Small Business Discount for Buyer's Guide Entries
Generally, RP Photonics is restrictive concerning discounts, because we want a fair price system. We consider it unfair to reduce the price for those who ask for it while others pay in full. Under one clearly defined condition, however, we do grant a discount:
Small businesses obtain a 25% discount for the Advertising Package in the RP Photonics Buyer's Guide. The criterion is simple and verifiable:
- The turnover in the last business year was below 100,000 CHF (roughly 115,000 USD).
- The discount applies to the Advertising Package; it is not combined with other reductions.
This lets us support young start-ups and one-person consulting companies, for example — companies for which the full price would be a serious obstacle, and for which it is often harder to convert the obtained leads into profitable sales.
Note: this discount replaced our earlier start-up discount, which was based on the age of a company (within 25 months after its founding) rather than on its size. We changed the criterion because company size reflects the actual need better and is easier to establish.
Apart from the discount, small companies benefit in the same way as all other suppliers from the strengths of the RP Photonics marketing offers — beginning with the enormous popularity of our digital resource, which combines a comprehensive high-quality Encyclopedia with a thoroughly worked-out Buyer's Guide, and ending with our diligent and helpful support. We do not just sell a package; we make sure that your entries actually make sense. You get a partner with access to a large target audience and with substantial experience in online marketing.
Importance of Marketing for Technology Startups
Effective marketing is of particular importance for startups. They need not only to develop their products, but also to find enough customers to generate income before they financially run out of steam.
Many founders are technical or scientific people, who find it natural to focus mainly on getting their first products developed. Some are at risk of neglecting the marketing side, thinking that finishing the products must have the highest priority. Having market-ready products is of course the first necessary condition for any sales, but the mistake is to ignore that marketing efforts take time to have a real impact. Essentially, one needs to build a brand which gains credibility on the marketplace. Few customers are prepared to buy straight away from a company they have never heard of — particularly in the technology sector, where the detailed properties of a product are usually not obvious before purchase.
It is therefore advisable to start marketing early — beginning with the creation of a brand and a convincing website, followed immediately by a digital marketing initiative to make it known in the business community. Both branding and lead generation need to be worked on.
Startup founders sometimes wonder whether they can afford to invest a moderate percentage of their starting funds into marketing. The more useful question is whether they can afford not to. Of course, one should check carefully how to spend that money: it should be something which demonstrably works, not only something which looks nice.