The Otto Awards

Celebrating the best in startup communications. 🚀

Win over $100k in prizes. Gain VC access. Inspire others.

👇 Are You Presenting Your Startup Powerfully

[Otto Pohl @ottopohl]

What is your passion project?

Mine is the @ottoawards! It is a startup award based on startup storytelling. It also happens to be opening up applications in less then 30 days 👀

#buildinpublic

[Otto Pohl @ottopohl]

Looking to win a startup award?

With the 2023 Awards opening in less than 30 days, let’s break down what makes an @ottoawards winner.

When serial entrepreneur @ga1ex couldn’t find a 401k plan for her employees at her previous Climate Tech startup, she did some digging and found that there really weren’t any options. So she decided to create one at her new startup, @oursphereorg.

Judge Feedback
1️⃣ @AditiRoy, VP of Communications at @onwdempowered, and an Emmy award winner at @CNBC: “The problem and solution are effectively laid out using punchy language and compelling data.”

2️⃣ @stevecla, VP Communications Strategy at @Microsoft: “A great idea with professionally delivered comms.”

Register for the @ottoawards NOW for your chance to win 🚀
https://t.co/h8uQtbYUWm

[The Otto Awards @ottoawards]

A good marketing strategy isn't just about what you say.

It's about how it makes your audience feel.

[The Otto Awards @ottoawards]

Step by step brand messaging:

1. Clarifying the desired outcomes.
2. Identify the obstacles to those outcomes.
3. Design the story around them.

[The Otto Awards @ottoawards]

Marketing isn't just about being the best.

It is about connecting with your customers.

[The Otto Awards @ottoawards]

Ask for your customers' opinions. Don’t just ask them to sign up.

[The Otto Awards @ottoawards]

@Its_me_Imad Sorry guys - award is closed. Looks like we found the winner!

[The Otto Awards @ottoawards]

One challenge to overcome your marketing is to clearly define your value.

Convince me that I can't live without your product 👇

[Manoj Ahirwar @manoj_ahi]

promote your product in 1 sentence 👇

#buildinpublic

[The Otto Awards @ottoawards]

Founders take a pause in building everything all at once.

Build only as much as making it usable. Then ask your customers what you can improve.

[The Otto Awards @ottoawards]

Don't know where to start with marketing?

Map out your customer's journey. Identify the pain points, their potential trigger to buy and find where they are currently (what socials, stores, etc.).

[The Otto Awards @ottoawards]

The hard part isn’t just building.

It is marketing and selling.

Don't spend all of your time in build mode.

[The Otto Awards @ottoawards]

So you don’t have space for a large marketing budget.

Do what you can for free.

Reach out to a potential partner: Find a way to be mutually beneficial.

Build out your own brand: People buy from people.

Investigate competition: What are they doing that is working or not?

[David Wright ☀️ @_david__wright_]

Leave a link to your #buildinpublic project as an inspiration thread 👇👇👇👇 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[The Otto Awards @ottoawards]

Sell your startup in a sentence or less⬇️

#buildinginpublic

[The Otto Awards @ottoawards]

Founders,

Did you start with organic or paid marketing?

Why?

[The Otto Awards @ottoawards]

Do Not Worry.

Marketing isn’t something you get right overnight.

It can take months and thousands of iterations.

Keep tweaking until you find something that sticks.

[The Otto Awards @ottoawards]

Don’t create a marketing plan without seeing what resonates with your target market.

Your #1 focus should be your customers.

Speak to them. Ask them questions. Learn from them. Value them.

[The Otto Awards @ottoawards]

@VerslaMarket This is awesome! Looking forward to checking it out.

[The Otto Awards @ottoawards]

What is the story behind your startup?

#buildinpublic