be a family member or friend of the startup owner who performs this function.

How many times can you expect funding from an angel investor? Generally, it will be a one-off monetary sum. However, sometimes they will offer ongoing financial support. This type of investor is known for offering better terms for a startup than other types of investors. This is because they want the business owner to be able to get the business up and running more than making money off their investment.

Angel investors usually need to register with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). But if they are friends or family members, they are not officially true ‘angel investors’, and may not need to register. Angel investors are usually given shares in your company in exchange for the investment. Sometimes they will not want this as they just want to make a good return.

Accelerators & Incubators

Accelerators & Incubators

Incubators and accelerators are a way of furthering your business ideas from the pre-seed stage to fruition. They provide office space, mentoring and connections. Some of the startups with the most potential could come away with seed funding. A company must be invited to participate in one of these programs.

This is a great way to access many different types of investors for startups. If you manage to get accepted into one of these, you could get between $10,000 and $120,000 in funding. With this money in your business, you could go from idea to execution and begin to get some traction in the market. So, whether you’re a bakery business or a tech startup, this is a great boost in the beginning. You’ll also have the benefit of learning from experienced mentors and the resources they provide. You may also get the opportunity to pitch to business investors with financial resources. Be ready to commit and work hard, and you could take a lot away from this kind of opportunity.

Venture Capitalists

Venture Capitalists are not unlike Angel Investors. They could also give you seed money for your startup. VCs often invest large chunks of money and can help your company become extremely successful. They can also lend credibility to your business, showing that it’s a serious company with serious potential.

They are most interested in funding startups or new business which show the most potential. Big ideas are not their forte, but the execution is. You’ll find that VCs often want a share of the company and part of the sales profits. They may even want patent rights in return for the investment. They can end up with a large amount of control over your business. You need to think seriously about how much control you are willing to give up in return for investment.

Corporate Investors

Big companies are now becoming more interested in investing in startups. It diversifies their assets and helps them find up-and-coming talent for their own business. It also gives them a way of keeping up with the volatile and changing business market by having a hand in young and trendy startups. Some are creating their own incubator and accelerator programs while others are investing in completely external startups.

Peer-to-Peer Lending

Peer-to-Peer Lending

Peer-to-peer lending is a newer, high-tech way of accessing seed funding. You can list your startup online for potential investors to see. This links startup owners with small business investors.

It’s recommended to create a business plan and outline your achievements and goals. You should also prove that you’ve conducted market research, financial projections, and market analysis for your business. It’s vital that you prove you’ve put the work in to create a functioning company. Then people may be willing to invest in what you’re doing because they believe in your vision or work ethos.

These investors will be able to see your credit history, and may only fund those with good credit scores. You can personally negotiate the interest on this investment with the peer-to-peer investor.

Personal Investors

Many startup owners begin with investments from family or friends. However, think carefully before accepting this type of investment.

While they may believe in you and your product, it’s not always a good idea to mix business with your personal relationships. The problem is that you’re not only putting your own personal finances at risk, but a loved one’s finances too. If your company fails, you could seriously hurt your friend or family member’s finances, which can cause a lot of drama in relationships.

These types of investors may not give you a lot of money. Sometimes it could range between $1,000 and $200,000. It really depends on the person and their finances. It could be a potential red flag for other investors if you cannot get those close to you to believe in your business.

Critical Components of any Startup

If you’ve read the above list of types of investors, you will see that there’s a wide range of them. While finding investors for startups is a vital step, there are other steps to take as well. Here are some other things you’ll need to do for your business:

Create a compelling website

Create a compelling website

Creating a good website is not only about the design, but the content. What is your brand voice? What kind of tone do you want to convey? It’s important that your website looks and sounds compelling because more and more customers go online to check you out before buying in person.

A good way to go about creating a fantastic website is to find a great development partner. TMS is a reliable development firm, creative and thorough. TMS partners with companies looking to expand their development capabilities. You should check us out. We’ve created some awesome products over time.

Become a private limited company

You need to register to become a private limited company. This should be done before looking for funding. You need to show potential investors that you are a real company.

Create financial projections and a financial plan

It’s critical that you have financial projects for your company, not only for investors but for yourself. This way, you can see how much you might expect to make and what your outgoing costs could be.

Find wonderful staff

Find wonderful staff

You need to find creative people you trust and believe in to have on your team. You’ll need a fantastic team to get your business up and running.

Network

Joining professional organizations can be vital to success. Use these to meet others in your field, make connections and network. You never know, you may even find a mentor or investor.

If you enjoyed reading this article on types of investors, you should check out this one about startup failure.

We also wrote about a few related subjects like Berlin startups, startup press kit examples, startup advice, startup consultants, financial projections for startups, failed startups, share options, London startups, gifting shares, best startup books and risk management process.

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London Startups That are Making a Big Wave This Year https://tms-outsource.com/blog/posts/london-startups/ https://tms-outsource.com/blog/posts/london-startups/#respond Fri, 13 Dec 2019 13:17:30 +0000 https://tms-outsource.com/blog/?p=1470 Brexit has brought a wave of both hope and fear for London, the biggest tech hub in Europe. However, the country has remained a leader, and has even shown signs of growth, despite all the talk around the UK leaving the European Union. Home of one of the biggest stock exchanges market in the world, […]

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Brexit has brought a wave of both hope and fear for London, the biggest tech hub in Europe. However, the country has remained a leader, and has even shown signs of growth, despite all the talk around the UK leaving the European Union. Home of one of the biggest stock exchanges market in the world, London is the perfect place for startups.

The city has been shaping its culture to attract even more businesses in the future. In 2019, more than 900 companies raised funding and are rising as some of the most successful startups in London.

