If I were to take a startup to market in 2024

If I were to take a startup to market today, here's how I'd do it:

1. Find a specific pain point and build a point solution. Differentiate the point solution from existing alternatives, including doing nothing.

2. Use SEO to capture customers actively searching for a solution. Write blogposts using specific phrases for customers with high purchase intent. Create versus pages comparing against alternatives.

3. Use LinkedIn to connect with potential customers. I like using Sales Navigator to filter down to specific roles and companies. Connect with 150 ICPs per week.

4. Slide into the DMs. Try to personalize conversations vs cold pitching.

If in a crunch, I like to say:

"Thanks for connecting with me Jing! What's top of mind for you?" Or

"Thanks for connecting Simon. What are you working on?"

5. If there’s mutual interest, get to a meeting. Focus on consultative selling and adding value. Use a tool like Grain, Gong, or Riverside.fm to record and transcribe the meeting.

6. Review the call transcript and copy customer questions to a separate doc.

Pay attention to the exact wording customers use to describe their pain and to understand your product. Use these phrases to update website copy + add to the SEO backlog.

7. Use Riverside to record thought leadership content addressing customer questions (at least 1 hour per week after pipeline / CRM review).

To make the recording feel more natural, pull in a cofounder or marketer to softball questions on the recording.

8. Use Descript to cut the video into short 1-3 minute clips.

Post clips to LinkedIn and YouTube. Embed the YouTube videos into relevant blogposts.

Podcasts work too, but take longer to grow, and require additional budget and headcount.

If I had to choose one today, I’d choose LinkedIn.

9. Measure. Rinse and repeat.