The Bootstrapped Marketing Almanack, Part 1

Entries #001 through #025 of the Bootstrapped Marketing Almanack.

What follows below is a running list of tips, tricks, and thoughts from my time (so far) building ANCORE’s business, brand and marketing from the ground up. This is the first installment. Each new installment will be published periodically.

Bootstrapped Marketing Almanack #001

Oscar-winning director James Cameron is famous for being able to do every job on a set. We should strive to be like this in our approach to marketing.

It will be painful, but being able to know and do all the functions of marketing will make you better in the long-run — even if you decide to outsource it or bring in a new team member. 

Bootstrapped Marketing Almanack #002

Get comfortable with the numbers. No one is asking you to be a spreadsheet wiz, but you should know the core financial metrics of your business. Marketing’s supreme goal is to drive an economic action (aka purchase). Not understanding this and all its subcomponents is like a mechanic not knowing how an engine works. 

Bootstrapped Marketing Almanack #003

The father of modern advertising Albert Lasker once said: 

”Advertising is a very simple thing. I can give it to you in three words: Salesmanship in print.”

Today, the goal is the same: sell, sell, sell. The only difference is now we do so across all types of media (video, billboard, graphic, postcard, packaging, etc).

Bootstrapped Marketing Almanack #004

Marketing is just selling at scale. Never forget that the goal is to make the cash register ring.

Bootstrapped Marketing Almanack #005

When starting, do the simple things first. Build out your email flows, spin up a basic product page, communicate clearly on your homepage. You can get fancy with it once you have some time and feedback under your belt.

Bootstrapped Marketing Almanack #006

Treat your customers like you’d want to be treated. Be friendly, say thank you, and don’t let policies get in the way of helping another human being. 

Bootstrapped Marketing Almanack #007

Study the greats — David Ogilvy, Claude Hopkins, Albert Lasker, Charlie Munger, and more. Marketing channels and methods may change, but human behavior has not. You can find the answers to selling just by looking at what worked in the past. 

Bootstrapped Marketing Almanack #008

Marketing is about two things: driving revenue and building brand love. You should only do things that fall into one or (preferably) both of these categories. 

Bootstrapped Marketing Almanack #009

Views, likes, and shares don’t keep the lights on. Marketing is about making money. You have permission to embrace it.

Bootstrapped Marketing Almanack #010

Be accountable for economic outcomes. It’s not enough to say that brand affinity or awareness increased. Tie it to cold hard cash. 

Bootstrapped Marketing Almanack #011

When dealing with vendors (software, marketing materials, etc), always ask for a discount. The worst they can say is no. A dollar saved is a dollar-earned. 

Bootstrapped Marketing Almanack #012

Don’t play for industry awards. Play to make the cash register ring. The best trophy is a business that lasts for more than a hundred years.

Bootstrapped Marketing Almanack #013

Never forget that you are communicating with humans. Ditch the jargon. Ditch the lingo. Ditch the fluff. Just tell it like it is and be direct. 

Bootstrapped Marketing Almanack #014

Do things that don’t scale. We include a hand-written thank you note in every order. It doesn’t scale and isn’t fancy. It is just us thanking another human for supporting our business. We will never stop doing it either. 

Bootstrapped Marketing Almanack #015

Remember the rule of three’s. It’s a magic number for our short-term memory. Say everything in three’s and I guarantee you’ll be a better communicator.

Bootstrapped Marketing Almanack #016

We forget that we forget. This means that in order to get your message across, you have to say it over-and-over again for a long time. To get someone to remember something, repeat it 10x more than you think.

Bootstrapped Marketing Almanack #017

Strive for depth instead of breadth when working with influencers. We’ve seen influencers with less than 50k followers outsell people with over 1 million followers. The biggest fish is not always the best fish.

Bootstrapped Marketing Almanack #018

When starting off, focus on the things that will make money while you sleep. This includes, but is not limited to, email flows, website/product pages, asking for reviews, digital ads, content, and more. Your marketing cannot depend on what you do between the hours of 8 am - 5 pm, Monday through Friday.

Bootstrapped Marketing Almanack #019

To find new ideas, combine different ideas. For example, I love to read a lot of fantasy and sci-fi books. In one of our emails, I described our product as forged from metal in a dying star, made from the same materials as Thor’s hammer, and more. The numbers on it were great. New ideas can come from smashing together ideas in your own world. 

Bootstrapped Marketing Almanack #020

Customers don’t remember as much as you think they do. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. And repeat some more. It won’t be as repetitive as you think. 

Bootstrapped Marketing Almanack #021

People will have opinions on your marketing. That’s okay and expected. We see marketing every day, so we feel we understand it better. This is also why you don’t see everyday people criticizing heart surgeons. 

Bootstrapped Marketing Almanack #022

We naturally gravitate toward people who are passionate about what they do. Bring that joy and love to your marketing. People will buy if they can feel your excitement. You can’t bore someone into swiping their credit card. 

Bootstrapped Marketing Almanack #023

Before hitting publish, read your copy aloud. It may look grammatically correct, but if it doesn’t sound conversational or like an actual human would say it, revise it until you get to that point.

Bootstrapped Marketing Almanack #024

Focus hard on your headlines and headers. Most of your customers will skim your content and these elements will bring them in. Good body copy is pointless unless someone reads it. 

Bootstrapped Marketing Almanack #025

Read frequently and read widely. It doesn’t always have to be business or marketing — though, it will be useful to mix them in every once in a while. Pick up anything that gets you excited to read and just start. Your writing, marketing, and communication will improve instantly.