Even with the shadow of Brexit, London’s startup scene is still thriving.

It is noticeable that many startups from the tech sector are some of the companies that received more funding this year. In this article created by our team at TMS, will discuss some of the top London startups in 2019 that are aiming for a big growth next year.

The best London startups to keep an eye on

Revolut

Revolut

Revolut aims to position itself as an online banking alternative with several innovative actions, including instant payment notifications and free international money transfers. The UK startup also launched a stock trading platform free of commissions, which allows users to negotiate stocks directly from their smartphones. Revolut is growing to become one of the best tech startups. Revolut has around 6 million users around the world and 18,000 new accounts are created daily.

Snyk

Snyk

Another one of these London startups is Snyk. It is a software that automates the process of finding and fixing errors in open-source software. Breaches are becoming more common and this security software is taking a position as a necessity for big companies to protect their code. This London startup raised $22 million and received a $100 million evaluation this year alone.

Wagestream

Wagestream

Wagestream wants to end the days where you are just waiting for the payday. This social impact tech startup developed an app that allows employees to receive part of their salary before the end of the month, for a fixed fee of £1.75.

This method is a great way to re-establish the link between work and reward. Employees can collect their pay for overtime shifts, for example, as soon as they are over, giving them better financial security.

Jaja

Jaja

Jaja is a part of the group of next-generation London startups that are disrupting the consumer finance field. According to the tech company, they created a basic credit card model, specially made for mobile. They guarantee their product to be fast, easy to use, smart and compatible with the best technology.

BlackCurve

BlackCurve

This London tech company created a price management and optimization cloud-based software. BlackCurve helps businesses grow their financial gains and promises to optimize the price of more than 1 million products. The company was founded in 2016 and recently raised £1.5m in funding.

Prowler.io

Prowler.io

Prowler.io is a UK startup focused on developing AI-powered systems for several industries. They create autonomous decision-making systems for several fields, like finance and city infrastructure. One of the top tech startups, Prowler.io has been stable on the market since 2016.

Monzo

Monzo

This UK startup created a mobile banking app that makes financial movements much easier. With Monzo, the need to physically go to a bank is suppressed. With its easy usage and transparent procedures, this platform has gained a large number of users recently. One of the best tech companies in London in 2019, Monzo is expected to grow exponentially in the upcoming years.

FiveAI

FiveAI

This tech company has been building an alternative to the urban commuter car since September 2015. FiveAI started testing their cars in 2016 in Bedfordshire. In 2018, they launched the first fully autonomous service route from Flitwick station to Millbrook. Since April 2019, they have taken their autonomous prototype to the streets of London.

Elder

Elder

Elder is the third fastest-growing company in the UK, according to Tech5. This London-based startup created an app that helps families to find professional caregivers. This allows the elderly to stay at their home for a longer time in a trustable and safe manner.

Since 2015, Elder has provided more than 250,000 days of care to those who need them.

BridgeU

BridgeU

Students who are getting ready for the university but do not know where to start can use BridgeU for that. This app gives students information on their hobbies, interests and preferred ways of learning. Based on the student’s preferences, BridgeU’s algorithm suggests institutions and courses that might be a good match for them. The software uses opinions from former students to make decisions and provide suggestions.

Snaptrip

Snaptrip

Part of the London startups scene, Snaptrip helps you to find the right holiday at reasonable prices. With this platform, is possible to find cottages all over Ireland and the United Kingdom, with a discount of up to 50%. Snaptrip was born in 2014, founded by Dan Harrison and Matthew Fox. Its ambition is to become the UK’s leading platform for last-minute breaks in private properties. The tech startup has already raised a total of $8.2 million.

Starling Bank Founded in 2014, this UK startup created a mobile-only bank software. In a recent funding round, it has raised more than £75 million and plans to double its workforce in 2020. The main areas for which is hiring are engineering and customer service, according to LinkedIn.

Distributed

Distributed

This workforce platform helps digital businesses to deliver faster and better results.

Created in 2017, the software uses machine learning to connect companies to ‘Elastic Teams’. These remote workers can perform digital tasks, without the need to scale the company’s internal team.

ITCH

ITCH

This tech startup is all about pets. ITCH’s first product is a flea subscription service, renovated every month, created with the help of veterinary experts. This service helps people with pets to easily prevent and treat flea infestation problems without leaving their houses. The company is currently working on other pet products, such as personalized products for animals’ skin, joints, and teeth.

Tandem

Tandem

Tandem’s mission is to free its users from stress-related issues that can occur with money and financing. It creates an easy way to manage banking and finances, even for those who are not used to dealing with these subjects.

Diffblue

Diffblue

Diffblue was created to make the life of developers easier. This London-based company was founded by AI experts from Oxford University. The software automates all the basic coding tasks. like writing tests, fixing bugs and code refactoring. The company is still growing and it continues to create products to improve the productivity of software engineers. It makes their life easier through the help of machine learning and AI processes.

Cytora

Cytora

Cytora helps insurers to deliver reasonable prices to their customers. The AI system learns risks of patterns over time and is able to predict situations based on those patterns. Created in 2014, the UK startup recently raised £25m in a funding round led by EQT Ventures. It had the participation from Cambridge Innovation Capital, Parkwalk, and angel investors. Among its customers, we can see Axa and Starr.

Chatterbox

Chatterbox

Chatterbox was created to help refugees, by sharing their native language skills with learners. This app connects learners with language natives to promote conversations and learning sessions. By using Chatterbox, refugees can earn a living wage, gain more confidence and invest in their professional future.

Sharegain

Sharegain

This company has gained its positions among the top tech companies in London. It created an app that opens the global securities lending market to current people. They aim to “democratize the securities lending market with Fintech.”

