In my previous post here I outline the Four Marketer’s that every start-up needs, the The Promoter, The Storyteller, The Growth Partner and the Demand Generator.
My old friend Karen, the COO at a new foodtech startup emailed me and asked, “how would you view hiring a marketing generalist, who can so parts of all functions competently, albeit not be an expert in any, while also helping with overall strategy, operations, and org building of an early-stage company? “
My first reaction was, “sure, but be careful you may get OK at everything and miss out on the excellence you really need, what area do you need to excel at over the next 6 months? “.
Then I decided to give it more of a think, and decided that answer was the easy way out. Though there are always exceptions, I strongly believe your first marketing hire should be first and foremost a Storyteller. Why? If the story is built, told, tested and scaled well, then the Promoter has the right content to use at events, in PR and in content. The Demand Generator knows where to target, what hooks to use, and leverages the content to drive well target buyer leads. And lastly the Growth Partner knows where to look for the right distribution, viral and complementary tech opportunities to fill in the missing chapters of the story.
What unites the world? Stories. There’s nothing more powerful in the world than a good story. Nothing can stop it. No enemy can defeat it.
Tyrian Lannister, Game of Thrones Season 8, Final Episode
But, get the story wrong, and the Promoter has a flop on their hands, the Demand Generator turns out low quality leads and sees their money wasted and the Growth Partner is fertilizing un-tillable ground.
So, who is this Storyteller, what skills does she need and how do you find her? Ah, that’s a story for our next blog!
Want to work with me on building, telling and scaling your start-up’s story? – come to my Storytelling Bootcamp June 20-21 – Space is limited, reserve your team’s spot today