On May 27 every year, brands across Nigeria try to tap into the marketing potential of Children’s Day. Children’s Day is one of those rare cultural moments that has broad appeal, high emotional value, and low risk of controversy or backlash.

Some brands rise to the occasion, capturing the joy, innocence, and wonder that Children’s Day represents. Others make a lacklustre attempt and fall flat on their faces.

So what makes a great Children’s Day Campaign?

Personally, I judge every Children’s Day campaign using five simple criteria. A great one should hit at least four of them:

1. It feels like it’s for children (or childhood) or is clearly about them.

2. It taps into at least one of the emotions associated with children & childhood — joy, innocence, creativity, nostalgia, protection/empowerment, hope (for the future).

3. It connects the moment to the brand authentically.

4. It has a playful tone, portrayed visually or with words.

5. It’s thoughtful and doesn’t feel like a brand simply ticking a box.

But not every brand sells to children. So, should every brand still show up?

Yes. One of my favorite things about Children’s Day is how flexible it is. You don’t need a kids’ product to take part. After all, everyone was once a child.

That said, different brands should show up in different ways depending on their relationship with children. When it comes to Children’s Day, I think of brands in 3 categories:

1. Brands with children as the primary audience
   (e.g. toy companies, snacks, edtech for kids)
   For these types of brands, Children’s Day is extremely important. That’s why they’re the most likely brands to run special campaigns, events, or giveaways on the day.
   Approaches to try

   1. Speak to kids directly through playful, vibrant content

   2. Organise fun offline or online events

   3. Involve kids as creators, not just subjects

2. Brands with parents as a major audience
   (e.g. banks with kid accounts, telcos, FMCGs)
   These brands don’t have a direct relationship with children, but parents form a huge portion of their target audience.
   Approaches to try

   1. Celebrate parent-child bonding moments

   2. Show how families use the brand together

   3. Encourage parents to do something special for their kids

3. Brands not directly relevant to children
   (e.g. B2B tools, productivity apps)
   These brands have zero relationship with children. So, instead of forcing a connection, they can focus on the spirit of childhood and use elements like nostalgia in their marketing.
   Approaches to try

   1. Share childhood throwbacks

   2. Highlight the childlike curiosity or creativity that still fuels your team

   3. Use humour or a light tone to bring the message home

Noteworthy Children’s Day Ads From Nigerian Brands

Now that we’ve set the context of what makes a great Children’s Day ad, let’s dive into some of the most noteworthy ads this year.

1. Daystar Christian Center - 10/10

Daystar is a mega church in Nigeria, with the tagline “raising role models”

I didn’t expect a church to make it to this list (and with a perfect score), but Daystar did too good a job not to make this list.

Daystar’s ad is brilliant and does an amazing job of tying their core message to the relevance of the day. To solidify their point even more, they interspersed the static ads with visual clips from a Children’s Day performance (from children in their church) that perfectly ties the message together.

It ticks all of my boxes and I have zero notes.

2. Cowrywise - 8/10

Cowrywise is a wealth management app.

Cowrywise executed multiple campaigns for Children’s Day; one video, one carousel, and one static ad. Of all 3, the video and static ad were the best.

The video leaned on the success of Cowrywise’s last Children’s Day campaign, bringing the same children back again to get an update. They leaned on themes like innocence and joy, but still did a great job tying it all back to one of their offerings — Nest, a savings plan for children.

The static ad is great as well, targeting parents with messaging about saving for their children’s future with Nest.

3. Piggyvest - 8/10

Piggyvest is a wealth management app.

The ad here is simple, but incredibly efficient. Like Cowrywise, they target parents and nudge them to set up their children’s futures.

I appreciate that they didn’t go the cliche route by using piggy bank visuals (which would have been on brand regardless, considering the product name). But it does feel like the visuals could be a lot stronger and not be so literal in translation. However, this is a personal opinion and subject to taste.

4. The Hook - 7/10

The Hook is a marketing & advertising agency.

Since The Hook doesn’t directly target children, they decided to focus on the whimsy of the day. As a gag, they “replaced” their Creative Director with a 7-year old for a day.

While the ad doesn’t have any core underlying messaging, it’s a fun watch and really leans into the innocence and joy of the day. For a brand with no relevance to children, this was a great approach.

