Building a Successful Startup: “It can be done – even in Utica, NY”
Kevin Rowe is the Founder and CEO of Enterprise SEO & SEM Agency, Rowe Digital. Based in Utica, NY, Kevin built a successful startup by connecting with local and national sources with the help of Upstate Venture Connect.
Kevin recently published his story – ‘How I Built a Successful Startup In the Middle of Nowhere‘ in Fast Company. In this article he tells us, regardless of location, how in just three years he created a million-dollar digital marketing firm servicing Fortune 100 clients based on these key factors:
– Using lead-focused online marketing to reach people in other areas
– Making connections locally that have connections elsewhere
– Developing key relationships in the areas he wants to grow
Pro Tip #1 – Digital Marketing: Create business listings where potential clients are searching for your services. For example, he created a listing in MediaBistro that led to a client relationship yielding over $200,000 in the last two years.
Pro Tip #2 – Local Connections: “You don’t need to build your regional network or national network all by yourself. It’s all about referrals,” says Kevin. Identifying local businesses in your area can lead to introductions to other companies, and Kevin says Upstate Venture Connect helped him with this process by better connecting him with other online marketers whose contacts in major cities have proven useful to the growth of his company.
Pro Tip #3 – Nurture Relationships: “Treat everyone as if they were your key account – even if they may not fit your ideal client profile,” says Kevin. “When you aren’t based in a booming tech hub, maintaining these connections and investing a lot of energy in cultivating them is critical.” Kevin recommends keeping a list of all the relationships you have in other areas, and doing one thing in the next few months that will help their business. When your service or product comes up in their conversations, you’ll be top of mind.
Kevin proves our networks are not limited to our immediate locations. Follow his professional tips and build a successful startup in 2017.
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