Originally, I wanted to call this article “How to Launch at SXSW on a Shoestring Budget,” but it wasn’t specific enough.
“How to Launch @ SXSW for $460” has a tactical, granular sound that resonates with what my mentor (see his book cover picture here) taught me about promotion at a real world event. It’s an example of “What They Will NEVER Teach You At Stanford Business School.” Having the thesis that it costs just $460.00 definitely puts me in the minority.
There’s talk about how there is a lot of noise at SXSW and how it will be too crowded to promote anything. That reminds me of the Yogi Berra quote: “No one goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.” I find it funny that you expect to compete on the Internet, where there is much more noise than at an Austin conference.
But do not make the mistake that most people make journeying to Austin for SXSW. Showing up and hoping for the best is not a good plan. Whether you are launching, re-promoting, or just pre-entrepreneuring… Here are specific ideas on how to increase awareness at SXSW for $460 or less.
1) The Patented Afterparty Maneuver.
By patented I mean “an awesome thing you can exactly copy.” You take whatever existing event you like and you do your own event immediately after.
For example, back when Facebook was rising, they’d do a big party at Pangeae. I did an afterparty across the street. I didn’t do open bar and just had light food. The Facebook party was awesome, but people want a place to linger. The theme I used was “refresh and rejuvenate.”
Hosting a stand-alone event is hard, but an unofficial afterparty may be much easier and cheaper.
2) Hack Together a VIP Author Reception.
Getting a celeb to your informal gathering can be as cheap as $200. In this day when 13,000 books sold can get you on the New York Times Bestseller list, a few extra copies sold moves the needle.
For example, Guy Kawasaki is promoting a new book, Enchantment. If I were a startup founder with a $460 budget, I’d buy 20 used copies of Guy’s OLD book and hand them out March 13 (2 hours after he judges Accelerator). Plot spoiler: used books can cost as little as $0.01.
3) Infiltrate and/or Produce a SXSW Film Reception.
Overlapping the SXSW Interactive festival is the film festival. Getting a film celeb to an event is getting a real celebrity versus a welebrity.
The idea is the same as getting an author, except the cost slide scales up. Instead of pre-promoting a book, the actor is pre-promoting a movie. The last few years Edward Norton, James Marsden, Danny McBride have promoted movies in Austin.
4) Make Your Audience Pay You to Do Lead Gen.
This is the opposite for “pay-for-play.” It means get paid for play.
You do not need to just spend money… you can actually charge people while you build awareness. You can get paid to