5. First Bank - 6/10

First Bank is a multinational traditional bank.

One of First Bank’s CSR pillars is education and empowerment, so they used their ad to reflect this. Last year, First Bank organised a Tech Skill-Up Bootcamp. So they used kid participants to promote this year’s event and to celebrate the day.

They lean into hope for the future with advocacy. The video is a little long, and it doesn’t do enough to capture the viewer’s attention. Which is a drawback, considering their CTA and main point are at the end of the video.

6. Koyn - 6/10

Koyn is a crypto trading platform.

The strength of Koyn’s ad is really in the copy, not the imagery. The copy drives home a straightforward message about the importance of securing a financial future for your kids.

However, the imagery doesn’t do anything to complement the copy. It shows a father who’s distracted (by trading on his phone) and not really in the moment with his child. This detracts from the message significantly.

7. DKK - 6/10

DKK is a marketing & advertising agency.

If DKK had only used the “Ctrl + Z” creative and the tagline in the last slide, this ad would have been far higher up in this list.

While the general idea looks great, some of the creatives in the campaign (like the “feedback machine”) feel like forced analogies.

8. Airtel - 4/10

Airtel is a telecommunications provider.

Airtel’s ad is simple and doesn’t try to be anything more than that. They focus on themes like the joy of childhood, and encourage parents to let children be free just this once.

But none of it really ties back to Airtel aside the red colour in the visuals. The phone itself feels randomly placed and doesn’t add anything to the message. Perhaps it might have if they’d tied it into messaging about capturing these joyful moments.

9. Vendyz - 3/10

Vendyz is an escrow payment platform for social commerce and real estate.

The core idea of Vendyz’s ad appears to be safeguard your children’s future. But the idea feels disconnected because Vendyz doesn’t really help you safeguard your children’s future, they help you safeguard transactions (nothing to do with children specifically).

There are also some details in its execution that shift the tone of the message or that have no relevance with the ad. For example, it’s unclear what “Little hands” has to do with the messaging, since the messaging has nothing to do with kids working with their hands.

The use of “every child feels protected” in particle shifts the message slightly. When people think about protecting children, they don’t think about financial protection; they think about physically protecting them from the dangers of the world. So, Vendyz’s use of “protected” without specifying that its the children’s future that’s protected, not the child itself, really changes the tone of the ad.

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10. Mavin Records - 2/10

Mavin Records is Africa’s leading entertainment company and record label.

When I first saw these visuals, I had no idea what they meant. It felt like I was missing some context to make the message reveal itself. A couple hours later, Mavin posted a video to contextualise the images a bit.

But despite the production value of the video, it’s unclear how it ties into the key messaging. There were many missed opportunities for better execution with this campaign.

A better execution would be bringing kids whose dreams are to work in music & entertainment (rather than those who want to be doctors and lawyers). Frankly, kids who want to be doctors already get validation for their dreams. It’s those who want to be creatives that often get their dreams invalidated, with society telling them they can’t make money from it or become very successful.

A powerful message got incredibly watered down with the execution in this campaign, and it’s disappointing.

11. OPay - 1/10

Opay is a fintech solution

The first crime in OPay’s ad is the AI voice. For such an emotional holiday, an monotonous AI voice draws zero emotions (and in fact kills any emotions one might have felt).

The ad itself feels like an investor update rather than a customer-facing piece of communication. They monotonously rush through bare numbers that hold no meaning to users.

For a company that claims to have made so much impact with children, they say nothing about the impact. They could have done some impact storytelling here by sharing visuals & stories about how OPay has changed the lives of these children.

It’s easily the worst Children’s Day ad I saw today.

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Easter can be a tricky holiday for brands, especially in a religious country like Nigeria. Most brands play it safe with a simple “Happy Easter” greeting to avoid offending Christians or getting dragged.

But a few brands managed to toe the line between creativity and appropriateness. I scoured the internet for the most noteworthy ones. Here are my thoughts (and ratings) for each.

1. Cafe One - 10/10

Cafe One is a coffee shop and co-working space created by Sterling Bank Nigeria.

Cafe One’s Easter comms is easily the best I’ve seen so far, and the social media reactions back me up on it.

