With all the conversations about start-ups operating on a small budget through this recession, I am reminded of the ways we scaled and operated during the last recession. Specific Google adwords for no more than $2 a click; blogging every day at random times; participating in newsgroups & forums every day; writing detailed product photos, videos and reviews for online and print on a regular schedule; help forum communities; networking at events were all ways to help get the word out.
Thankfully technology is more mature now than it was several years ago. Many of these same things can be done simply and much more quickly than before. New techniques are possible too. Here are a few to get the conversation started:
- Make search engines can actually search your website
- Feed feeds – Get your post listed under the proper keyword category at Alltop
- Link & be linked – there is more than Slashdot to help you drive traffic; places like Techmeme show that others are linking to you
- Go beyond forums to interact with your potential customers and your existing customers – start by trying FriendFeed & Twitter
- Read & post in topic relevant forums to keep communication with the community and understand their needs and product trends
- What are your tips? What works best for you?