Why Marketing Distribution is the Biggest Problem for Start-ups – And How to Fix It 

First-time start-up founders have a big problem. Unless you’ve been a social butterfly all your life, your network and reach may be very low. Especially among customers. 

Getting eyeballs on your product or content at the right time is one of the toughest aspects of marketing for start-ups. But it’s how you connect what you’ve made with the people who need it.

We call this nightmare “marketing distribution”. Without a steady way to reach an audience, your marketing will fail. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Here’s what I do to fix it. 

The Marketing Distribution Framework That Works 

1. Minimum Viable Audience 

Start with an audience size big enough to make your effort worthwhile. For example, if you’re making a video that costs €3,000, it makes sense if 25,000 people might watch it. But if only 50 people will see it, it’s probably not worth it. 

2. Find Possible Channels 

Where does your audience spend time? Write down every place they might be: 

• Social media (LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube). 
• Online groups or forums. 
• Events, webinars, or conferences. 

3. Add Up Your Audience 

Figure out how many people you can reach on all these channels. If it’s not enough, you might need to adjust your plans or try different channels. 

4. Predict Conversions 

Be honest about how many people will take action. For example, if 1,000 people see your LinkedIn post, maybe 20 will click on it. Don’t forget to account for overlap if the same people use multiple channels. 

5. Plan for the Unexpected 

Take off 20% from your total audience to cover any surprises. This way, your expectations stay realistic. 

How I Solved My Marketing Distribution Problem 

Last year, I had a big distribution problem. My website only had 93 visitors per month. My LinkedIn had 2,000 connections, but each post only got about 10 likes or comments. I didn’t have a strong way to reach people who could help my business grow. 

So, I decided to practice what I tell my clients: grow your audience with content. 

Here’s What We Did: 

• Posted 4 blogs a week on topics my customers care about, based on popular searches and my own ideas. 
• Shared 4 social media posts a week that connected with my LinkedIn audience and added value. 

Here’s What Happened: 

• Website Visitors: From 93 to 500 visitors per month. 
• LinkedIn Connections: From 2,000 to 4,000+ connections, with 20+ likes or comments per post. 
• Leads: We started getting 15 leads per month, which helped us grow steadily. 
• Profile Views: With 800+ profile views per month, I had more chances to connect with potential clients. 

By creating and sharing useful content, every piece of work I did had value because people were seeing it. I turned my distribution problem into a system for growth. 

Building Your Audience Map 

Think of your marketing like building a highway. Before cars can drive, the roads need to be paved. In the same way, before you create content, you need to map out where it’s going and how people will find it. An audience map is the best way to do this. Here’s how to make one: 

1. Define Your Audience 

Split your audience into groups based on: 

• Who They Are: Age, job, location. 
• What They Like: Interests, values, or problems they need solved. 
• Where They Are in the Journey: Are they new to your product or returning customers? 

2. Learn Their Habits 

Find out where your audience spends their time. Examples: 

• Social platforms like LinkedIn or Instagram. 
• Blogs, newsletters, or forums. 
• Events or webinars. 

3. Match Channels to Goals 

Think about what you want your content to do and pick the right place to share it. Examples: 

• Use YouTube for explainer videos. 
• Post quick, catchy clips on Instagram or LinkedIn. 
• Share case studies in email newsletters. 

4. Tailor Your Message 

Speak directly to each group: 

• Investors: Show how your product can grow in the future. 
• Customers: Focus on how your product solves their problems right now. 

5. Test and Adjust 

Try your content with a small group first. Use their feedback to make it better before sharing it widely. 

Quantitative Example for Audience Map 

Let’s say you want to promote an explainer video. Here’s how the numbers might look: 

• LinkedIn Audience: 5,000 followers, 2% engagement (100 views). 
• Email List: 1,000 subscribers, 20% open rate, 5% click rate (10 views). 
• Webinar Audience: 200 attendees (50 views after overlap adjustment). 

Total estimated audience: 160 views. Now apply your expected conversion rate, say 10%, for 16 leads. With this breakdown, you can decide if the cost of creating the video aligns with the potential return. 

Remember, when planning distribution, don’t double-count overlapping audiences. For example, if 30% of your LinkedIn followers are also on your email list, you need to subtract them when calculating your total reach.