The brilliance of the ad is that it hits the nail on the significance of Easter to Christians. This distinguishes them, especially since most brands focus on surface-level symbolism.

The cherry on top is that the copy and visuals align with both their product and the symbolic Easter visual (the cross). 10/10, no notes.

2. Tadora HQ - 9/10

Tadora HQ is a LinkedIn growth & personal branding agency.

Tadora’s ad comes as a LinkedIn carousel, true to form. Just like Cafe One, they focused on the significance of Easter over mere symbolism. But unlike Cafe One, they don’t use any symbolism at all (which is why they don’t get the full 10/10).

Still, they did a stellar job linking the Easter story to their core offering (personal branding) without diluting the message or offending Christians. Solid copy, clean execution.

3. Chess In Slums - 9/10

Chess In Slums is a non-profit organisation that uplifts children in underserved communities through the use of chess.

Chess in Slums does a truly excellent job of tying the Easter story to chess concepts—the existence of a simple pawn and the sacrifice of the pawn to become a royal.

The visuals really hammer in their point, and it’s an excellent example of visual storytelling.

4. Bigi - 8.5/10

Bigi is a soda brand with an array of flavours.

Their Good Friday ad leaned into the solemnity of the day. No product shots. Just a sober, reflective message.

There’s also a slight play on words in the copy that’s just the right amount of subtle, so it doesn’t dilute the message or take away from its significance. It’s a simple, to-the-point message with no frills.

As an extra cap to their feather, their tagline “For Every Moment” complements the copy and is a subtle product mention.

5. 02 Academy - 8/10

02 Academy is a brand communications and advertising school for creatives.

This ad’s strength is in the visuals: pencil shavings rearranged to form the image of Jesus.

It’s a powerful metaphor — discarded bits turned into something beautiful. The message ties back to how Jesus was rejected, then resurrected. The metaphor also resonates with 02 Academy’s target audience (creatives) who are also often rejected or underestimated.

6. Renmoney - 8/10

Renmoney is a digital bank that provides loans, savings, and banking services.

Most finance brands lean on the tired “He paid in full” trope for Easter campaigns, so it’s rare for me to find one that deserves a high rating. But Renmoney deserves this rating for managing to turn another overused marketing slang (the “achalugo” trend from Omoni Oboli’s “Love In Every Word”) into great messaging about the meaning of Easter.

Renmoney references the trend with the red hats and the “Odogwu” mention, but only to contrast it against the Easter message — the sacrifice made on the cross. It does a fine job of combining humour with a real & relevant message.

7. Colgate - 8/10

Colgate sells oral hygiene products.

The “Yanga” in Colgate’s Easter ad is especially significant because it’s the tagline of their most recent campaigns (Yanga with your smile). They do a great job of tying the tagline to the Easter message.

As a plus, the visuals are amazing. The font reminds one of the texture of toothpaste, and the smile represents perfect white teeth (presumably as a result of using Colgate). The tomb outline in the background is a nice touch as well.

8. Yield - 7.5/10

Yield is a fund management & investment solution by Credit Direct.

Yield leans into humour to promote their product. They position Judas Iscariot, the villain in the Easter story, as someone who made a poor investment; and then they use it as a teaching moment.

This message is especially timely in light of the recent CBEX scandal, which was revealed as a pyramid scheme and caused thousands of Nigerians to lose millions of naira.

9. Audacia - 6.5/10

Audacia is a real estate investment company.

Audacia’s message is creative and positions the tomb as a real estate property that has increased in value.

It almost works, but ends up feeling like a commodification of something sacred. While creative, the analogy falls a little flat, and it feels like there is a missing conclusion to piece it together.

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10. Fairmoney - 6/10

Fairmoney is a microfinance bank and instant loan solution.

Fairmoney’s ad is very simple, but its visual is a winner. While it doesn’t spread any message about the real meaning of Easter, they get some props for using their logo to represent the open tomb.

11. First Bank - 5/10

First Bank is a multinational bank and financial services company.

While First Bank’s copy attempts to reference the true meaning of Easter, the execution of their visuals could be better. The use of the nails was an excellent start, but the appearance of the dove ruined it, especially because there is no widely recognised symbolic significance of a dove in the resurrection story.