TransferWise

TransferWise

TransferWise allows people and businesses to transfer money abroad without any hidden charges.

This B2C startup had an impressive growth from a team of 2 founders to a business with more than 1,000 employees. It was created by Kristo Kaarmann and Taavet Hinrikus in 2010 and has more than 4 million users. A true unicorn among the London startups.

WorldRemit

WorldRemit

WorldRemit a competitor of TransferWise. This company owns an online platform that allows its users to make free international money transfers. Most used by immigrants and expats who wish to send money to their families abroad.

Babylon Health

Babylon Health

This tech company revolutionized the health system in the UK, having worked with the National Health Service. The platform allows patients to have video consultations with their doctors and uses AI to give a quick diagnosis based on symptoms.

Babylon is an estimated value of $2 billion, after a $550 million investment made by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.

LabGenius

LabGenius

LabGenius is a startup that is creating the world’s first autonomous scientist. This is being done with the help of a group of biologists, data scientists, and automation engineers. They are creating a system that uses AI to predict which mutations have the right biological design. This will allow for a more effective generation of antibodies and enzymes for the treatment of diseases or for industrial purposes.

Cortexica

Cortexica

Cortexica is a London-based startup that acts in the field of image research using Artificial Intelligence. It holds in its portfolio a Computer Vision, image recognition and research solutions. It also offers industry-specific consultancy. Their algorithm continues to develop to provide the latest responsive vision AI software.

CognitionX

CognitionX

CognitionX builds the bridge between companies with specific problems and AI specialists who are able to solve them. This London startup, founded by Charlie Muirhead and Tabitha Goldstaub, is an advice marketplace, targeting AI issues and queries. The two founders had the idea for the company after struggling with finding the right data science information they needed.

Kinteract

Kinteract

Kinteract is a learning app targeted toward students. This app is also built to allow parents and teachers to track the students’ progress across projects.

This app is also connectable to other popular teaching apps, gathering all the important information for easy access. The goal is to create a personalized learning journey, from the early stages of school to the university years.

Daye

Daye

Daye’s pioneer product is a tampon that uses CBD to help women dealing with period cramps, in alternative to traditional painkillers. CBD is an extract derived from the flower of the industrial hemp plant, a legal part of marijuana that does not contain THC. This product was designed with the help of doctors and has gone through rigorous tests.

Hadean

Hadean

Founded in 2014, Headean is a cloud-based operating system that allows developers to write, ship and scale applications. The London startup has recently raised £7m with help from several companies

BenevolentAI

BenevolentAI

BenevolentAI is a tech startup that is applying AI and machine learning to genomics. It has two branches: Benevolent Bio is focused on drug discovery. BenevolentTech, more focused on researching applications of AI to genomic data.

Formula E Holdings

Formula E Holdings

This company is one of the top startups developing electric vehicles. They created the first fully electric,single-seater category in motorsport. They are now bringing its electric car series to capital all around the world, including Hong Kong, Rome, Paris, Zurich, and New York. They are always on the look for innovative and curious people who value sustainability.

Phrasee

Phrasee

Phrasee is a software that uses AI to create a marketing-focused copy. Its customers include The Times, Superdry and Domino’s. The algorithm analyses engagement results from previous campaigns and generates content for several formats. The company was born in 2015 and recently raised $4 million (£3 million) in funding led by Albion Capital.

Karakuri

Karakuri

This company created a robot, Marley, measuring 1.5 by 1.5 meters, composed of an arm and 12 ingredient dispensers. The robot can serve nearly 120 personalized meals per hour. Each meal can be customized according to portion size and nutritional indications.

Marley is an advancement in the field of low-cost robotics and can revolutionize the fast-food market. In May of 2019, the startup received a £7m investment.

Hostmaker

Hostmaker

Hostmaker is a top technology startup in the field of managing home rentals created in 2014 by Nakul Sharma and Deepti Patankar. The platform allows homeowners to discover the true potential of their properties. The platform is already being used in cities all over the world, such as Rome, Barcelona, Paris, Florence, and Bangkok.

ZenCargo

ZenCargo

ZenCargo is on a mission to simplify the logistics of the shipping industry, valued on multi-trillion-dollars. The startup has digitalized all the processes related to shipping, getting rid of all the pen, paper and fax machines involved. With the platform, shippers can now receive prices and make online bookings in just a few minutes. All the shipment documents and bills can be managed on the cloud.

11:FS

11:FS

The company 11:FS allows its employees to choose how and where to work. This is another company featured on LinkedIn’s index. It believes that a digital change is needed to improve banking systems and services. The company looks for people with passion, authenticity, and restlessness who wish to join its team.

Kopernio

Kopernio

Kopernio developed a browser add-on that helps to speed up research by cutting through paywalls and logins. It allows to legally download full documents with just one click. All the articles that are downloaded are kept in a safe “locker” for later reference, allowing for users to export references as needed.

Clarivate Analytics, a former division of Thomson Reuters, acquired Kopernio in 2018. The add-on is now part of its Web of Science Group.

Peak.ai

Peak.ai

Peak.ai is a pioneer in AI solutions for data analytics’ services, with a focus on businesses growth, using their data solutions. Peak is one of the 25 fastest-growing tech companies, according to GP Bullhound. It is one of the only 14 companies holding Amazon Web Services (AWS) Machine Learning Competency status. The startup engineering team is very skilled and creates data management services using Artificial Intelligence and machine learning.

what3words

what3words

what3words has changed the way we view location. The software divides the globe into 3m x 3m squares, each of them with a 3-word address.

