Startups
Over the last two years, we have engaged with over ten new startups. Some are still going strong; some have sold for over $50 million.
We ♥ Startups
Starting up a new business is equal parts exciting, frustrating, invigorating, and terrifying — but it can also be one of the most rewarding experiences you'll have. We love the energy entrepreneurs bring to the world and our goal is to give them the best possible chance for success.
Here are some of the ways we do just that:
Over the last two years, we have engaged with over ten new startups in everything from food to technology. While some of these startups are still going strong, a few have already sold for over 50 million dollars, creating some of the biggest success stories in our province. We are proud to be a small part of that success at such a critical time in their story.
branding
You don't get a second chance to make a first impression and neither does your brand. This is particularly true when talking to investors or taking your product to market. Branding is deeper than a new logo and company swag. It's who you are, why you exist, as well as the physical representation of those values. Uncovering that is the hard work that sets the foundation for all marketing decisions to follow.
We have a team of best-in-class brand strategists and designers who not only understand the role that brand plays but the realities that startups face when getting going. There is a nimbleness that is required early on, and finding the balance between speed and costs—without sacrificing quality—is paramount.
If you really want to nerd out on branding, see our page dedicated to the topic here.
product development
It's not always about marketing the thing, we also love developing the thing with you. Being involved from the start of your product means we have the insights and access to effectively implement your brand into the product and market it.
Typically in digital or SAAS (Software as a Service) projects, we're brought in to build apps, websites, web apps, or just flesh out the user experience and design. No matter your product development need, we can help. Want to find out more about our product chops? Have a look here.
ZGM was mission-critical to our success. From brand and product strategy, to execution of building our online presence, the entire ZGM team were lifesavers as we scaled the business to over 2 million users."
Keeping costs low
We get it.
When you're first starting out, a lot of the money is coming from the back pocket of your jeans, or worse, your friends and family. The pressure is real and every penny counts. Even as you grow out of that and start raising serious capital, the pressure doesn’t let up. Now you have people in suits asking for reports and updates with deadlines on performance and paybacks.
It’s easy to rack up costs early. Here are a few ways we can help avoid that:
Platform (Tech Stack) Consulting
From CRM systems and marketing automation to data reporting tools and social posting managers, we know the tools it takes to run a business and how they need to scale. We help navigate startups these systems by auditing what's already in place and making recommendations to keep costs low while using software we know will scale with the business.
Content Marketing
Content marketing is an incredible method for lead generation but contrary to popular belief, it's not free or easy. An effective strategy needs to meet your audience on the platforms they're on, with the content they're interested in, in a tone of voice that speaks to them — and that's just the baseline. Your potential customers are online searching for the solution you provide, you need a content strategy to be there when they go looking. Learn how we can get you in front of your audience here.
Creative Compensation
Big agencies like ZGM are expensive right? Wrong. If we believe in the company we are working with, there is always a way to make things work. ZGM prides itself in coming up with creative solutions to pricing to accommodate startups at any stage of their growth. Partners don’t take advantage of each other and we believe in partnerships—it's in our name.
From branding and UX to aligning me with potential customers, the ZGM team were true partners in every sense of the word."
Attribution + Metrics
You can’t manage what you can’t measure. Too often, measurement is retrofitted at the end of campaigns and it becomes hard to understand what worked and what didn’t. Real attribution is critical to startups so you can make business decisions based on data. What campaign worked? What message is resonating? Which audience responded the best? What region converted? Using tools like live dashboards, UTM codes, Google Analytics, social listening and reporting, CRM and MAP software, we can provide the data necessary to take the guesswork out of growth.
Marketing
Marketing for startups is different. Experiment early, fail quickly, and spend wisely. Everything counts and being strategic without losing valuable time is key. Our team of seasoned marketers is at your disposal and our ability to draw from all areas of the company gives you that “swat team” approach. From social, SEO, and content to PR and paid campaigns, we know what levers to pull and when to pull them.
Still at the marketing plan stage? Even better. The earlier we get involved the more value we can add.
ZGM made the uncertainty of a startup feel a little more certain. They wrapped around us, executed a product above and beyond our vision, and most importantly believed in us."
Who we work with
Let’s start something together
We’d be happy to chat about your startup. Let’s put something great out into the world together.