[speeder]

Too bad the theory sometimes is hard to implement...For example, my startup don't have enough money to test our marketing theories, the only thing we can do is forever change our products, but that won't help, when you make mobile apps, you /need/ marketing, otherwise you /will/ fail.

[jordanmessina]

I hate buying into the idea that any company /needs/ marketing. Word of mouth is very powerful. I think all companies need to position themselves for slow growth. For example, I LOVE the Weebly story: http://startupschool.org/2012/rusenko/

Over night successes rarely happen. That's my issue with incubators. A lot of times they invest in potential overnight successes when they should really be investing in those most positioned for slow growth.

[speeder]

If you have zero people seeing your stuff, how they will word of mouth it?

[bravura]

Marketing != advertising

Marketing, for a startup, means finding a repeatable sales model.

[digitalengineer]

It's more. Marketing is you, your partners, your service, your FAQ, the way to handle email/phone calls, interviews, the building of trust.

[jordanmessina]

Yup, I definitely meant advertising here but had marketing burned in the brain because of the original comment.

[danmaz74]

From what you write, it looks like you equate marketing with advertising (unless it's your marketing theories that include advertising as the only path to success). That's not the case - advertising is one of the tools of marketing, not the only one. If you're interested in expanding your horizons, one interesting read is Frank Lane's "Killer Brands" - the start of the book is a little too boombastic for my tastes, but the content is very good.

[speeder]

I also include in marketing generating word of mouth, good site, store SEO, and so on.

But it is needed anyway, apps ( specially on iOS ) do not get traction anymore by pure organic growth alone.

For example: Apple removed the new app list from iTunes, and the search take in account popularity, so a new launched app has zero visibility.

[d0m]

So get money. Either by raising or contracts, or whatever. Or shoot your idea, people can help here.

[samtp]

there is always alternative marketing solutions including web in person and other. Be alert to the changing demographic in the area. and if it is too hard to user feedback test, go for a leaner product without so much non-tested assumptions. Gud luk bro