ICO's - Their failure is in their lack of planning

ICO's Failure is in the planning

Over 4,000 ICO's. (with plenty more in the wings)
95% set to fail or have already done so.
For a reportedly multi billion dollar market that doesn't bode well for investors.
Despite the fact that investors do expect a large failure rate in any investment, this number doesn't place much trust in the projects coming into the ICO market place.
Conferences have become 'the thing'. Offering projects 'free speaking engagements' which is great. Except where you have no visibility online, then your time (and money) is wasted with investors exposed to dozens of pitches in a day, they will very quickly forget about your project if there is not prolific reminders across the scope of the publications which they read daily. As well as a prolific social media footprint with quality graphics, defined information and calls to action that work!

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It is said that in order for the 'buy mechanism' to be activated one must be presented with a brand 20 times. i.e. Prolific marketing, an extensive digital footprint and organic spread of your project is essential to success.

Digital Footprint :: Visibility

It is absolutely essential that all startups and ICOs looking for funding create a Visible presence online for investors both 'qualified' and public. This visibility ensures that your investors are 'peppered' with your project so that the moment you open up for the Private sale, your investors are already salivating to be a part of your project.
As with any business, if it's not visible, you won't get customers and investors are your first customers.
There are several areas where ICO's can make improvements in their digital marketing:

1) Marketing Strategy:

A carefully constructed, detailed plan of action to create a visible presence across the internet which aims to reach your desired audience and grow your organic footprint.

Audience:

a) community
b) investors - private
c) investors - public
d) consumers - users of product

Within your strategy you should know precisely What your goals are, Where you will market your project, to Whom you will be speaking and how you will attract their attention. When & where you will be marketing your project. Without this detailed document your project is likely to attract few investors and show little growth in the public sector.
This requires a strategic digital marketing consultant who
· understands the landscape of ICO's, Startups and Business globally.
· has extensive knowledge of the sequence of events of an ICO and the technology being created,
· is highly networked across relevant publications
· as well as an indepth knowledge of social, tecnology and business platforms.
· Has the ability to communicate across all sectors, social and business levels in creating a Brand Voice & Story that clearly communicates your message.
· Knows the technical aspects of Digital Marketing – i.e. Analytics, social metrics, valid platforms & processes.

Note: The entire team needs to become a part of the marketing process to highlight their dedication, expertise and value within the project's development. A high visibility team will outweigh a 'ghostly' 30k telegram group when it comes to genuine investors and building a committed community who want to 'know' the people behind the project.

**People buy People

a) Community:

Creates widespread knowledge of the project through the community's personal network. By spreading & sharing the wealth of information created by the team, creating meme's, videos and other supported content in exchange for 'Bounty' (the project's tokens are given away in exchange for the time and effort put into the online marketing), the community creates a global footprint and 'love' for the project.
This 'Footprint' adds huge value in the visibility of the project to investors and the wider public community. The marketing should be explosive, consistent, widespread accross a vast global network to reach investors and the public.
At the outset of the ICO industry it was made up of the Technology community, mainly developers who became a part of the community that supported that application or project because of a Love for the project.
Subsequently, companies offering to gain projects 10's of thousands of supporters for a princely sum, has duped many an unsuspecting ICO. Sadly, as has been found most of the supporters are from non-existent accounts providing zero value to the project.
This dilutes the project's marketing capabilities substantially as the point of the community is to assist with creating a vast global digital footprint.
The SEO value of this footprint is extremely valuable so creating a vibrant, committed community of Bounty Hunters is absolutely essential to the success of the project. Whilst paying attention to:

• Hashtags
• Keywords
• Content
• Links
• Timing

of the content to be distributed by the community. Planning is essential – therefore without a strategy you will expend time, money and energy on ineffective communications.

b) Investors: Qualified

Invstors : Hedge Funds, Venture Capitalists, Private Funds, Private Investors, Group investors.
Serious investors are more likely to invest in projects visible to them on their networks, in quality publications in the technology and business sectors.
For this, one requires PR. Press releases, articles spread across the network of technology, business publications and quality professional networks. A highly networked individual with contacts within these publications or a writer who can get your articles published, is absolutely essential to grow this vital part of the footprint.
This should happen PRIOR to appearing conferences as the investors will very quickly forget about your project among the plethora pitches at conferences.
Language: English is the global language so all content should be written by a native English speaker/writer to ensure that it is appealing to read, easy to understand and captures the global marketplace.

c) Investors: Public

Post- ICO when your project is trading on exchanges you'll need the public to purchase your coins/tokens. This is where the majority of the ICO's are falling flat as their marketing stops with the community they've built, who quickly turn in their tokens for cash and scarper.
In order to continue to grow your visibility to the public and increase the value of your token / coin, you Must grow this network at the outset of the community building process.
There are hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of people globally desperate to enter the crypto market place, but have no idea your project even exists because there is zero footprint.
Within your detailed marketing strategy you must know who your public are, where to find them and how to communicate with them prior to the ICO public sale. Build momentum from the outset using the global network of your community to gain visibility and traction with the public at large. Draw the public into your community to ensure widespread visibility.

d) Consumers - Users of Product

Although many projects will be used within industry or technology environments with few needing a vast public audience, it is still essential to begin your marketing to your specific audience as early on as possible.
Start with your community, grow the focus of the finished product as quickly as possible to ensure your project is well known by your desired audience prior to the ICO. This is very attractive to investors.

Get them salivating!!

The downfall of many ICOs is that they are completely oblivious as to how vital a properly constructive digital marketing strategy is to their project's success.
ICOs - Get a Digital Marketing Strategy first!
Countless conferences will bring you fewer investors than a well executed strategy that drives the attention to your project through prolific marketing, and eventually organic growth through a community that supports the actual project.

Bonnie Crofford - an experienced Digital Marketing Consultant & Brand Growth Strategist has been working with clients globally for over 18 years in devising strategies that work to capture desired audiences and create loyal clients. Advisor and Consultant in the ICO industry and to technology startups globally.
Predictive Ideology - #Pi
Contact Bonnie on Linkedin to discuss your requirements or to set up a consultation.

#ICO #Business #Startups
#Investors #Consumers #Community
#StrategicMarketing #SocialMedia #BusinessMedia #TechnologyMedia