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MenuCurrently in the process of trying to validate a social networking app for college students. Am I headed in the right direction to keep costs low?
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Your on a good track. One Thing I would highly suggest is setting up some organized goals not your business plan but something for you and who ever you are working with. I would be happy to talk to you and help you get things started so you get out to the colleges on an organized and efficient path.
I've created several MVPs for startup ideas, so I understand how to pair large ideas down into the most essential proof of concept and build it.
What's the main value add of your new social network? If the main value add is that it's a community specifically for a certain group of people, I would start by actually creating a community and getting those people involved in the community. If you can show that people actually use and value a community of specific people, that is way more compelling than just email signups of people that are interested in possibly leveraging a community that doesn't exist yet.
If I were you, I would use something like https://clubhouse.cc or Slack.com or Google Groups or Facebook groups to actually create a community and see whether or not it's a value add to your targeted users. Then when you prove that there are people leveraging the community and engaging, it's an easy sell to an investor that you just need money to build a custom app for your community, rather than a shot in the dark based on email signups.
You have the beginnings of a good grass-roots marketing campaign with the stickers, network, etc .... but what you have not talked about is *what is it?*
Generating the buzz about your thing will be done with some of the tactics you described, but your conversion rate will be close to 0 because you have failed to describe "What's In It For Me" to these students.
Let's say, based on the buzz you manage to create, 1,000 students go to your landing page. Then they are asked to sign up for a newsletter ....
What?
I fear no one will sign up because they are only going to your landing page to find out what all the buzz is about, not to be sold to.
You must have something of benefit for them before you start sending them to a landing page.
Also, keep in mind, every John, Dick, and Harry target college students the way you have described. What will make you any different?
I'd love to talk more about how you can provide something of value. Book a call and let's discuss.
-Shaun
Take a look at the cost of flyers, radio, travel to get them out etc and then compare to Facebook targeted ads ( very cheap), send them to a sales funnel page so that you can keep them engaged in your project.
I would consider looking at using SnapChat and YikYak to market to college students. That is were their eyes are everyday. I don't know if they will sign up for your newsletter but they will engage with you on SnapChat
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