Start-up branding and some observations

Before talking about start-up branding, let’s see which companies fall into the start-up category. Even before that you should know, startup sensation is fairly new in our country. In recent days, this has become a buzzword, especially to our new generation.

In simple words, any new business is a start-up. It can be a product, a service or a mix of both. It has gained much popularity in our tech-savvy generation. Many of the popular start-ups are using technology and developing software-based businesses. These companies have gained popularity fairly quickly and becoming successful start-ups.

Nowadays venture capitalists have also gained popularity worldwide. Their investment policies are more vigorous than commercial banks, as a result, they are gaining a lot of profit. They are investing and taking a huge chunk of profits from these start-ups, which wouldn’t have been easy if they invested in regular companies.

Salehin Chowdhury is a well-known Marketeer who has an experience of a decade in Bangladeshi Communication industry

If you see successful start-ups in America and Europe, you will find that most of them are funded by these venture capitalists, they are spending millions on them. Today, our country’s start-ups are also doing good business and to back them up, many venture capitalists are investing.

Not so long ago, Uber was launched. They have proved that one doesn’t need their own car to start a business that revolves around cars and they did it by developing the right software. Amazon, Daraz and Alibaba are some examples of how these software centered businesses are earrings in millions. These were all start-ups one day. In our country, BDjobs was such a successful start-up.

A brand manager has to be very sharp and active while managing a start-up brand. Because branding for these companies is not the same as others. For example, a marketer has to keep some things in mind from the beginning. He has to be aligned with the Brand’s vision. His plans and vision have to match with it. Secondly, he has to keep in mind the industry that the start-up will operate and the amount of seed money it has. Making a marketing mix for a start-up is not an easy task; a lot of thought process goes with it. The stakeholders have to decide which medium of communication to be used and which one will get how much priority.

 
A vibrant logo will easily leave a mark in customers mind and will be recalled easily, for a start-up this is a very important point. Some smart collaterals and promotional materials might bring positive results. As most of the start-ups are web and app-based; a well-planned digital plan using a strong Facebook platform is necessary. Other than that, a well-made pitch presentation for investors and potential partners is mandatory. They have to keep in mind that the presentation has to be crisp and not time-consuming given all the important details. This has to be done directly and indirectly by the brand team and the founders. This presentation has to carry the brand essence and strengths.

In the mature stage, these start-ups have to follow the trend and make online video commercials/OVCs and a lot of campaigns and schemes. These methods will take a start-up on a long path. In the end, one point needs to be put here that only branding won’t help build the business but the company has to transform their thoughts into reality and for that, an in detail operational plan is needed.

After closely knowing some of Bangladesh’s best start-up founders, I can say from their experience that after a lot of sleepless nights and an incredible amount of patience a start-up becomes successful. If you tend to lose your confidence in solving small problems that these start-ups may not be for you.

I would like to thank these successful and useful start-ups that made thousands of our country’s youths hopeful for success and a better future. I am quite sure that this idea of start-up culture will bring our youths fame in national and international platforms.

Salehin Chowdhury is an expert on Global Brand Communications. He has exposure to branding local products and services and has versatile experience on all segments of ATL and BTL Communications, along with B2B and B2C background in terms of Product, Service and Social Branding. Salehin has specialised skills on Startup Ventures Brand Formulation with cost-effectiveness and high integrity. Throughout his career, he has an enriched experience on Brand Communication and Marketing and worked with Brands like OTOBI, RUNNER, The City Bank Limited, Premier Bank, BanglaCAT, Abdul Monem Limited, Bengal Foundation, Jamuna Group, Lubnan Trade Consortium, Canadian University of Bangladesh etc. Currently, he is a Research fellow doing his MPhil in the topic "Globalization strategies of Local brands" at Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP).
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