Vidsy

Vidsy

Vidsy is a platform that gathers a network of more than 5,000 video-makers across 70 countries. The creators produce quality video ads for brands such as Sky, L’Oreal, and Vodafone, among other ones. The brands receive not only a video but several ones so they can test the best one. The platform also gathers performance data to get information on whether the ads are effective or not and ideas for future campaigns.

Nivaura

Nivaura

Nivaura creates digital investment platforms that ensure compliance for banks and financial institutions. Created in 2016, the startup recently raised $20m in a funding session organized by the London Stock Exchange Group and with several participant companies.

Forward Health

Forward Health

The last of these London startups mentioned in this article is Forward Health. It is a communication platform for health and care teams. It helps the teams to work more effectively together, with the optimization of old communication techniques. The platform potentiates the way things are done in the health services, resulting in a promotion of better care for patients.

If you enjoyed reading this article on London startups, you should check out this one about startup failure.

We also wrote about a few related subjects like share options, types of investors, Berlin startups, startup press kit examples, startup advice, startup consultants, financial projections for startups, failed startups, gifting shares, best startup books and risk management process.

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How to Pitch an App Idea Even if You’re Not the Wolf of Wall Street  https://tms-outsource.com/blog/posts/pitching-an-app-idea/ https://tms-outsource.com/blog/posts/pitching-an-app-idea/#respond Thu, 15 Aug 2019 14:44:47 +0000 https://tms-outsource.com/blog/?p=993 We’ll show you how to sell your app idea and get investors to compete with each other to invest in your app.

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Hello John, how ya doing today?

You mailed my company a postcard a few weeks back requesting information on penny stocks that had huge upside potential with very little downside. Does that ring a bell?

Okay, great. The reason for the call today, John, is, something just came across my desk, John. It is perhaps the best thing I’ve seen in the last six months. If you have 60 seconds, I’d like to share the idea with you. You got a minute?

The name of the company, Aerotyne International. It is a cutting-edge high-tech firm out of the Midwest awaiting imminent patent approval on the next generation of radar detectors that have both huge military and civilian applications.

Right now, John, the stock trades over-the-counter at 10 cents a share. And by the way, John, our analysts indicate it could go a heck of a lot higher than that. Your profit on a mere $6,000 investment would be upwards of $60,000!

Investor: Jesus! That’s my mortgage, man.

Exactly. You could pay off your mortgage.

Investor: This stock will pay off my house?

John, one thing I can promise you, even in this market, is that I never ask my clients to judge me on my winners. I ask them to judge me on my losers because I have so few. And in the case of Aerotyne, based on every technical factor out there, John, we are looking at a grand slam home run.

That’s how the wolf himself, the infamous Jordan Belfort, sold 40,000 shares of a company the investor had never heard of — in just under two minutes.

selling an app idea

Do you become a Wolf of Wall Street when selling your app idea to potential investors?

Probably not, and the good thing is: you really don’t have to!

While Belfort’s exceptional sales skills brought him a lot of success — and got him into a lot of trouble — selling an app idea to experienced investors requires a completely different skillset.

Many excellent ideas never get investment.

Because you never sell the idea, you always sell the execution.

When it comes to pitching, preparation is the key. We’ll show you how to sell the execution and get investors to compete with each other to invest in your app. After reading this guide, you’ll have all the necessary skills to dominate your pitch and enter the exciting world of startups.

Before You Even Consider Contacting Investors

The first thing you should do, before you even start to think about presenting your app idea, is to make sure that the idea is worth pitching.

When we come up with a fascinating idea, many of us start to dwell on how amazing the idea is without really taking an objective look at it. We also forget that for every good idea, there are literally hundreds of other ideas floating around that are interesting, exciting, and clever.

These ideas might attract momentary attention, but you should aim for good ideas.

A good idea is creative and can realistically make a considerable improvement on the way things are done. Basically, a vital component of a good idea is execution. Always keep in mind that many interesting ideas fall apart when people start thinking about execution.

To determine whether your idea is pitch-worthy, ask yourself the questions you think a person listening to your pitch might raise.

  • Does your idea offer a new, creative solution to an existing problem?
  • Or is it an upgrade on an existing solution?
  • Is the problem it’s solving so pressing that the solution will be profitable?

Be prepared to explain why you are the right person to oversee the development and implementation of this idea.

Your Idea’s Scope

You have to consider the scope of the idea when crafting your pitch.

If your idea is complex and revolutionary, or if a large sum of money will be needed to implement it, then your pitch must be comprehensive and detailed. Ideas have different levels of complexity to be considered.

Scott Berkun provides a rough outline of the scale of project scope:

  • A small adjustment to an existing feature
  • An improvement to an existing product or service
  • A huge new aspect of an existing product or service
  • A completely new but small project
  • A completely new but complex project
  • A philosophical or directional change to an organization
  • A new organization
  • A new planet or galaxy (colonizing Mars anyone?)

Once you’ve pinpointed where your idea’s scope falls on this scale, take a look at how other people have pitched their ideas of comparable scope. Learn from their experiences!

How successful were they? What sorts of challenges and objections did their pitches face? How did they overcome them?

Do some research on industry standards for the type of pitch you’ll be doing. Talk to people who have already pitched in your niche and ask them for insights and advice.

Different Versions of Your Pitch

You should rehearse three versions of your pitch:

  • The 5-second version
  • The 30-second version
  • The 5-minute version

The shortest version of your pitch is commonly referred to as the elevator pitch. Essentially, your elevator pitch should contain a single distilled definition of your idea. Keep working on your idea until you can express it in one concise sentence.

In the other two versions, you are simply elaborating on the elevator pitch. The 30-second version should either explain your execution plan or elaborate on a couple of crucial features of your idea.

