Marketing platform Real Magnet hopes to attract startups with new discounted program

Startups need marketing as well as tech chops and cash. To help with the former, marketing automation platform Real Magnet is announcing a special program this week at VentureBeat’s GrowthBeat conference.

Called Real Magnet for Startups, it provides several startup-optimized campaign templates as well as the platform’s regular tools at 50 percent off, plus a waiver of the $2000 upfront implementation and service fee. The discounted monthly platform fee starts at $250 for 10,000 recipients and unlimited emails.

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The company, which launched its marketing platform last year and currently claims about 1200 clients, said it intends for the program to evolve into a community with marketing consultation, mentorships, training, collaboration, and even local meetups, the latter beginning in its home area of Baltimore/Washington, D.C.

Startups will need to apply for acceptance. Product manager Michael Al-Megdad told me there is no special criteria, but the company is expecting most accepted startups will have under $10 million in funding and be no more than two years old.

Real Magnet said its marketing automation platform enables email-oriented campaigns to be launched in minutes, centered around out-of-the-box templates.

Features include lead scoring, web page tracking, and conversion from free trials. Several startup-specific templates have been added, including a welcoming email campaign after a mobile app is installed. The creation of an email can automatically generate a Facebook and Twitter post from the same head, image, and text.

Real Magnet is hoping its discount offer will help it stand out to smaller startups, which have a wide variety of choices for low-cost marketing platforms of varying capabilities, including Autopilot, Leadsius, Infusionsoft, FiveStars, Camilyo, and OutboundEngine.