Marketing when the timing is working against you.

Timing is everything in a startup. Too early or too late can both be painful states for marketing to have much impact. But there are a few winning strategies.

Ahead of your time

Being ahead of your time can mean that it's virtually impossible to gain any traction. If you are just too new and no one has created a pathway, or the problem isn't painful enough yet, it may be a case of hoping you have enough runway for the world to catch up to you. Unfortunately for startups, you most likely don't have the money or brand to educate or raise awareness high enough to move the timeline forward unless you get some help.

Your first option is to find a frenemy in a big brand. If you can find a competitor with a significant brand presence, trying to solve this or at least recognises the problem and often speaks about it, this is your golden lifeline. Let them blaze the path and piggyback on what they do as the more appealing alternative. The other piece of advice is to find a group of like-minded people who feel the same way you do and grow that group while you're building and a long time before you launch.

Or, if possible, keep a keen eye on economic trends or situations which create new opportunities. Recently QR codes have shown how they navigated from falling into a gimmick to a timely revival. A seemingly simple request that we no longer are allowed to hold menus in restaurants has become the change that has catapulted QR codes back to the top of the must use pile. 75% of US respondents in a recent study from The Drum / YouGov say they plan on using QR codes moving forward. 

They went from not having a problem to solve, i.e. consumers didn't recognise why they needed or even should engage with them, to a fun way to solve the "don't touch" policy. Jumping on this small change and opening up the possibility for more means nearly six in 10 (59%) of all respondents of the survey believing QR codes will be a permanent part of using their phone in the future.  

Change your value proposition as the market moves. Or find a new niche that can lead to a larger one with a targetted value proposition.

Late to the party

Late to the party can be just as challenging a quandary for marketing. You're asking people to move away from something comfortable, safe or known. There is a well-known theory that whoever gets their first wins, i.e. every race we've ever been in situation! But that shouldn't necessarily stop you in your tracks or leave you squabbling over the leftovers. But don't get discouraged; this is when you can get clever with your value proposition and define your customer. 

A very familiar philosophy in the movie industry has given us successes, such as Star Wars and Indiana Jones. It's the case of "rip-off, don't remake." The rule is to have content that is clearly different and differentiates itself from the genuine article. What can you do that is new and identifiably different and adds value to the experience?

Challenge your marketing team and your founders to find that point of key differentiation. Talk to your customers, talk to the people who didn't choose you and find out why. Revamp your value propositions and align your marketing to leverage those areas of differentiation that make you a better solution to that problem and why. Say it differently and say it loudly. The same way powerful moments of difference in the same story can make a blockbuster.

Whether you're early or late, being strategic about how you use and develop your value proposition to drive your marketing activities can make a significant difference.