Remember, the idea is for your listener to have a better understanding of your idea and proposal.

The 5-minute pitch flows organically from the 30-second version, which in turn flows from the elevator pitch. The 5-minute pitch should cover all of your bases. However, if you’re not able to inspire interest with the first two versions, chances are that no one will listen to your longest pitch.

The Pitch Deck — and Why You Need It

Most people use a pitch deck when presenting to potential investors or partners. A pitch deck is a brief presentation of a business plan made to be more absorbable to potential investors and it is usually presented in PowerPoint. Your pitch deck should include the following:

  • Introduction: Who are you and what are you offering?
  • Team: Introduce people involved with the idea and their job titles.
  • Problem: This is the problem your idea is going to solve.
  • Advantages: What makes your idea so special?
  • Solution: Describe how you’re going to solve the problem.
  • Product: Show an example of how your idea functions.
  • Traction: How much success have you had so far?
  • Market: Size of the market.
  • Competition: Who are you in competition with?
  • Business Model: How is your idea going to generate profit?
  • Investing: How much money do you need to get the idea off the ground?
  • Contact: Share your contact details.

Take a look at Airbnb’s amazing pitch deck for inspiration!

Don’t Go Without a Prototype

A picture is worth a thousand words. Which is why you should try to have a prototype ready.

A prototype shows that you’re committed to your idea. It also helps people understand how the app looks and works.

Don’t worry if you have no experience with building prototypes. TMS provides amazing App Development Services.

Know Your Market Size

Potential investors want to be sure that the market is large and/or expanding and is in need of the solution your app offers. In your pitch, present accurate data from reliable sources on the following aspects of your target market:

  • The size of the entire market. Total Available Market (TAM) refers to the entire market demand for a product or service. Be reasonable with your TAM numbers because no one will believe you if you start talking about hundreds of millions — even if it’s a killer idea.
  • The growth of TAM over the past several years.
  • The number of prospects or potential customers you can reach with your marketing campaigns. Another name for this is Serviceable Available Market (SAM).
  • The projected revenue per customer. How much will your customers pay in the beginning? Make sure you talk about package pricing.
  • Expected cost per acquisition: the total cost to acquire a customer.
  • The number of potential customers, also known as Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM).
  • The point here is to prove to the investor that your assumptions are reasonable, that you have put a lot of thought into your idea, and that there is a way that the investor can make a profit.

tam sam som

source: toptal.com

Be conservative in your market analysis; don’t go after an extremely large market. Keep in mind that Uber started out operating in only a few states before growing exponentially.

Study the Competition

You have to convince your listeners of your app’s competitive advantage. How does your app stack up against the competition?

Ask yourself, “Why would someone want to download this app?” Convince your listeners that this app will be the best in its niche.

Are there any drawbacks to your app? If so, how do you plan on overcoming them?

It’s very likely there are other applications that provide similar solutions to what you’re proposing. Therefore, research your competition and find out how similar ideas are panning out in the app market.

This means that you need to conduct a sweeping search of similar apps. Go through all categories related to your own idea and pay close attention to the apps with a large number of downloads. Look at their ratings and user reviews; gauge their popularity with users.

If your idea is more of an upgrade on an existing solution rather than an entirely novel idea, then look at release dates of the latest version updates. This is important because when they become out of date, then your idea can offer an enhancement that complements existing trends.

By doing homework on your competition, you’ll be able to make a reliable prediction on your expenses and the number of potential users. Have those numbers memorized because no investor will even entertain your idea if you can’t produce them.

Monetization

The people you’re pitching to want to know what kind of pricing model you will adopt. After all, they are listening to your pitch because they want to make money. There are four main options for making money on apps:

  • Direct Monetization: the user pays to download the app.
  • Freemium Model: the user downloads and uses the app for free. They have access to basic functionality of the app but they have to pay for upgrades.
  • Advertising: the app makes a profit from ads it displays.
  • Indirect Monetization: the app doesn’t directly make profit, but it generates revenue for companies indirectly by attracting traffic to websites and by increasing sales or brand awareness.

Tips from Startup Investors

Listen to startup investors and take down their insider tips.

Alex Kenyeev, President of O’Leary Ventures, who invests in fast-growing companies, has some extremely helpful tips for budding entrepreneurs:

  • Be specific. Avoid using word salads; nobody wants to listen to unnecessary jargon and cliches. Present your angle and state clearly how your idea is different from the rest. If you are vague, the investor might think that’s because there is nothing there to be specific about.
  • Pitch the deal, not the business. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the investor. Give some thought to how investors will get their money back and under what terms. Are you going to exit? Will you start paying dividends down the line? Investors won’t feel comfortable if you don’t take their perspective into account.
  • Be authentic. Avoid making grandiose claims, like asserting that you have no competition and that your idea is flawless. We all have gaps and make mistakes. For example, an investor might point out that your team needs a strong technical employee. You should acknowledge this fact and outline the steps you’re taking to make that happen. Investors will love this, because so many people never own their mistakes and needs.

Alicia Syrett is the Founder and CEO of Pantegrion Capital LLC, an angel investment organization focusing on seed and early-stage investments. It has invested in Nomad, MightyWell, and Enerknol, among other successful ventures.

Syrett says that in order to make a successful pitch, you need to:

  • Avoid being too salesy. Don’t try to apply pressure on your investors by saying they only have this one chance to invest in this one amazing idea. It’s gimmicky, and it won’t go over well. Just be authentic and credible.
  • Don’t say there’s no competition. Talk about your competition, be honest, and outline your idea’s competitive advantages.
  • Give them an investment pitch, not a product pitch. Very often people will talk about the features of a product as if they are trying to sell it to investors. The investor wants to understand the idea holistically, due diligence is the time to talk about features. During the pitch, talk about the market size, your marketing plan, your team, and the investment opportunity you’re offering to your listeners.

