Marketing Strategy

[blah23]

My company is currently developing a graphic editing/illustrating application. I need some ideas for marketing it, so far we are going to set up a project blog where updates will be posted along with discussion about its features. This should help to build hype and get the name out there. What else could to be done to help promote the project before and after it is released?

[MsNadi]

Ahhh..."blogging to build hype". It's a LOT more difficult than you think. There are SOOOOO many blogs out there and so many blogs out there that serve no purpose than to generate hype for something that people would otherwise have no interest in (and I am a blogger).

That being said, I would blog because its cheap and easy and might help strike an emotional connection between potential customers and your product.

BUT better time spent would be to generate some press - create a press release and send it off to local news stations. You know those "smart shoppers and great summer bathing suit buys" 30 second - 2 minute blurbs the news does in the middle of Iraq/Iran coverage? PR Segments submitted by the companies trying to generate the PR.

Submit yourself to TechCrunch if you think your idea has any steam.

More effective than starting your own blog and trying to garner readership without having much of a name behind you would be to get yourself on those blogs that get 10K visitors on a weekly basis (or who attract those that may be in your target market).

Case in point: ladies handbag maker Kooba did two things to market themselves. Gave bags to people who frequently appear in US Weekly and People Magazine hoping that when they get busted for drinking and driving, they're carrying one of their bags. And submitting their bags and pictures to all the purse blogs out there (that have a collective readership of over 2MM women).

Get active. Use the existing blogs that people subscribe to via RSS feeds to get your idea going.