12. Golden Penny Spread - 4/10

Golden Penny spread is packaged butter, often eaten with bread.

Golden Penny’s ad is another example of a great visual idea with bad execution. The imagery of the lid and butter is supposed to represent the open entrance of the tomb (with the rolled stone).

But the design is poorly executed, and the symbolism is easy to miss. When this ad was first shared on the Marketing For Geeks group, it confused many members until someone explained what the imagery was supposed to represent. Good marketing should not have to be explained.

13. Imperial Crown - 1/10

Imperial Crown is a red grape non-alcoholic drink.

This ad was a complete miss. The red of the drink had so much potential (think symbolism of blood, sacrifice, etc). There was also some potential in their name itself (“Imperial Crown” to represent the crown of thorns on Jesus’ head).

Instead, we got a lackluster visual with vague copy. I’ve looked at this ad every which way, trying to see if there’s any hidden symbolism I’m missing. There isn’t.

Other Noteworthy Mentions

For the sake of brevity, I’ll simply share these and reserve my opinions. Happy Easter!

Did you reading this? Give it a ❤️ and let me know in the comments section.

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Want to do more than read MFG?

1. Join MFG’s WhatsApp community to partake in marketing discussions. The community includes 300+ Nigerian marketers across all levels sharing ideas, feedback, and resources..

2. Take advantage of discounts from MFG’s partners

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   2. Algrowithm's growth engineering trainings - 15% discount - Code MFG

   3. The Growth Handbook by Binjo Adeniran - 20% discount - Code MFG

   4. Lagos Startup Expo - 20% discount - Code LSEMFG2.0

3. Contribute guest posts to MFG. Works best if you’re looking to build bylines for your portfolio.

4. If you’re a B2B SaaS founder in need of product marketing support, let’s talk. Book a discovery call to discuss how I can help

Today, I want to dive deeper into how to define your value proposition; and why most websites have it wrong.

There are 2 approaches to value prop messaging:

Approach #1: Why You Should Use A Product Like Ours

This is the approach most companies take. It simply states why people use tools within that category. Let’s take Calendly as a case study. Calendly’s hero section offers the exact same value props you can find in any other meeting scheduling tool. Because it tells you why you should use a meeting scheduling tool; not why you should use Calendly specifically.

The problem with this approach is that it doesn’t differentiate you from competitors. It leaves you promising customers the exact same thing that others are promising them.

This doesn’t mean it’s not an important value prop approach to document or that you should never use it. But it should not be your main value prop unless you’re selling an innovative product with no known competitors (which is very rare and not the case for most products). It is most useful for TOFU marketing (e.g. SEO).

So, how do you define this type of value prop?

1. Conduct audience research: Audience research can never be over-done. Dive deep into understanding who your target audience is. Conduct discovery interviews (here’s a sample) to better understand them. Make sure to document all the research you do.
   

2. Define their JTBD: Users “hire” your product to do a “job” for them; the Job-To-Be-Done (JTBD) framework helps you define what that job is. The way a job gets done might change, but the job itself doesn’t. For example, a person might want to get from their home to work; that’s a job. They could achieve that in different ways; taking public transport, booking an Uber, hitching a ride, driving their own car, or even walking. Your promise is to help them achieve that “job” more effectively or efficiently.
   

3. Map their pains & gains: Now that you understand your audience, list the problems (aka pains) they face while trying to achieve their JTBD and the motivation & positive outcomes (aka gains) they expect from achieving it.
   For example, for the “get from home to work” JTBD, the pains might be road traffic, cost of fuel, and discomfort during transit. The gains might be getting to work on time, minimising commuting costs, and enjoying a stress-free commute.
   You can use tools like the Value Proposition Canvas pictured above (specifically the customer profile section) to map out their needs and pains.
   

4. Map your solution: Once you’ve mapped your customer profile, outline how your product or service creates gains and relieves pains. Again, the Value Proposition Canvas can help here, specifically the value map section.
   

5. Combine them into benefits: Take the problems and the solutions that you’ve mapped and combine them into benefits for the customer. Make sure to twist the knife on their problem and be specific about how you solve it.

