Delivering a Growth Marketing Workshop for AI Startups

This week, I had the privilege of leading a growth marketing workshop at Circle Square with the Turing Innovation Catalyst in Manchester, an incubator dedicated to nurturing AI startups. The session was a dynamic exchange of ideas, strategies, and experiences with a group of passionate entrepreneurs eager to scale their innovative ventures. This was the second cohort in this program and the second time I have delivered this workshop, the first being back in July.

The Energy of Innovation

Founders from startups like IMAGINaiTION, Joggle AI, Real Birth, Pet Trust UK, and GIGMATE gathered, each bringing unique perspectives and challenges. Their shared goal: to harness growth marketing principles to propel their businesses forward.

Exploring a Wide Range of Growth Strategies

The workshop covered a spectrum of growth marketing strategies and actionable tactics across digital marketing and social media. Some of the key areas we touched upon included:

• Digital Marketing Techniques: Leveraging SEO, content marketing, and pay-per-click advertising to increase online visibility. Key methods such as calculating the breakeven point in PPC balancing CPA and LTV.

• Social Media Engagement: Utilising platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram to build brand awareness and foster community. Shared my top tactics on each platform.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Using analytics tools to measure performance, understand audience behaviour, and inform strategy adjustments. Shared templates for planning campaigns and measuring performance.

• Growth Hacking Tactics: Experimenting with innovative approaches to rapidly acquire and retain customers. Shared some principles and further reading such as traction mapping, taken from the book Traction.

• Account-Based Marketing (ABM). We discussed how ABM can be a powerful strategy for startups that are looking to land large clients, allowing them to focus their marketing efforts on high-value accounts. By tailoring campaigns to specific prospects, startups can create more personalised experiences, leading to stronger relationships and higher conversion rates.

• Value Ladder. We introduced the concept of the value ladder, a framework for offering increasing levels of value to customers. Through interactive discussions, participants identified ways to enhance their product or service offerings, build stronger customer relationships, and encourage loyalty. We brainstormed how the value ladder could be applied to different businesses around the table.

Other Reflections:

• Customer-Centric Approach: The importance of deeply understanding customer needs and tailoring solutions accordingly.

• Strategic Alignment: Ensuring that marketing efforts are closely aligned with business objectives for maximum impact.

• Adaptive Mindset: Staying flexible and open to change in response to market feedback and technological advancements.

• Community and Collaboration: Valuing the support and knowledge that comes from engaging with a network of peers.

A Collaborative Journey

What stood out most was the collective dedication to growth — not just individually, but as a community. The startups' willingness to share experiences, challenges, and successes created an environment of mutual support. It's clear that this collaborative ethos will serve them well as they navigate the complexities of scaling their businesses.

Looking Ahead

The workshop was a reminder of the vibrant entrepreneurial spirit thriving in Manchester's tech scene. These startups are poised to make significant impacts in their respective fields, and it's exciting to see how they'll apply growth marketing principles to achieve their goals.

Thank you to everyone who participated for your enthusiasm and openness. The insights gained were invaluable, and the connections made will undoubtedly lead to future collaborations. Also a big thank you to Ed Dawson, Jasmine Kailath, Harpreet Kaur and Naomi Timperley for organising and inviting me to take part in this program.