These tips will certainly improve the quality of your pitch and you’ll come off as an investable entrepreneur.

Ways to Find Investors

If this is the first time you’re pitching an idea, you should look for ways to expand your network. Perhaps you went to business school and had a well-connected professor. Or maybe some of your former classmates have started successful businesses related to your idea? Go and pitch your idea to them.

When looking for investors, you can use websites like meetup.com to find events that host investors looking for business opportunities.

You can also search for a local angel investor if you live in a big city. Chances are there is an angel investor association in your area or country.

Also, log on to Angel List, where Angel investors look for opportunities online. This website gives you a rundown of each investor’s average deal size, past investments, and areas of interest.

It also allows you to find investors based on various search criteria such as location, markets, and even the university they attended. Be sure to use this great resource to find information about your investors.

Or you could simply cold-email potential investors you think might want to listen to your pitch. Many articles, blogs, and market reports include the names of investors.

Once you’ve identified some potential listeners, send them an email. You’d be surprised how effective cold emails can be in attracting angel investment. Investors as well known as Mark Cuban, for example, have been known to make investments based on cold emails.

Also, once you start meeting other investors, ask them for referrals even if they don’t end up investing in your idea. Investors will often want to help, and maybe they know someone who’d be interested in investing.

Who You are Pitching to- Research Your Investors

You should tailor your pitch to each investor, emphasizing on certain aspects of your pitch depending on their interests. Take into account their previous investments and the size of their investments. Essentially, you are not only selling your idea, but yourself to the investor. Try to create a rapport with them.

For example, let’s say you have an idea for a fitness app, and you know that your investor has already invested in a similar app that failed.

Use this knowledge to discuss how your idea will overcome the factors that caused the previous app to fail. Talk about the new, unique features that will make your idea a success where the other app was not.

The point here is to make sure you do your homework on potential investors before you pitch your idea to them. Think about the following four questions when selecting people to whom you’re going to pitch:

  • How active are they with their portfolio companies?
  • In what kind of industries do they typically invest?
  • Do they only invest in certain geographic areas?
  • What is the average size of their investment?

Thinking about these questions will make your pitch more effective and your experience much more rewarding!

Test Your Pitch

Practice makes perfect. Find smart people and practice your pitch on them. Use their feedback to improve your pitch and sharpen your presentation skills.

Also, by practicing your pitch before the actual presentation, you’ll have a better understanding of the kind of questions you can expect potential investors to ask.

Conclusion

If you’re well prepared, you have a good idea in which you truly believe, and you present it in a calm and confident manner, then you’ve done the hardest part. If your listeners think that your idea is worth an investment, then you should know what the next step is. Have a response ready if they ask you, “How should we move forward?”

If your pitch fails to convince investors, on the other hand, then make sure that you understand why. Use failure as a learning opportunity to help you improve your pitching skills.

Investors often don’t actually invest in ideas, but in people. Investors want to see hunger in your eyes — the kind of hunger that shows you are prepared to do what it takes to turn your idea into a business that will be worth millions of dollars.

You’ll significantly increase your odds with potential investors if you have mastered your numbers and display passion and commitment in your pitch.

If you need any help covering the technical or business aspects of your app idea let’s have a no-strings-attached conversation.

 

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TMS Outsource Named Top Software Developer by Clutch https://tms-outsource.com/blog/posts/tms-outsource-named-top-software-developer-by-clutch/ https://tms-outsource.com/blog/posts/tms-outsource-named-top-software-developer-by-clutch/#respond Tue, 16 Jul 2019 13:18:30 +0000 https://tms-outsource.com/blog/?p=926 Need a mobile or desktop app? Need custom software to set your business apart? Well lucky for you, we are crafting web and mobile apps and custom software products which bring your business revenue and recognition. TMS Outsource has a vast amount of experience working in developing large-scale applications and creating solutions with large amounts […]

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Need a mobile or desktop app? Need custom software to set your business apart? Well lucky for you, we are crafting web and mobile apps and custom software products which bring your business revenue and recognition.

TMS Outsource has a vast amount of experience working in developing large-scale applications and creating solutions with large amounts of data and high-level security. We offer app development solutions to companies that need to scale up their business yet remain productive and cost-effective!

But why should you trust us with your development needs? Well, we have been ranked on Clutch, a ratings and review platform, as one of the top software developers in Serbia. 

But that’s not all, according to The Manifest, we are also one of the top development companies in the world. 

Thanks to all of our clients who have worked with us and helped us earn some amazing titles- our success would not be possible without you.

We recently received a 5-star review from a virtual mailing company we helped with web app migration and updating! We migrated the frameworks for two web-based apps from AngularJS to ReactJS. 

We moved the internal app into a native environment and we are continuing to build the platform on Electron.

The CEO of the company has said we are communicative, honest, and engaging! 

They really wanted developers that were going to become an extension of their own staff-and we gave them just that. The outcome of the ongoing project is showing that!

“Their team views working relationships long-term, which is difficult to find. A lot of times, companies are more focused on profit and gaining more customers but TMS Outsource has sacrificed some of their short-term gains to support long-term engagement. They’re willing to make compromises.” – CEO, VirtalMailPost 

The virtual mailing company is just one of our many happy clients and one of our many successful software projects. 

We are so honored to be receiving such amazing titles from so many different platforms- and we certainly plan to continue producing award-winning work!

Shoot us a massage and get a free consultation, to learn what we can develop for your company and help you succeed. 