The Table of Marketing Distribution Metrics to Measure

To establish and measure your marketing distribution strategy, you can use the table below to:

1. Compare Your Metrics: Benchmark your current performance against these figures to identify areas for improvement.

2. Set Realistic Goals: Use benchmarks to create achievable targets for new campaigns or channels. 

3. Prioritise Efforts: Focus on channels where your performance is below average, or where improving metrics will have the greatest impact. 

Channel	Metric	Benchmark	Explanation
Social Media	Engagement Rate	1-3%	For every 1,000 impressions, expect 10-30 clicks, likes, or comments.
	Click-Through Rate (CTR)	0.5-2%	Out of 5,000 viewers, 25-100 might click on a link.
	Video Completion Rate	25-35% (long videos), 50-70% (short videos)	Completion rates are higher for videos under 30 seconds.
Email Marketing	Open Rate	20-30%	For 1,000 recipients, around 200-300 will open your email.
	Click Rate	2-5%	For 1,000 emails, expect 20-50 clicks on links.
	Reply Rate (Cold Outreach)	1-2%	For cold emails, 10-20 replies per 1,000 emails is typical.
	Reply Rate (Warm Leads)	5-10%	Warm emails may generate 50-100 replies per 1,000 emails.
Webinars	Sign-Up Conversion Rate	30-50%	Out of 1,000 landing page visitors, 300-500 will sign up.
	Attendance Rate	40-60%	For 1,000 registrants, 400-600 will attend the live session.
	Engagement During Webinar	10-20%	10-20% of attendees typically ask questions, participate in polls, or engage with the content.
Landing Pages	Conversion Rate	2-5%	Out of 1,000 visitors, 20-50 will convert (e.g., sign up, download, or buy).
	Bounce Rate	<50%	A bounce rate under 50% indicates users are engaging with your page rather than leaving immediately.
Paid Ads	Click-Through Rate (CTR)	0.5-1.5%	Standard CTR for most platforms, with 50-150 clicks per 10,000 impressions.
	Conversion Rate	2-10%	For 100 ad clicks, 2-10 may result in a conversion.
Content Marketing	Blog Click-Through Rate (CTR)	2-4%	Out of 1,000 blog readers, expect 20-40 clicks on internal links or CTAs.
	Engagement Rate (Avg. Time)	2-3 minutes	Average time spent reading a blog.
	Social Shares	1-5% of readers	Out of 1,000 readers, 10-50 might share the content on social media.

Maximising the Value of Each Asset 

Remember, your content doesn’t end when you hit “publish.” Every piece of content you create should do more than one job. Think of your marketing assets as tools that you can repurpose across multiple channels and formats. For example: 

• A blog post can become social media snippets or the foundation for a LinkedIn article. 
• A video can double as a landing page centerpiece, email attachment, or a slide in a pitch deck. 
• A case study can fuel outreach emails, presentations, or PR campaigns. 

By sweating your assets, you save time and money while ensuring your message reaches as many people as possible.  

Extra Tip: Using Novelty to Attract Attention 

Early adopters love novelty. They’re drawn to ideas that stand out and feel unique. When you create content, think about how to make it feel fresh, exciting, or surprising. Novelty is your secret weapon for cutting through the noise and grabbing attention. 

For example, a start-up explainer video shouldn’t just be another promotional piece. Use it as a chance to show your audience something they’ve never seen before. Whether it’s a creative animation, a bold claim, or a surprising insight, the goal is to hook your audience and make them curious enough to engage. Take a look at Dollar Shave Club’s iconic video for inspiration (notice the view count) ⤵

Final Thoughts 

Good marketing distribution is the difference between content that gets ignored and content that makes a real impact. By knowing your audience, planning your channels, and staying consistent, you can:

1. Avoid Wasted Effort: Even the best content is useless if no one sees it. 
2. Get Better Results: A focused audience helps you get the most out of your marketing budget. 
3. Create a Growth Cycle: Reaching more people brings in more business, which gives you the money to grow even more. 

This approach has worked for me and for the clients I’ve helped. If you’re ready to fix your distribution, start with an audience map. 

Need help? Just get in touch and I’ll send you an example to get started.