Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn’t ready yet)
I’ve been thinking about marketing things startups can do before they have an early version of the product to test. This week I looked at the websites of 3 different pre-launch startups I know. I know that each of them is in the early stages of pitching to investors, each is doing events where they demo the product, and 2 of the 3 have an early product in the hands of customers. Yet none of them has any information about their offerings on their websites. One is gathering email addresses but the only information given is that the offering will be “the next generation of [insert $200 billion market category here]“. Hardly a compelling reason for me to join a mailing list. One site is simply a page stating that a website would be coming soon and the third has a brief description of the founders, contact info, and a 2 line product description that isn’t nearly as compelling as what I have heard them pitch.
I could give you a lot of reasons why you would want to pay attention to your website even if you don’t have anything to sell yet. At a minimum you could be using it to start building a mailing list. You could be testing your messaging by running some simple ad tests and tracking conversion rates on different messages. You could go so far as to use your site as a platform for discussing the market space, the problems the market faces, the deficiencies of the current solutions, etc. (I covered this in a post a while back called Pre-Launch Marketing for Stealthy Startups)
So why don’t more startups do that? Some I think are afraid of giving away their idea before they are ready to enter the market. I don’t believe ideas count for much because execution is so difficult and even if they did, it’s easy enough to explain WHAT you are doing without getting into the details of HOW you might do it. Others don’t believe that the site is important until they have something to sell. I think that represents a huge lost opportunity. The craziest thing is that I know each of these companies has a great value proposition and a story to tell and is actively out there telling it – just not on their own websites. The hard work has already been done, just not the last (and unfortunately most important) step of showing it to the world in order to engage with the market.
Establishing credibility in the market is hard and it takes time. Building a mailing list is hard and takes time. Why wouldn’t you want to start doing these things as early as possible?
Hey, you made it all the way to the end! You should subscribe! You can sign up for email updates, subscribe via RSS or follow me on Twitter.
Category: Startups
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
blog post: Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn't ready yet) http://bit.ly/ddUTKd #prodmgmt #marketing
RT @aprildunford: blog post: Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn't ready yet) http://bit.ly/ddUTKd #prodmgmt #marketing
April – I couldn’t agree more. Some startups think websites are one checkbox on the marketing launch. That’s a falicy. I recently went through this exercise with a startup client and with a website up and running, they are building credibility with the community, potential investors and seeding markets.
Great post!
Hey Jim,
Thanks so much!
April
Great post by @aprildunford "Your Startup Needs a Website" – http://bit.ly/ddUTKd – A website is not a marketing launch afterthought
RT @aprildunford: blog post: Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn't ready yet) http://bit.ly/ddUTKd
blog post: Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn't ready) http://bit.ly/ddUTKd #prodmgmt #marketing
RT @aprildunford: blog post: Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn't ready yet) http://bit.ly/ddUTKd
AGREED!! RT @aprildunford Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn't ready yet) http://bit.ly/ddUTKd #prodmgmt #marketing
RT @aprildunford: blog post: Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn't ready yet) http://bit.ly/ddUTKd #prodmgmt #marketing
RT @Jim_Holland: Great post by @aprildunford "Your Startup Needs a Website" – http://bit.ly/ddUTKd – A website is not a marketing launc …
Great stuff from @aprildunford Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn't ready yet) http://bit.ly/ddUTKd #startup #marketing
Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn't ready yet) | Rocket Watcher by April Dunford http://bit.ly/9kRT7n
blog post: Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn't ready yet) http://bit.ly/ddUTKd
RT @aprildunford: blog post: Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn't ready yet) http://bit.ly/ddUTKd
Awesome advice. RT @aprildunford: blog post: Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn't ready yet) http://bit.ly/ddUTKd
Your startup needs a website (even if your product isn't ready) by @aprildunford http://ht.ly/1ObtB
RT @StephanieTilton: Your startup needs a website (even if your product isn't ready) by @aprildunford http://ht.ly/1ObtB
"Rocket Watcher: Tu startup necesita un website (incluso si tu producto no está listo)"( http://twitthis.com/ffguh7 )
Your startup needs a website…….!!!!!!
http://bit.ly/akmgSx
Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn't ready yet) | @AprilDunford http://bit.ly/cp3YbJ
This article is an eye-opener. I’m doing exactly what you’re advising against. But your article makes complete intuitive sense. I think I’m going to take you up on it. Thanks!!!
Thanks for the comment. Let me know how it goes!
April
Great article. As a marketing intern working for a start-up that’s about to launch soon, I felt it was very informative and true. Looking forward to many more gems!
Hi Staney,
Thanks so much for the comment!
April
RT @michaelgcohen: Great stuff from @aprildunford Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn't ready yet) http://bit.ly/ddUTKd #startup #marketing
Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn't ready yet) http://ow.ly/20HfR – By @aprildunford
Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn't ready yet) http://bit.ly/acgqCy
"Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn't ready yet)" http://bit.ly/9SqDF0
Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn't ready yet): http://bit.ly/d913zN Comments: http://bit.ly/9nl82I
Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn't ready yet) – http://su.pr/1VWIpF
Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn’t ready yet) : http://tinyurl.com/2vxck8v
Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn't ready yet) | Rocket Watcher Product Mark… http://bit.ly/9AjnSx #lifehacking #gtd
GReading: Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn't ready yet): Comments http://bit.ly/ds7TmK
HNews: Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn't ready yet) http://bit.ly/adxlmC
"Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn't ready yet)" http://bit.ly/9SqDF0 (via @betaspring)
Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn't ready yet) http://bit.ly/cJHq2v
Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn’t ready yet) : http://tinyurl.com/2vxck8v
RT @justinvincent: Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn't ready yet) http://bit.ly/cJHq2v
RT @squidge: Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn’t ready yet) : http://tinyurl.com/2vxck8v
Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn’t ready yet) : http://tinyurl.com/2vxck8v
RT @justinvincent Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn't ready yet) http://bit.ly/cJHq2v
Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn't ready yet) #startup http://bit.ly/dAdt4f
RT @cindyalvarez: Your Startup Needs a Website (even if your product isn't ready yet) #startup http://bit.ly/dAdt4f
I agree. If you don’t take advantage of setting up a website before you go live, you run the risk of someone else obtaining your choice domain names as well as missing out on a lot of cheap sales and marketing via the web.