Approach #2: Why You Should Use Our Product Specifically

This is the approach that Less Annoying CRM used. Here, you make a promise that is unique to you. It says what you offer that competitors do not. Let’s go back to the Calendly examples. Here are some Calendly alternatives that DO show why you should choose them specifically.

If you’re in a red ocean market where people are aware that competitors exist, this is the perfect option. Use this value prop type in your hero section and on comparison pages. It’s perfect for BOFU marketing.

To define this kind of value prop, you need to have followed the steps in approach #1. Once those are completed, you can move on to these steps:

1. Conduct a ton of competitor research: Dive deep into your competitors, the solutions they offer, and what customers think about them. You can use my competitor research template [🔒SUBSCRIBE TO GET IT FOR FREE] to help.

2. Explain how your solutions differ from competitor solutions: What do you do differently than they do? Think on every single level you can. What’s their team size like? Do they take a different approach than you do? Where’s their HQ? What’s the UX like? List as many differences as you possibly can, whether you consider them relevant or not.

3. Connect the differentiation to your TA’s problem: How is that differentiation of benefit to your TA? You can turn even the most subtle differentiators into value props. Here are some examples:

   1. Global competitors? Turn your local focus and understanding of nuance into strengths.

   2. Competitors with VC backing? Say that unlike competitors, you can prioritise users over investors.

   3. Larger competitors? Say that while you don’t have their resources, you’re more agile and able to make changes without bureaucracy.

Sample Value Proposition Levers

If you’re still not sure what makes your product different from competitors, here are a few unique positioning levers you can use:

• We’re #1: Highlight your market leadership.

• We Have The Best Quality: Emphasize your high standards and craftsmanship. Best used when you’re higher priced.

• We’re Only For A Few People: Position your product as an exclusive club that only the best can get into.

• We Came First: Emphasize your pioneering status. Use your years of experience as a strength.

• We Fixed This Competitor Screwup: Position competitors as an enemy you’ve come to save the customer from. Focus on the problems users face with them.

• We Care More About You: Focus on customer-centric values and personalised service.

• We Are Cheaper: Stress affordability. Emphasize the cost savings.

• We Focus on One Thing Alone: Differentiate with a niche focus and highlight expertise within that niche.

• We’re the 2nd Best, and That’s Okay: Show humility and reliability.

TL;DR (Too Long, Didn’t Read): You can’t stand out from competitors with generic value props like “Save time on xxx." Competitors can make that same promise. Focus on a promise that only you can make.

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Sample Value Prop Marketing

These are examples of products with clear differentiation in their messaging.

#1. Bang & Olufsen’s Ads👍🏽

Bang & Olufsen position themselves as being exclusive. Their value prop is their exclusivity; making you feel like you’re part of an elite few when you own one.

#2. Avis Rental’s “We Try Harder” Campaign👍🏽

Avis Rentals had always trailed behind the market leader in car rentals. Rather than pretending to be the No. 1 car rental company, they leaned on their #2 position as their value prop, birthing the iconic “We Try Harder” campaign.

#3. Basecamp’s Small Business Manifesto👍🏽

Basecamp does an excellent job emphasizing their commitment to small businesses. That’s why they use their personalised services and small size as a value proposition.

#4. Southwest Airlines’ Transfarency Promise👍🏽

At a time when other airlines used sneaky pricing (with people complaining about hidden fees), Southwest Airlines positioned itself as the airline that was fully transparent about its pricing with no hidden fees.

#5. Hey’s Website Hero Section👍🏽

Hey was built by the same people who built Basecamp, so their strong value prop is no surprise. They position themselves as the hero coming to save you from shitty competitors.

Did you enjoy this? Give it a ❤️ and let me know in the comments section.

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For example, you can find case studies and growth stories anywhere, but only a marketing newsletter written by a Nigerian would provide the growth stories of Nigerian companies specifically. Case in point👇🏽

That’s why I’m making this post; to share some of my favourite marketing newsletters (covering topics like content marketing and product marketing) with Nigerian authors. This list is ranked in no particular order.

1. Yellow Chili Campaigns

Author: Torinmo Salau

If you love marketing case studies, you’ll love Yellow Chili Campaigns. Torinmo Salau, a PR & Communications Specialist, curates the newsletter as a library of marketing campaigns.

