On the TechTO stage ×1
First seen on the TechTO stage in 2016. Every talk is searchable — ask the archive about Michelle ↗
In their words
They'll say, what do you think of my brand? And I'll say, well, who's your target customer? Is your target customer a woman who gives advice to startups at the DMZ? Because if it is, I'd gladly give you my opinion on it.
These are the three best ways to waste your marketing dollars for a startup. The first thing they want to buy is coffee mugs. If your startup does not have anything to do with drinking coffee, forget it.
They started out with Google AdWords and they advertised on Craigslist, where people were already seeking rooms to rent. Be where your customers are.
Around the web ×1
Quick answers
What does Michelle Caers run now?
Crowdmark, a Toronto platform for online grading and assessment used by universities. She is also the founder of DesignedUX, the strategy and design firm she started in 2013.
What was her TechTO talk about?
Know your customer — borrowed from the compliance term and applied to brand, marketing and user experience. Her practical advice was to start with specific personas: who they are, their challenges, and their digital habits.
What does she say founders waste marketing money on?
Coffee mugs, branded pens and free-iPad giveaways. Her point at TechTO was that swag attracts people who want swag, not customers — spend instead on being where your customers already are.