How to build an audience for your start-up without a product

You’ve got a great idea but you’re a few steps away from creating your product. How can start-ups get noticed and develop a following? Elyse Wurm shares her tips.

A passionate community is the not-so-secret weapon that gets start-ups over the line. Not only can they help validate your idea so you can build the best product possible, they will welcome it with open arms when it’s released. If they’re vast enough, they can also help you secure funding by showing investors you’re a star on the rise.elyse wurm - head of comms at mo works

As new Melbourne startup Jet-Sport found, it’s never too early to start finding your tribe. Before developing their product, which is a social media platform that allows people to organise and join sporting events, they’ve built a community of over 2,500 keen supporters. After being recently mentioned in the Herald Sun, this number is only expected to grow.

Their community is what Brian Clark calls a ‘minimum viable audience’. This is an audience that’s just big enough to help you:

  • Understand exactly what your audience wants
  • Determine what your audience is willing to pay for
  • Start growing your audience organically through word of mouth

By devoting time and energy to relationship building, Jet-Sport have the validation they need to build their platform. They’ve already approached Mo Works Creative Agency to refresh their branding then design and create their native app, with help from their tech partner Blitzm Systems.

Subscribe to keep reading

Join Mumbrella Pro to access the Mumbrella archive and read our premium analysis of everything under the media and marketing umbrella.

Subscribe

Get the latest media and marketing industry news (and views) direct to your inbox.

Sign up to the free Mumbrella newsletter now.

"*" indicates required fields

 

SUBSCRIBE

Sign up to our free daily update to get the latest in media and marketing.