Every other Wednesday, she shares a short campaign example from around the world to give marketers and founders inspiration for their own work. She ends each newsletter with action points that you can easily apply to your business or product.

You should subscribe to Yellow Chili Campaigns if you love creative marketing campaigns and need more content for your swipe file.

2. Marketing For Geeks

Author: Lade Falobi

Marketing For Geeks is a product & content marketing newsletter read by 1k+ marketers. It’s written by SaaS product marketer, Lade Falobi (that’s me!), who calls it the “second-best marketing newsletter you’ll ever read".

Every other week, I share 1 interesting thing (often a deep dive into a marketing theory, principle, or case study), 3 actionable insights, and 5 marketing pieces for your swipe file. I also alternate with case studies into the growth stories of Africa’s most successful companies, like Piggyvest:

Marketing For Geeks also has an exclusive Whatsapp community for marketers of all types and experience levels.

You should subscribe to Marketing For Geeks if you love actionable insights you can implement right away and breakdowns of marketing theories or case studies.

3. The Early Stage Marketer

Author: Onyinye Nwankwo

As the name implies, The Early Stage Marketer is perfect for marketers who are just beginning their career or who are working at early-stage companies. However, the newsletter is a great read for any marketer, regardless of your career stage.

In the newsletter, Onyinye shares her experiences as the first marketing hire in multiple startups. Her personal storytelling style is part of what makes The Early Stage Marketer so endearing. She is vulnerable about relatable mistakes, lessons, and practical insights that she has learnt in her career.

The Early Stage Marketer also has a community for marketers with 0-3 years of experience, making it a great resource for those just starting in their marketing journey.

You shoud subscribe to The Early Stage Marketer if you’re an entry-level marketer or if you work at a budding startup where you are the only marketing hire.

4. THRIVE for Product Marketers

Author: Peace Attah

THRIVE is a product marketing newsletter written by Peace Attah, a leading product marketer with over 4 years experience in the field. The newsletter covers a wide range of product marketing, with tips for beginners transitioning into the field.

THRIVE for Product Marketers includes tips & best practices that will help you in your product marketing newsletter, and real-life examples of good and bad product marketing.

Peace sends her newsletters every two weeks and each issue is educational and actionable.

You should subscribe if you’re a product marketer or if you’re trying to transition into product marketing.

5. The Marketing Roundup

Author: Olohireme Ajai-Ikhile

The Marketing Roundup is a weekly content marketing newsletter. Reme, who leads content at a SaaS publication, shares two insightful lessons about content marketing and one helpful resource in every issue.

She writes about great content marketing strategies, updates in relevant technologies (e.g. Google’s API leak), and actionable tips & strategies.

You should subscribe to The Marketing Roundup if you work in content marketing or leverage content as part of your overall marketing plan.

6. Marketing In Action

Authors: James Praise and Oluwakayode Akinbode

James & Kayode have done marketing for startups in the EMEA & US regions for years, and they use their learnings to create insights for Marketing In Action.

Marketing In Action is a weekly growth marketing newsletter with practical guides and templates in each issue. They cover topics like marketing channels and growth marketing processes for founders and marketers.

You should subscribe to Marketing In Action if you are a marketer or first-time founder looking to grow your startup.

7. Just Content Marketing

Author: Akachukwu Obilor

Just Content Marketing is a content marketing newsletter that brings a fresh perspective to various content marketing topics. Akachukwu’s goal is to help marketers “engage and convert customers with content.”

The newsletter doesn’t have a regular posting schedule, but whenever it goes out, it’s packed with actionable content marketing insights.

You should subscribe to Just Content Marketing if you’re a content marketer looking to improve your content strategy or to execute better.

8. In The Marketing Room

Author: Gift “Gigii” Chidinma

In the Marketing Room is part of Gigii’s Room, a three-part multi-faceted newsletter covering content marketing, entrepreneurship, and better living tips.

You can subscribe to all 3 or just In The Marketing Room, where Gigii shares content marketing insights, tips, lessons, and examples.

You should subscribe to In The Marketing Room if you’re a content marketer or hands-on founder.

Conclusion

There you have it—my top picks for marketing newsletters written by Nigerians. Each of these newsletters offers something unique and valuable, making them worthy additions to your inbox.

