These are 13 tips to successfully market an ICO

 

The Bob Pritchard Column .

 

 

1.        Determine your market

Integrate digital tokens into your business model. If it doesn’t inherently add value to your product or service offering, then don’t do it.

 

2.        Learn the SEC rules

In July 2017, the SEC ruled that some digital coins are actually securities.   The SEC will not let ICOs fly under the radar. For a successful ICO, you must be aware of the SEC’s criteria for what constitutes a security.

 

3.        Keep your ICO secure

Be prepared to be a target for hackers who could steal our user and ICO participant information and funds.   Security should be a top priority:

a) Use different randomized passwords for key accounts so that if one account is compromised, the rest of our accounts are safe.

b) Ensure web host admin passwords are ONLY shared on a need to know basis.

c) Mandate 2-Factor Authentication for company staff to stop hackers even if the account password is compromised.

d) Have a full time community manager monitoring ICO slack & telegram chats. Proactively ban members with suspicious names or throwaway email addresses  and ignore phishing message.

e) Release your crowdsale address in advance and inform our community on it. Use the Ethereum name service to purchase an address that can be easily remembered.

f) Use a hardware wallet, to access your ICO smart contract/wallets or store funds.

 

4.        Know your audience

You will be speaking to two distinctive audiences: those with digital currency knowledge, and those who don’t.  Your marketing and PR materials must speak to both sides of the spectrum. Through thought leadership, social media, and more traditional PR hits, carefully define and tailor your messaging.

 

5.        Give people a strong reason to get your tokens

Clearly explain the rewards your token holders are entitled to. The token can be used to purchase services or products and ensure there will be sustained demand for the token. Don’t structure it as an equity/debt token, which will make it a regulated security. Create a sincere emotive story in order to compel a desire to support your cause.  69% of Millennials want businesses to better facilitate customers getting involved in social issues, and many investors do, as well.

 

6.        Social Media Accounts
– You need at least 3 VERY active on answering questions and moderating the spamming, trolling and other unpleasant behavior.   In order of importance (Email/Form Contact, Telegram, Slack, Twitter, Steemit, Medium, Facebook, Linkedin, Youtube, Instagram,etc…)

 

7.        Announcements in popular ICO calendars

Place information on special calendar sites. There are a couple  of dozen resources where you can publish a schedule for your planned ICO.

 

8.        Update your website

Make sure your website is up to date and current with your company’s latest news.

 

9.        Collect every possible email 

Collect the email address of anyone who could be remotely interested in your project.  This will become the channel to send out official information and provide a powerful voice to our investors.

 

10.     Promote your information

Investors want evidence — and concrete proof that your business will excel. Moreover, we will gain additional exposure and be reported on regularly.

 

11.      Free and Effective Marketing

We need to take advantage of free public channels to promote the ICO.  We must List the ICO on multiple websites

 

12.     Publications in professional communities

 

13.     Native advertising, general topic media, and blogs

 

14.     Create a pay per performance model

Each investor needs to get a chance to spread a discount to their connections.  They can get something for referring friends…and the friends get something too!