Foundational Content for Every Tech Startup Library
There are three types of foundational content that every tech startup must have in their content library: the company 1-pager, technical proof, and a comparison guide.
The goal in producing any type of content is to demonstrate your team’s expertise (or your solution’s efficiency) in solving the problem, reducing risk, and transforming business outcomes. Generally, your narratives should align with the hero’s journey where your customer is the hero facing a challenge. Your materials will demonstrate that you understand their problem, position your solution as the guide that makes their journey easier, and show how they'll be transformed after they have your solution in place. It should also address the uncomfortable consequences of doing nothing, or remaining stuck in their current situation.
Fortunately, this content has a lot of flexibility in terms of depth, format, and maturity. It can take any format including: PDFs, tables, decks, videos, blogs, landing pages, etc. So no matter what form they take, here are the three foundational assets you need to invest in to build trust and credibility with your audience:
The Company 1-Pager
Also called: Company overview, executive summary, solution brief, product/solution overview
What it does: Addresses the core problem, describes the solution in a non-technical way, and shows how it transforms your customer’s situation
About: This asset describes the market landscape and 1-3 of the biggest risk factors, it introduces your solution and its key features, addresses why existing solutions fall short, and highlights your unique approach. It may address ease-of-use concerns like integration capabilities, automation, and/or technical proof points like technical compatibility and compatible use cases. It always ends with transformative outcomes and clear next steps.
Future iterations: Sales sheets, product sheets, solution guides, feature sheets, capability statements, partner enablement sheets
The Technical Credibility Asset:
Also called: Technical brief, validation report, white paper
What it does: Demonstrates your solution has credible validation and can deliver measurable results
About: This asset proves the efficiency of your solution. It can take many forms, including a simple technical specifications document that clearly addresses questions your audience may have about how compatible (or tested) it is with their environment. It may also be a technical deep-dive, white paper, testimonial, product review, live demonstration, case study, or licensed analyst report. The key isn’t length - it’s credibility. Your prospects simply need proof that your solution works outside of a demo environment.
Future iterations: Technical specifications, speeds and feeds, case studies, performance benchmarks, testing results, third-party validation reports, security certifications, integration guides and documentation
The Comparison Guide:
Also called: Feature checklist, buyer’s evaluation guide, solution comparison matrix
What it does: Helps prospects evaluate your solution against alternatives (including doing nothing) in an objective and educational format
About: Often delivered as a table, this asset can live in a presentation, on your website, or in a standalone document. It can be simplified on the back of your 1-pager or expanded into multiple pages that compare solutions and risk factors. The most effective versions become buyer's evaluation checklists that highlight your advantages by educating prospects on what matters most - without obviously disparaging specific competitors.
Future iterations: Battle cards, ROI analysis, TCO comparison, vendor evaluation scorecards, infographics, competitive matrix, selection criteria guide, pricing comparison
By developing and refining these core pieces you’ll build a strong content library with distinctive positioning to support your sales and marketing growth.
Start with the company 1-pager - it forces internal clarity on your positioning and messaging. Technical credibility and comparison materials will come together as you gain customers, take sales calls, and better understand the competitive landscape. And over time, the 1-pager will evolve with your messaging, technical proof will get stronger with more customers, and comparison guides will shift as the solution matures and the competitive landscape changes.
Follow Stealth Cartel for more insights on building content that supports your buyer's journey. In the coming weeks we'll go deeper into the processes we use to develop these assets.
