Loy Okezie

Perhaps you’ve launched a startup which has become very popular on the web space, and for some reason, you had to re-launch the idea, website or features of the startup.

Recently, Silicon-based startup Synthasite founded by South African entrepreneur, Vinny Lingham changed their name to Yola, which meant rebranding and relaunching some of the features of the business venture.

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Here are some tips that can help you to re-launch your startup within a reasonable time frame.

#1. Be Positive

Whatever happened to your startup, avoid negative thoughts and negative people. Strive to maintain a positive outlook and show maximum confidence when communicating with people about your next plans.

Give them the impression that you are only hibernating and will be back soon. Let them catch that positive fever in you and spread it to other people virally.

#2: Be Patient

Focus on dealing with the situation at hand using a step-by-step approach. Avoid being in a hurry. If you start doing too many things at the same time just so that you get back online, you might end up losing focus. This is an excellent time to re-group, re-analyze and re-strategize your goals and vision. It’s like losing your job today and applying for another job tomorrow without careful thought. So with much less work to do, you can gradually create something bigger, just ike a microscopic, almost always lets you into bigger things than you can imagine when you zoom in.

#3: Be Passive

We’re already in the era of the “Casual Web” or “Social Web”, so your conversations shouldn’t be official or corporate-like. People would naturally want to sympathize and support you, especially if you or your startup has added value to them. Learn how to effectively use the various communications channels to your advantage and express your appreciation for their support, even publicly. That way, you are showing that you are human and easily approachable.

#4: Be Picky

As much as you would like to interact with everyone possible, it wouldn’t be wise to accept every offer you get and this applies to everything such as ideas, advice, features, deals, partners or even media relations. You can afford to wait if something doesn’t settle with your thoughts and action plan. It pays to make the right choices after strtegic thinking and planning.

#5: Be Passionate

If you are going to re-launch a product or startup, you’ve got to be very passionate about it. You’ve got to be a user of your own product. You’ve got to hire people or collaborate with people who are passionate users of your product. You’ve got to love your product. You’ve got to learn how to sell it.

#6: Be Pennywise

By now, you should know that it is standard web startup wisdom to substantially lower your startup costs. It’s still the same wisdom that applies to when you’re re-launching your startup. Avoid unnecessary costs. use mouth-to-mouth marketing. Spread the word with social media channels. Hire freelancers and don’t forget to give them credit for their work or promote them, since you won’t be paying them a dime. If they show commitment, give them an opportunity to partner with you instead of employing them (which means you have to pay them). Understand that you can’t do it all alone, so you would to partner, but make sure you have 100% control of your startup.

#7: Be Proactive

Your initial assumptions about the direction you want your new startup to go may be wrong. Your ability to adjust and change course will impact greatly on the end-product. Explore new ways, features and ideas for your startup. Be flexible and adaptable. Your ideas may seem great, but would they appeal to your audience? Listen to suggestions and recommendations, so you don’t end up being the only visitor to your site. Ask questions, get advice.

#8: Be Productive

You probably are used to building a startup with caffeine-fueled, junk-food-fueled, eyeballs-to-the-screen, relationship-stressing, sleepless days and nights.

Yes, high levels of commitment at this stage are crucial, but wouldn’t that hamper on your productivity level? How about your emotional and psycological balance? Are you running the risk of a burnout?

To maintain balance and manage your stress levels, you need a more relaxed and enjoyable work conditions, otherwise, you will lose concentration and your new product or startup will be worthless. I recommend Anthony Robbins’ Unlimited Power.

#9: Be People-oriented

If you’re going to go far, then you need people. Network with people who have connections. Hire people who know the stuff and borrow their brains. Create a user-generated startup and get more people to use your product. If you don’t know how to design or create a user-centered site, learn it. Use tools and technologies that lets users to interact and collaborate. Go viral with your products or startup.

#10: Be Profitable

While your startup can make some money from adverts, you need to develop other smart ways to monetize on your startup. You can actually design something, launch a feature, publish an ebook or provide a professional service for a fee, so you can start earning an income within 6 months.

If properly done, charging money to use a particular feature or service can actually accelerate the growth of your startup, because you will have something to fund your startup for the first year of relaunch. Most importantly, when you have a solid revenue generating model, you in a much more better position when it comes to external funding or acquisition talks.

Granted, re-launching your startup is not an easy task. It may require you to make sacrifices. But what ever the case, always make sure you provide updates about the progress of your work, so that you can carry your audience along. If planned well, you can successfully re-launch your startup, attract more users and start generating an income within your first 6 months.

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Tags: silicon valley, social web, startup, vinny lingham