Building the Marketing Strategy: A Blueprint For Start-ups and Those About to Start

Patrick McFadden

I’ve been teaching, advising, and consulting start-ups for a handful of years now and there is a missing link to marketing success.

Building a powerful marketing strategy (one that’s perfect for your start-up) is often that missing link to marketing success.

The key to getting any start-up on track is three fold. First you must discover your target market, then you must create and communicate your positioning and thirdly build your identity and brand.

Most start-up founders start marketing without any real marketing strategy other than to sell something to someone.

Meghan Codd Walker I will say that anyone who wants smart, modern marketing ideas that really work, Patrick is your man.

Meghan Codd Walker , Principal at Zuula Consulting, LLC

How to Create a Marketing Strategy That Is Perfect for Your Start-up

In this unique LIVE in-person seminar , you will save time, money and yourself from the frustration of information overload by learning how to develop a marketing strategy specific to your start-up, a step-by-step process to discovering your target market, the best way to create and communicate a powerful positioning, and set the foundation for building a highly recognizable identity and brand.

During this one hour seminar we dive deep into strategic processes every start-up and those about to start ought to consider as he or she sets out to grow his or her business.

Seminar Topics

Discovering Your Target Market – The first step to building your marketing strategy is to define who makes an ideal customer for your start-up. In this opening segment we outline all the steps that go into a start-up discovering their target market.

Creating and Communicating Your Position  – A clear positioning is the rock that start-up growth is built on. Pricing only matters to prospects when they can’t tell the difference between your products and services and a competitor’s. In this segment we focus on the tools needed to create a powerful positioning strategy for your start-up. We will find and communicate your start-up’s unique point of difference.

Building Your Identity and Brand   – We will cover this a great deal in this fast paced seminar. Anytime a customer or ideal customer comes into contact with your start-up, there are experiencing your start-up’s identity and brand. We will be covering all the elements that can either support your company’s identity or detract from it and the only way possible to build a solid brand.

Space is limited to keep this seminar very EXCLUSIVE

February 18 th – one hour – Limited to 10-15 participants

How to Build a Marketing Strategy That Is Perfect for Your Start-up

February 18 th – 9:00 am – 10:00 am – 1703 N Parham Rd Suite 100 Richmond, Virginia 23229

Just to reiterate, not only do you get one hour of LIVE in-person advice from Patrick laying out how to create your start-up marketing strategy, but you also get:

  • Worksheets
  • A chance to ask your questions before and during the event
  • Connected with other entrepreneurs
  • Did we mention it’s only $75?

Investment: $75  

Sign up Now & Save $25

$50

Forget “Perfect Workspaces.” Customers Want Perfect Installation Days — Here’s What Happened When One Furniture Installation Company Got That Right

By Patrick McFadden • March 31, 2025
1. The Challenge: VMI was like many service providers — positioning their value around what they thought clients wanted : “Office furniture installation and assembly — let us handle creating your perfect workspace.” But the actual buyers — facility managers, project managers, furniture reps — weren’t looking for “perfect workspaces.” They were trying to avoid installation nightmares . Their real priority? ✅ Great installation days. ✅ No chaos. ✅ No missed deadlines. ✅ No angry phone calls from clients. 2. The Insight: After conducting stakeholder interviews under our marketing strategy consulting engagement , the Indispensable Marketing team uncovered critical feedback: “We need installers who maintain a professional site and follow instructions.” “We lose relationships when installations go badly.” “I need quotes back quickly or I can’t sell the job.” This wasn’t just about services , it was about trust, problem-solving , and professional reliability . So we reframed their differentiators not by what they did, but how they showed up : Same-day project quotes Problem-solving on-site Update protocol with clients Professionalism guarantee Lasting Impression Insurance 3. The Shift: We shifted the positioning from vague benefits to real-world, emotional triggers : Instead of: “Let us create your perfect workspace.” Now: “Get the perfect installation day, every time.” That subtle shift aligns with who’s actually buying (and who feels the pain when things go wrong). The end-user may care about the workspace. But the buyer cares about the install . 4. The Lesson for Others: If you’re selling a service, don’t describe what you do. Describe what the client wants to avoid or achieve — and who the real buyer is. Then, systematize what you’re already doing well and give it a name. Just like our team did with: “Same Day Quotes” “Lasting Impression Insurance” “Reliable Presence Protocol” 5. The Outcome Within weeks of updating their messaging and positioning: The company reported more qualified leads asking the right questions Furniture reps began referring them because they were “easy to work with and made them look good” They were shortlisted for larger, multi-phase projects due to increased confidence in their process But most importantly, they stopped competing on price — because they weren’t selling perfect workspaces anymore. They were selling peace of mind on installation day.

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