The First to be Second

One of the most common questions that I get from brands when approaching them for the first time is, “What companies in our category have you worked with previously?” The answer can be challenging for many startups that are working hard to crack business across different verticals, but don’t yet have direct category experience.

Why is this question asked so often? From a brand perspective, why is it important that your company has relevant category experience? A big part of the answer lies in the title of this article. When a brand is being asked to invest dollars and resources into any opportunity, there is a certain level of risk - but with a startup or a new technology, the danger multiplies. Knowing that similar brands have worked with your solution provides a level of justification and reduces the perceived risk. While Robert Frost romanticizes the road less traveled, the well-worn path feels like a safer choice to marketers.

If you have relevant category experience, you should absolutely make that part of your sales story. Ask your clients if they would be open to a case study, or at the very least be prepared to talk about what you’ve learned from that first campaign that might ensure a successful campaign for that brand.

But what if you don’t have category experience? How can you convince a brand to be first? There are several strategies you can use and I’ve highlighted a few of those here:

• Leverage experience with a similar target audience. Have you had success breaking the financial category but are now trying to break into high-end auto? Talk about your success in reaching and engaging an affluent audience that is making a significant purchase decision. What have you learned from those campaigns that you can apply to making an auto campaign even more successful?
• Draw on experience from campaigns with similar goals and objectives. Another great way to position your solution is to demonstrate a proven ability to be successful with brands facing a similar challenge, despite the category difference. Have you helped others increase awareness, change perceptions or drive enrollment? How can you apply those lessons to make them relevant?
• Make your solution “easy” to buy. Remove as much friction from the buying process as possible. If the buyer doesn’t clearly understand your value proposition or if implementation requires significant resources, the probability of them being the first in a category is greatly diminished.

Finally, when qualifying prospects, focus on those brands that have a track record of innovation. If you can demonstrate a good understanding of their brand and offer a solution that aligns with their needs, you stand a good chance of getting them to be first.