When we first met the founder of a small meal-subscription start-up, her list was ambitious. She wanted Instagram, Google Ads, email, an influencer push and SEO, all starting the same month. Her budget would have paid for one of those properly.
This happens a lot with new businesses. Every channel looks like a door to customers, so you try to open them all at once. The usual result is thin effort everywhere and no clear sign of what is working.
Starting with questions, not tactics
We asked: Who has bought from you so far? Where did they hear about you? Who came back? Her best customers were local, found her through friends’ posts, and ordered after seeing real photos of the food.
That told us where to begin. For the first 60 days we suggested only two things: a local Instagram and Facebook campaign built around customer photos, and a simple welcome email for every new sign-up. Everything else went on a “later” list, with a reason beside each item so it never felt like a flat no.
Handling the pushback
She was not thrilled. A founder who sees competitors everywhere finds waiting hard. So we made progress easy to see. Every Friday she received a one-page report showing spend, enquiries and what we would change next week. Seeing the numbers move calmed her more than any reassurance could.
What happened
By week six, sign-ups from the local campaign were steady enough to predict. The welcome email even prompted replies from customers, which gave us ideas for new content. With that proof in hand, she agreed to add Google Ads for the neighbourhoods already ordering, and we launched them with confidence instead of a guess.
What we took from it
- Start with the customers you already have.
- Say “not yet” with a reason and a date to revisit.
- Report weekly, in plain language.
- Add a new channel only when the first ones have earned it.
If you are a start-up with a long wish list, you are not wrong to want it all. You just do not have to buy it all on day one.