Embracing the challenges of startup marketing

With no obvious roadmap or well-worn rule book, startup marketing is part instinct, trial and error, and steely resolve. ‘Part of the challenge of starting a marketing department in a startup is to acknowledge the fact that there is no proven method for success,’ says Jenna Green, Marketing and Adoption Manager at AURA – South Africa’s most effective, accessible and affordable emergency response platform for the security and medical services industry.

She says the startup environment is uniquely challenging as skillsets are continuously stretched against the backdrop of a fast-paced and ever-evolving industry. ‘There is no blueprint to follow. You need to forge forward, make mistakes, get back up, learn and keep moving forward. There is no space for complacency or procrastination.’

While the journey to success looks different for every company, Green says the ability to stay flexible is a crucial element in any accomplishment. ‘Startup marketing teams need to be nimble, agile, and to quickly change course when something does not work. At Aura, testing and learning will be paramount to understanding what works and will help guide us forward.’

Aura’s vision of creating a national collaborated response network, centred around smart technology combined with humans responding to emergencies autonomously, is one that Green sees especially applicable to helping curb South Africa’s unacceptable levels of gender based violence. ‘Gender Based Violence is at an all-time high in South Africa. Many women feel that they don’t have access to the support and safety that they need and most can’t afford private security.  Aura is an affordable platform that can help stop gender based violence in its tracks by providing on demand access to armed response anywhere anytime.’

Green is the newly appointed Marketing and Adoption Manager at Aura. She brings a wealth of experience to the role and will be responsible for drive adoption and introduce, establish and manage the Aura brand.