Case study:
Start-ups stand to gain a lot from regular communication
Visibility, branding, customer retention, media presence, SEO, SEM, cost savings: Why our approach is the ultimate workout for any start-up
Overview
Start-ups and scale-ups face numerous challenges, from limited resources to sometimes intense competition.
In this case study, we examine why start-ups should definitely invest in regular communication, and look into both its practical benefits as well as its fundamental strategic importance to overcome many of the typical problems startups have to solve.
From content to social to newsletters, done well, regular communications contribute to almost every aspect of a business. Visibility, Google ranking, SEM, PR, campaigns, and first-level support—there is virtually no aspect that wouldn’t benefit.
Let’s examine these advantages and benefits point by point.
Benefit 1:
Frequency beats timing
One of the biggest concerns in start-up marketing is timing. In practice, frequency is far more important, even if timing tends to play a larger role both in start-up theory and in the founding legends of the big tech companies.
Determining the exact moment when a potential customer is ready to buy is practically impossible, and always a risk factor. A well-adjusted advertising frequency compensates for this: it promotes recall and understanding, helps to make the message stand out from the crowd, and contributes to building the brand.
With regular communications, a start-up can ensure that its message reaches a wider audience and stays in the minds of prospects. This is also important because a decision-making process may be long and complex. Good frequency ensures that the brand is present at the moment of a purchase decision is made, regardless of the buyer’s individual schedule.
Benefit 2:
Your Google ranking will inevitably improve
Content and SEO are often mentioned together, but in practice their coordination is almost always neglected. Programmatic manipulation of keywords along with shallow content no longer produces results, yet the assumption that Google can be influenced in this way is still absurdly common, just as if Google hadn’t evolved over the last decade.
Google has to offer the best-possible search results, or it will lose ground to the competition. Best means relevant first and foremost, which is why all operations are designed to find the best-quality websites.
The key components for successful SEO are therefore relevance, information value, help, and readability. Where the algorithms are focused on quality and honesty, there is no point in trying to cheat, not to mention the fact that Google not only rewards sites but also penalises them.
In other words: content plus basics are enough. If a company publishes regularly and does so with related posts and multimedia content in other channels, what matters is honest commitment to the interests of the audience, not the usually very expensive kind of trickery many are still convinced they need to apply.
What hasn’t changed is that those who are good at using content for their SEO goals will be rewarded. Various studies put the advantage of a relevant, regularly updated website over black hat SEO at over 500%, which means that content marketing done professionally actually beats any other approach.
A more recent trend, Search Engine Marketing or SEM, is just another expression of the same: content is planned and produced so it promotes a product or services in the best-possible way to get Google to back it as a search result.
Benefit 3:
Your ultimate branding advantage
Building a strong brand identity is crucial for startups. Regular communications serve as a powerful tool in this effort. A Nielsen survey found that 72% of consumers are more likely to remember a brand that has consistent messaging.
Through regular communications, start-ups strengthen their brand image and leave a lasting impression on their target group.
Benefit 4:
You set yourself up for ever higher customer lifetime value (CLV)
One of the challenges startups face is the difficulty of building a customer base. Regular communications can help here too. According to a study by the Harvard Business Review, maintaining open and continuous communication with customers increases their lifetime value (CLV) by up to 40%.
Frequent interactions with customers ensure they feel valued and listened to, which in turn leads to higher retention rates and increased long-term sales.
Benefit 5:
The fail rate drops
Regular communications not only eliminate the guesswork and worries about timing, but also make a crucial contribution to the success of campaigns and new products.
A study by HubSpot found that companies that communicate regularly with their audiences have a 60% reduced risk of campaign failure.
Our own figures also confirm that continuous communication maintains a stable “share of mind” among customers, and makes it easier to introduce new products or services.
Benefit 6:
Quality translates into trust
In the intensely competitive start-up landscape, credibility is a valuable commodity. A study by the Edelman Trust Barometer shows that 63% of consumers are more likely to trust companies that communicate frequently and openly.
Regular communications demonstrate a commitment to transparency and quality, which significantly improves a start-up’s reputation and credibility in the eyes of customers and investors alike.
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Benefit 7:
Content and social become radically simpler to do
For start-ups, consistently producing engaging posts can be challenging. Regular communications solve this problem by providing a constant source of topics and ideas for social media and LinkedIn.
If a holistic approach is applied that is designed for the broadest-possible use of content, materials for other channels can be produced almost automatically for each topic.
For example, an interview also becomes a LinkedIn article posted by the CEO, a series of posts from other managers on LinkedIn as well as HR’s employer branding page on Facebook, and an infographic that can be posted on Instagram as well as sent out as part of a press release.
Benefit 8:
PR becomes a habit
Start-ups often find it difficult to gain media attention. Regular communications can help build relationships with press contacts.
A study by Muck Rack found that companies that regularly interact with journalists are 70% more likely to see their press releases published. Establishing and maintaining these connections can be crucial to securing media coverage and increasing a startup’s visibility.
Our holistic approach includes a press list and regular press releases. This means that any topic that also has news value can be distributed to the media straight away.
Benefit 9:
Better retention and first-level service
Customer retention is a pressing challenge for start-ups, and regular communications can play a key role in addressing this problem.
A report from Bain & Company found that increasing customer retention rates by just 5% can increase profits by 25 to 95%. Incorporating regular communications into customer service ensures that customers feel supported and valued, leading to higher retention rates and greater overall satisfaction.
In practice, we work with our customers’ support departments to extend content planning to include active assistance. This in turn contributes to SEO success through videos, FAQs, and other measures.
Benefit 10:
Up to 25% cost savings on your support team
This proactive approach to communication can also reduce the burden on the support team.
By addressing common issues and anticipating conflicts through regular communication, start-ups reduce the number of support requests and save a lot of money.
A McKinsey study found that companies that adopt proactive customer service strategies can reduce their service costs by up to 25% while at the same time improving customer satisfaction.
Conclusion
Regular communications for start-ups are not just a luxury, but a necessity.
They brings with them a variety of benefits, from increasing customer lifetime value and amplifying brand efforts to improving customer loyalty and boosting SEO rankings.
As these statistics and insights show, investing in regular communications is a strategic decision that can significantly contribute to the success of a start-up in an extremely competitive world.
By prioritising consistent and meaningful communication, startups can thrive and lay a solid foundation for sustainable growth.
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