Valere CEO Shares Go-To-Market Strategy Secrets for Securing Seed Funding

Introduction

After the success of his own startup, Guy has been advising startup founders of all verticals on matters of AI, Machine Learning, and Finance

I regularly encounter a multitude of investor pitches for seed-stage ventures, encompassing a spectrum of captivating and, on occasion, less promising concepts. Surprisingly, both categories can find success in the market. In essence, if someone can conceive it, it’s plausible for it to exist. People often exhibit a fondness for embracing unconventional ideas as frequently as they do for endorsing tried-and-true concepts.

The challenge of Seed Fundraising

When it comes to securing seed funding, two critical elements stand out: assembling a formidable team and crafting a compelling narrative. However, the reality is that a substantial number of first-time entrepreneurs seeking seed funding lack an experienced team or a CEO with a proven track record. So, how can one navigate this challenge? Well, the most straightforward approach is to roll up your sleeves and take action. Actually launching your business, generating revenue, and thereby bolstering your idea’s credibility is the surest route to success. But what if you lack the necessary financial resources to initiate this process? I’ve encountered this predicament frequently: individuals who aspire to start a venture but are constrained by financial limitations. In such cases, a well-conceived and convincing Go-to-Market (G2M) strategy slide becomes imperative.

The importance of Go-to-Market Strategy

In my humble opinion, for novice entrepreneurs, the Go-to-Market strategy should be the most meticulously thought-out aspect of your business plan. The Go-to-Market strategy entails your approach to acquiring your first users, the subsequent 100 users, the next 1000 users, and so forth. It’s not about planning for massive scale or world domination; rather, it’s about devising a strategy to enter the market, establish a foothold, and demonstrate that a subset of users appreciates your offering. If your Go-to-Market strategy is scalable, that’s even more advantageous.

Fitivity’s Go-to-Market Strategy

Guy Pistone during his college years working on the beginnings of Fitivity

Reflecting on my own experience founding Fitivity, I initially lacked credibility in both technology and business. In fact, I was a 21-year-old who appeared to be 16, with a major in Culture and Communications. Nonetheless, I managed to secure funding, largely thanks to the execution of my Go-to-Market strategy. Even if I hadn’t executed it, I believe I could have convinced an angel investor due to the sheer soundness of the strategy.

Fitivity’s Go-to-Market strategy in 2012 exploited the relatively small mobile app market (compared to the web), enabling us to dominate app store search engine results. I identified keywords in the sports niche with limited competition and developed a sports training app to fill that void, knowing that users were actively searching for such solutions. If I were transported back to 2012 as an investor and a young entrepreneur shared that story (even without concrete proof), I would have been inclined to invest.

Creativity in Go-to-Market Strategy

It’s essential to note that Fitivity’s strategy was essentially a growth hack, and such creative approaches tend to be more effective than less imaginative strategies like relying solely on Facebook ads. The more creative, unique, and compelling your Go-to-Market strategy, the better positioned you’ll be to attract funding without first testing the strategy. Craft a compelling narrative around your Go-to-Market strategy.

Additional Go-to-Market Strategies

Here are a few additional Go-to-Market strategies that hold promise but require further refinement:

1. Free-to-Pay Model: If your product encourages repeat purchases, consider offering it for free initially and making it exceptionally easy for users to make subsequent purchases. If the product truly delivers value, reducing the initial barrier to adoption can lead to subsequent purchases.
2. Leveraging Shareability: Find ways to make your product or content easily shareable among users. Instagram’s success, for instance, was partially fueled by its ability to make sharing photos on Facebook incredibly simple.
3. Reddit Engagement: Engaging with the Reddit community can be a potent strategy for attracting your initial user base. Some companies have gained their first 1,000 users through enthusiastic Reddit communities.
4. Crowdfunding Campaigns: Initiating a Kickstarter campaign with a compelling video and pitch can generate funds and validate your market demand, even before building the product.

Presenting Go-to-Market Strategy to Investors

Guy now routinely mentors startup founders on Go-To-Marketing Strategies

Furthermore, when presenting your Go-to-Market strategy to investors, it’s imperative to focus on just one strategy that you have the utmost confidence in. Sharing multiple strategies can convey uncertainty and increase perceived risk. Your chosen strategy should be meticulously thought out and defensible. Anticipate potential objections and have well-reasoned counterarguments.

Positioning your Go-to-Market Strategy in your Pitch Deck

A well-crafted Go-to-Market strategy and slide can be pivotal in your fundraising efforts. However, achieving this requires an exceptional level of creativity, investigation, and thoughtfulness. When incorporating this slide into your pitch deck, it’s typically best positioned in the latter half of the presentation, often following discussions about your revenue model or market analysis.

Work with Guy and His Team

If you’re interested in working with Guy Pistone and his team at Valere, you can visit their website at valere.io to learn more about their services and how they can help you achieve the level of success they did.

With a proven track record of success and an award-winning team, Valere can help your company achieve its goals and drive innovation in your industry. Contact them today to get your dream app started!

Valere is an award-winning digital transformation, innovation, and software development company. As an expert-vetted, top 1% agency on Upwork, Valere has re-invented the way software design and development agencies operate — mitigating issues related to communication and process inefficiencies while partnering with clients to architect the right solution for the right problem.

Valere utilizes emerging technology in machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) to enable startups and enterprise businesses alike to execute, launch, and scale their vision, transform organizations, and build something meaningful.

Valere has built over 300 successfully launched applications –ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies! Valere has experience developing for both consumer and B2B audiences across a myriad of verticals such as healthcare, finance, sports, fitness, education, and more!

Valere has a successful track record of building applications that have yielded millions in revenue, downloads, and Venture Capital — while also getting apps featured by the New York Times, Apple App Store top featured apps, TechRadar and Google Play Store top featured apps!

The Valere team consists of expert engineers, project managers, designers, and quality assurance specialists, with offices in the United States, India, Croatia, Peru, and Uruguay.

Schedule a call with us today to learn how we can help your team create the perfect software or application that can Accelerate Your Business Goals!