VANDERVIE MARKETING
Marketing Strategy // Content Marketing // Email Marketing // Social Media
Project Summary
To get Vandervie off the ground, I sought to attract a small and highly specific target audience who would identify strongly with the concept. I wanted to build a group of passionate users who would be early advocates for the brand rather than immediately focusing on broad acquisition through digital channels where customers may be less impressed with an early beta product.
As the number of users slowly increased and I received more feedback from paying customers, I continued to shape the product while producing original content, as well as sharing about unique destinations through social media and to a growing email list.
As a fully bootstrapped company, it was necessary to accomplish as much as possible with a small marketing budget. I focused on finding the right target audience and not spending money trying to convert unlikely customers.
Marketing Strategy
While building Vandervie, I focused on the Lean Startup approach, a methodology that advocates finding product-market fit as quickly as possible without offering a product that is fully polished. Products evolve so far beyond our initial vision that is risky to spend too much time and money on features or ideas that are likely to end up changing significantly. What is more important is finding validation with early adopters who connect strongly with your unique value proposition, and will therefore be more forgiving with features and aspects of your product that need improvement.
Vandervie softly launched by word of mouth in circles where I thought customers would be highly likely to convert. For the months leading up to the site and product going live, I spent time at events that were likely to attract my target customers such as Women Who Startup, Creative Mornings, Mappy Hour and Camber Exchanges, events hosted by General Assembly, Galvanize and Commons on Champa, as well as through the WeWork network where I had a workspace. Many of Vandervie's initial users were amazing people I met in these communities who were excited to check out a new travel product.
These early users lead to many customer referrals, and also many insights into who was NOT the Vandervie target audience. Vandervie customer personas began to narrow down, and I started to feel more confident in the types of customers I wanted to target once Vandervie was ready to scale.
Content Marketing
I wanted initial users to be welcomed to the Vandervie site with unique and original content that would give the new brand credibility. I wrote pieces that not only provide interesting and useful information, but also showcase Vandervie's hyper-local knowledge and taste in adventures. This original content was shared through Vandervie's social media channels and via consistent email marketing. I also reached out to establishments featured in content to get Vandervie on their radar for future collaborations, and to encourage social media sharing and interaction. I also ran content as paid advertising on Facebook to test audiences with various interests. All pieces are written utilizing SEO best practices with highly specific keywords. While Vandervie's content is currently not ranking in Google's top spots, several pieces are rising the ranks and beating out content from larger and more prominent sites.
Email Marketing
I used MailChimp to collect new leads from the Vandervie website, nurture leads through the sharing of quality content, and engage with customers from the time they completed a trip request to the time they returned from their trip. I gained email subscriptions by using a pop-up discount offer on the website once the user showed deeper interest by navigating beyond the homepage. I emailed leads every two weeks with original content and a collection of helpful links to cool campsites, interesting accommodations, hot new restaurants, and upcoming festivals or events. For converted customers, I built a six-email series to communicate about upcoming trips, and to get user feedback upon returning home.
In each email I focused on simple and conversational copy that matched the Vandervie brand voice, and clear calls to action for the reader. I also used playful images to excite customers about upcoming travel, and inspire leads to start planning a trip.
Social Media
The goal of highest priority for Vandervie was to validate the product and establish product-market fit. As I worked to clearly identify the right target customers and shape the product based on their feedback, I primarily used Instagram and Facebook as tools for brand credibility and social proof rather than acquisition tools.
To stand out from other travel and adventure brands, I frequently shared content and images featuring off-the-beaten path destinations and scenes from small mountain towns. I also organized a professional photo shoot to capture images of unique Denver locations and well-known, established brands that would be likely to share Vandervie content or interact on social media. I also encouraged customers to share images from their travel experiences and leave Facebook reviews of their trips.