So your product or service is not quite ready yet. Why can’t you start marketing and building a community? Even if your site and platform are not perfect yet you can still start building a community of followers and drive traffic to your site so you can launch to a crowd. There are some very simple things you can do so you can start your marketing efforts even before there is a product for people to use.
All you need is your domain name and you can get rolling with these tips:
1. Clean Look and Feel
Every site should be simple and clean but before you launch there is especially no reason for clutter. Start relaying your brand message and image with a fresh look to a landing page. Use the colors you want and maybe you even have your logo ready to go. There won’t be much content to draw people in so make sure your look is good enough so people don’t go running.
2. Discuss your product
It may not be ready but you can still talk about it all you want. Let everyone know all about your cool features and ideas behind it. Provide what photos, screen-shots or examples you can. If not don’t worry about it! Give people something to latch onto though and say “Cool, I could use that”.
3. A place to Subscribe
This should be the pages main focus. Get people’s email addresses by making a sign-up form front and center. When you get their addresses make sure to put them to good use by emailing them something useful. Send out an email that is packed with useful information for your subscribers, maybe even personalize each one in the beginning! Don’t forget to use some kind of opt-in. Maybe say “Sign-up here to get the first invites to the platform” or “Sign-up before launch and get a free trial or sample” etc etc.
4. Social Media
You should be on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and whatever else you like using. These tools are great to drive traffic and interest before you have even launched. Make sure people can follow and find you on these networks on the landing page. But also remember don’t just put these accounts up just to have them. Make sure they are active. If you really are not going to use them don’t bother!
5. Blog
Here is your chance to showcase your expertise and show everything you know about your product and the industry. A blog is great for SEO, traffic driving and building a community. Especially before you have launched there will be limited content on the site so build a great blog so everyone has the opportunity to spend time and engage with your site.
6. About Us
This page is important to have right from the start. This is where you can really showcase your companies mission, goals, and who is behind it. The features of your product are great but the “Why” behind what you are doing is even bigger. Another company can always compete with you on features but no one can build the mission, brand and passion that your company has.