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The go to marketing strategy a SaaS executive needs to follow https://tms-outsource.com/blog/posts/the-go-to-market-strategy/ https://tms-outsource.com/blog/posts/the-go-to-market-strategy/#respond Tue, 02 Jan 2018 12:30:50 +0000 https://tms-outsource.com/blog/?p=488 GTM strategies, also known as go-to-market, represent a set of actions that businesses should follow in order to gain a competitive advantage. Reaching target customers can be a complex task if the proper action plan is not adopted.

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GTM strategies, also known as go-to-market, represent a set of actions that businesses should follow in order to gain a competitive advantage. Reaching target customers can be a complex task if the proper action plan is not adopted. A go-to-market strategy is supposed to dictate how a product will be delivered to the customers while analyzing all the factors that might influence the outcome. GTM strategies are not the same as business plans since they are less broad. They focus on one particular target only, while business plans cover all business goals.

It is important to define a marketing strategy before getting into detail regarding GTM. A marketing strategy is supposed to help companies decide what to sell and to whom. There are some boundaries that need to be respected in this sense so that the organization reaches the goals that were previously set.

Marketing deals with developing a product, communicating with suppliers and customers, and using the proper tools for selling, as a web app. Check out the TMS website if you need any help setting up a web application.

Table of contents

  • Defining go to market strategies
  • The purpose of GTMs
  • Developing a GTM – steps and components
  • Where you can use GTM strategies?
  • Building a go-to-market plan from scratch
  • Product timeline in GTM strategies
  • Selecting an audience
  • A go-to-market strategy template you should analyze
  • Outlining the distribution model
  • Go to market models to keep an eye on

Defining go to market strategies

Depending on each business’ goals, GTM strategies can be molded accordingly. Because they are strategic action plans, they contain clear steps that must be followed in a certain direction. The direction differs from one company to another, based on what the owner desires to achieve. The most popular directions are entering the market, launching products or services, or bringing a forgotten company to life.

A go-to-market strategy framework is similar to regular marketing plans, but it covers only one specific purpose (e.g. product, market, relaunching, etc.). Normal marketing plans refer to the business’ overall profitability.

The purpose of GTMs

The companies that select go to market strategy usually want to launch new products while having a competitive advantage on their side. When competition is strong, targeting the audience correctly and following the proper steps to successfully launch a product is paramount. Well, GTM covers exactly these two goals to establish their products on a new market. Common companies that devise go-to-market strategies are the ones working in cloud services or service-oriented businesses in general.

Developing a GTM – steps and components

As mentioned before, GTM strategies are narrower, which means that research is mandatory to clearly define a market. In order to launch a very specific product or service, one must know what customers desire. This is the first step in launching a GTM strategy. Detecting sales prospects and targeting potential customers for the product represent the initial phases of a GTM strategy. Defining the ideal buyer for the respective product or service is the next step of developing a go-to-market plan.

Next, GTM strategies analyze what benefits the company will receive once the business goals are met. If everything goes as expected and the targeted potential customers turn out to be real customers, the strategy reached its purpose. Before that, go-to-market plans must include a very clear pricing strategy for each step involved.

The pricing strategy can be quite difficult to set, considering that products or services can change in time or economic events can occur. GTM strategies that involve subscription-based pricing are usually the first choice of businesses.

Where you can use GTM strategies?

The characteristics of a GTM strategy vary from one state to another. Some regions can be trickier when it comes to applying a go-to-market strategy, as there might be a delay in aligning to a certain market. Some states involve dedicated approaches that can only be used in that region (e.g. Germany, Spain).

There are certain industries that definitely require go-to-market strategies. In several cases, pro-users can select GTMs for their products, as well as bigger enterprises. It is a scalable strategy that can apply to multiple segments and markets.

Building a go to market plan from scratch

In order to build a good go-to-market plan, one must analyze what approaches can be applied. The four main approaches can be described as follows:

Penetrating approach

By choosing this approach, companies focus on increasing the quantities sold to an existent market. It involves almost no risks, because the product is already launched, and the market is already contoured and researched.

Expanding approach

This approach involves more risks because it is focused on an entirely new market. To make an existent product or service reach success on a new market, you must analyze it from all points of view and calculate each step of the go-to-market plan.

Innovating approach

In this situation, you already know your existing market well, but you want to innovate what you are selling. This approach involves launching a new product in a market you already know very well.

Aggressive approach

This is the riskiest approach of them all, but it can also turn out to be the most profitable one. The aggressive approach involves selling an entirely new product on a new market that you don’t know much about at the moment. In order to guarantee success for this approach, one must understand both the pains and gains of the market and the values of the product launched.

Product timeline in GTM strategies

Once you’ve selected the approach and analyzed the situation of your business properly, you should come up with a complex timeline that is constituted of the evolution stages of a product or service. Depending on the development stage of your business (ranging from startup to big enterprise), the timeline will differ. The lowest period of time dedicated to planning a product is 1 year, and the maximum one is 5 years.

The timelines can suffer changes during each quarter of the financial year. When this timeline suffers changes, documentation and argumentation must be provided in this sense. The documentation includes information such as the price desired for the product, how many competitors have the same product, where is the product positioned in terms of competition, market focus, desired revenue coming from the product, and so on. The documentation should end with a project introduction plan that will later be implemented.

Selecting an audience

Selecting an audience is a task that needs to be assessed very early in the marketing process. Learning who are the people you are going to sell your products to is not that easy either. Understanding the situation of your business and finding differentiated ways to push your product to the market is essential at this point. Communicating your product proposition to people must be done wisely, after a careful analysis of the targeted audience.

A go to market strategy template you should analyze

In this template, you will learn what is the best method to create a GTM strategy that will work great for your company. This is a generic template that can be adopted by companies working in any domain, but it should be noted that subjectivity will always alter the final go to the market template. Whenever changes are required in the GTM strategy, they should be immediately implemented to solve issues that may appear in the future.