Don’t just take my word for it—subscribe to these newsletters (or read their previous issues) and see for yourself. And if you know of any other great marketing newsletters from Nigeria that I missed out, feel free to let me know. Happy reading!

It didn’t help that I didn’t have a lot of experience in music marketing (the organizer assured me this wasn’t an issue). It did help that I’d spent some time the past few months speaking to musicians, producers, songwriters, and artist managers to guide work I was doing for an MVP-stage startup, Corefans. Corefans is a crowdfunding platform that lets musicians offer perks to fans who donate to their creative projects.

As I collated key points to speak on during the Space, I began to see a pattern form. While I didn’t have a lot of experience with music marketing, I did have experience driving marketing and growth for early-stage startups. As I stared at my notes, one thing became painfully obvious to me.

Early-stage growth for independent musicians looks a lot similar to early-stage growth for startups.

The more I thought about it, the more it made perfect sense to me.

1. Passion: In music, early-stage musicians are often driven by fierce passion and belief in the greatness of what they do. With startups, founders are also driven by an urgent fervour and a conviction that they have a great product (or at the very least, a great idea) that could solve real problems.

2. Early adopters are everything: One point I hammered on during the space was the importance of early fans and the power they had to drive viral growth. It didn’t escape my notice that early adopters are also incredibly important to the growth of early startups.

3. Do-It-All Founder: During interviews I had with some up-and-coming musicians, one thing that stood out to me was how many new skills early musicians had to learn because they didn’t yet have the money to pay producers, songwriters, videographers, graphics designers, promoters, etc. Similarly, early-stage founders often have to wear many hats to create that first MVP and acquire first customers.

Once I saw the parallels between these two seemingly dissimilar industries, I could see the way the strategies I was planning to teach the musicians was very easily applicable to startup growth and vice versa. I found this interesting, which is why I am sharing some of those tips with you here.

The tips for musicians are in bold and their link with startups is in brackets and italics.

• No record label, no problem. Start with what you have. Don’t wait on a record label to start honing your craft and being intentional about your music.

  (No funding, no problem. Start with what you have. Don’t wait on a VC to help you acquire your first 10000 users.)

• Build a community of your early fans and engage with them. Offer them perks and include them in your creation process. They’ll be your strongest advocates and initial drivers of your growth.

  (Be intentional about building a community of your early adopters. Share product updates with them and have genuine conversations (not polls or surveys) with them about what works or doesn’t work for them. They’ll drive your initial growth.)

• Don’t promote your music without a sneak peek. If you’re dropping links to your music, show people the reason why they should click the link, e.g. add a snippet from the song.

  (Give people a reason to buy. Offer free trials, record demos, get testimonials from early users. Whatever it is, give users a strong reason to use your product by showing them the product itself or its benefit to them.)

• Especially if you have a niche audience, you need to find communities and events where they are. If you sing alternative music, find the alté community. If you sing folk, go to open-mic-type events.

  (Meet your customers where they are. Embed yourself in their communities or attend events they’d attend. Not only will you get to acquire users, you’ll get deeper insight into their interests, behaviours, and problems.)

• You won’t have money to pay a songwriter, producer, songwriter, manager, etc. So you need to learn many skills and wear multiple hats at that early stage.

  (Learn a little about everything that needs to get done. You won’t have the funds to hire the full team you need. Knowing a little about everything would help you manage more work yourself to get your MVP ready. Even if you have the funds to do some hiring, having broad knowledge will help you choose the right people and make it easier to explain what needs to get done to them.)

• Collaborate with others to make beautiful music together. They don’t have to be paid gigs. You can lean on relationships you have with other creatives (especially those who are in early-stage like you) and grow together.

  (If you don’t have the funds you need to hire an early team, you can lean on your personal relationships. Find people in your network who have the skills you need and get them to buy into your passion. They’d understand if you don’t have the money yet, as long as they’re sure you’ll grow together to that stage.)

I think that these tips can be incredibly helpful for you, whether you’re a musician or a startup founder. Perhaps you’ll feel more inspired to look into more similarities and unlock deep insights to help you drive your growth.

I share insights like these in my newsletter, Marketing For Geeks. Read one of my recent editions first, then subscribe if you enjoy it.

This post was first published on Medium on October 1, 2022.

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