Start-up management: launch and development of your firm

But, for full-scale launch of the new product, service or enterprise, there is need for special complex knowledge, including management of organization and personnel, marketing (brand management, PR and internet marketing, client relations management (CRM), sales management, skills on organization of presentations and events.

Launch of new project is called “Start-up management”, and the specialists, who specializes on this, is Start-up manager or startuper. Originally, start-ups were projects in internet technologies, but later the term has been used in any projects in their initial stage of development.

Launch of new project to the market is complex process, which includes several stages, including:

1. Brand creation
1.1 Determine targeted auditory and positioning of new product/service;
1.2 Determine at least three real competitive advantages;
1.3 Create name and slogan;
1.4 Create logotype and corporate style;
1.5 Determine list of services/goods and develop price list;
1.6 Create effective commercial proposal;
1.7 Develop internet website and pages at social pages;
1.8 Determine schemes on working and interaction with clients;
1.9 Form the team.

2. Launch campaign on promotion of new brand among targeted auditory
2.1 PR-campaign in mass media, placement of topical articles;
2.2 Advertisement in internet - Google Adwords, Yandex.Direct, advertisement at Facebook and other social networks, which ensures maximum targeting of advertisement;
2.3 Organization of press-conference for mass media representatives and target clients to present new brand;
2.4 Participate in events – exhibitions, seminars and roundtables;
2.5 Use of other advertisement and promotion tools if they meet peculiarities of new brand.

3. Work with target clients
3.1 Creation of database of target clients (existing and potential ones);
3.2 Attracting new clients, including clients familiar with new product and those, who use similar products of competitors;
3.3 Work on turning one-time clients to regular consumers of products and services;
3.4. Creation and development of loyal clients’ community (club), including organization of special events for clients;
3.5 Work with feedbacks, comments and complaints to eliminate shortages and improve quality of products and services;
3.6. Work with skeptics and deliberately unsatisfied clients on overcoming negative relations to new proposals.

It is difficult to overrate advantage of work with Start-up manager: the owner will not have to do everything himself, give orders and tear up between new projects and current works. Starting work, startuper rates the project and offers plan on its development, which has its budget and includes necessary measures to implement the project. The plan of start-up development is a small business plan with focus on marketing, promotion and work with clients.

After approval of business plan on the project development, implementation of the project is started led by start-up manager. Business owner of director-general participates in the project implementation and carries out control over project, manages finances and accounting, interacts with state bodies and manages other directions of the enterprise.

Startup managers came from various areas, but mainly they are specialists on marketing and PR with good economic knowledge and leadership qualities. Experience in marketing, PR and work with mass media, promotion in internet, knowledge of market and work of enterprises, organizational abilities single out skilled specialist on start-up management.

Artem Safarov is author of the section “People and Brands”. He is specialist in marketing and PR. He studied crisis management at World Technological University. He worked as manager and director of marketing and PR. He launched his first product in the market at his 20s.