Gathering and analyzing data

There are multiple stages in finding the necessary information related to the company, market, and products. The first stage is represented by product definition. During this stage, one must identify any problems that may occur when launching a product, along with the appropriate solutions for these problems. The second stage consists of setting several objectives for a specified timeframe, ranging from 6 months to a few years. The process continues with identifying the target audience and defining the new or existing market. During this stage, numbers are very useful to determine to buy power and the behavior of the supposed target market.

Next, one must identify the trends in a market, assessing the competition. This stage is also known as competitive intelligence and it refers to analyzing the competitive landscape. One should also predict how the competition will react to a new launch. The last two stages consist of finding the distribution options that suit the project the best and testing the market in order to obtain the first feedback in this sense.

Creating the GTM strategy

The components of a go-to-market strategy can vary, but most GTMs are created following a series of steps. First of all, entrepreneurs must answer two paramount questions: what the purpose of the market strategy is and what results are expected after implementing it. After these questions are answered, the market strategy can be defined in terms of strategic objectives, which were previously set. This stage involves making a value proposition, positioning the product among other choices, selecting the message that needs to be delivered, and choosing a sales model.

Next, one should decide on a pricing strategy that fits the research. Then, the sales tools, the client acquisition approach, and the support for selling the product should be defined. The process continues with determining all the service support details. A Customer Relationship Management system should be either bought or created to encourage customer communication. The appropriate support should be offered to clients, as they might not know how to use the product or service you are offering.

In order to engage clients in buying and to gain their loyalty, an approach needs to be selected in terms of nurturing and strengthening customer relations. Finally, the satisfaction of the customers should be tracked during the whole process.

The product timeline or roadmap has to be created based on developing queue support and selecting an effective feedback system so that future upgrades can rapidly be communicated to all customers. The next stage involves external marketing. The recommended approaches are branding, lead generation, creating quality content, link building, a responsive website, and organizing events.

For advertising and Public Relationships, good external communication should be established, while assessing the resources dedicated to this sector. Internal marketing has to do with constantly updating employees regarding the newly launched product. KPIs and other metrics should be used for tracking the progress of this marketing strategy.

Outlining the distribution model

When selling a product entirely on yourself, you have to choose the appropriate option to do it. You can choose between direct sales, inside sales, and e-commerce websites. A hybrid approach between the three is also valid. Leveraging sales is a good option for some businesses. The main point is that the more channels are used for selling, the better the numbers will look.

Besides choosing the sales option, one must determine the compensation plans, the training for all employees according to the strategy selected, and resolving any conflict that may appear between the sale channels. A good distribution model should not involve any mistakes when it comes to selling.

Most companies choose indirect sales because it’s much easier to leverage them through a third-party company. Delivering partners may raise some issues as well, but if communicating the purpose of your business and the goals of your marketing strategy, everything should go as planned. The delivery partner should be notified about all details related to the distribution strategy selected.

Go to market models to keep an eye on

Freemium

Getting customers hooked through free trials is a good modality to engage them into buying premium services in the future. Offering to clients the basic features of a product for free and requiring a purchase for premium ones such as personalization or more storage is one of the best lead sources. All transactions should be processed via credit cards and communication must be efficient at this point.

Web sales

Once customers start to be interested in your products, you can take advantage of your website and go further with the Freemium strategy. In this sense, clients can opt for added features that will be paid extra. This can be an automated feature that doesn’t require much effort. For instance, you can grant clients access to extra features through memberships.

Online sales

Online sales usually raise a lot of questions, so you must be prepared to answer them. Set up a live chat and an FAQ section so that clients can get easily informed about the products you are offering. The more trustful your brand looks, the higher the chances to gain more customers. Live chats and messaging are more recommended than inbound phone calls.

Inside sales – inbound-centric & outbound-centric

Assistance is very important as sales start to intensify. When clients reach out, they should be able to discuss with a person that knows everything about the products. Account executives and sales development managers should answer messages and calls based on their communication skills. This is an inbound-centric method.

Outbound-centric sales are based on CRM programs and sales engagement tools. This is a good choice if you are selling for the first time in the online environment. Kickstarting sales is – in most cases – based on software platforms, so your team might need training.

Field salesforce

If you decide to use CRM or ERP platforms, you can use the field sales force. This involves database integration. Whenever salespersons need to access information about stocks or the product, they can do it by using these platforms. Technology will help to keep track of the customers as well – their preferences, their purchase history, and so on. Account-based sales are more exact, meaning that you will get to notice a pattern in the way customers buy from you and use that pattern to encourage new sales.

Local salesforce

A local sales force depends on the capacity of your salesmen to establish strong relationships with the customers in a specific area. This is a very costly approach, but it also has the biggest rewards of them all. Yet this strategy should only be applied if the business is already successful, very profitable, and has plenty of experience in the industry. For startups, the other strategies listed here might be more suitable.

Ending thoughts on the go-to market strategy

After understanding the steps of developing go-to-market strategies, you should start planning your next product launch. With all the tips listed here, you can’t go wrong. Keep in mind that you need to thoroughly analyze the market, the conditions of the industry you work in, and the changes that occur in the economy. Revising the strategy before applying it is a must, as well as being prepared for unexpected changes in the near future.

If you enjoyed reading this article about the go-to-market strategy, you should check out this one about SaaS metrics

We also wrote about a few related subjects like SaaS startups, SaaS vs PaaS, SaaS pricing models, and SaaS development.

The post The go to marketing strategy a SaaS executive needs to follow appeared first on TMS.

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