How to Use AI for Disruptive Startup Marketing [Template Included]
Break through the noise without breaking the bank - a ChatGPT prompt for unconventional startup marketing
Marketing feels like shouting into a hurricane these days.
Every channel is saturated, every tactic has been copied, and the traditional playbooks just don't work like they used to for early-stage startups.
A Different Approach
Drawing from Alistair Croll's "Just Evil Enough" framework and tools like ChatGPT and Claude, we can create marketing that stands out without requiring massive budgets or established brand recognition.
The framework breaks down into four key elements:
System Awareness: Understand your market's unwritten rules and norms
Novelty and Creativity: Find unexpected angles that people won't copy
Acceptable Disagreeability: Push boundaries just enough to gain attention
Recon Canvas: Analyze opportunities across Product, Market, and Medium
Take Dropbox's early growth strategy as an example.
Instead of spending heavily on ads, they turned their limitation (need for viral growth) into an advantage. They created a referral program offering extra storage for both parties - a classic "Bug into Feature" play that got users marketing for them. It was just unconventional enough to work, without crossing any ethical lines.
Let's be clear – this isn't about being unethical or deceptive.
It's about being just different enough to get noticed while staying true to your values and customer needs. Think of it as "pattern interruption with purpose."
The Subversive Marketing Template
Here's the prompt template I've developed that combines subversive marketing principles with AI guidance. It's specifically designed for startup founders who need to make an impact with limited resources.
I am building [product/service] and want to break through the noise in my market using creative, unconventional approaches. Here's my situation:
Context
My target market is [describe your ideal customer].
The conventional way companies market in my space is [describe typical marketing approaches].
My biggest marketing challenge right now is [describe your main obstacle].
System Analysis
What are the "unwritten rules" or standard practices in my industry that everyone follows? Example: All companies in my space use technical jargon in their marketing.
I think these are:
- [Rule/practice 1]
- [Rule/practice 2]
- [Rule/practice 3]
Resources & Constraints
My unique advantages are:
Example: Direct access to specific community/network/resource.
- [Unique advantages 1]
- [Unique advantages 2]
My key limitations are:
Example: Marketing budget under $5000/month.
- [limitations 1]
- [limitations 2]
Risk Tolerance
On a scale of 1-10, where:
1 = Very conservative.
5 = Willing to be noticeably different
10 = Ready to be radically different
My risk tolerance is [number] because [brief explanation].
---
Based on your inputs, you'll receive:
Analysis of which subversive tactics best fit your situation, chosen from:
- Bug into Feature: Turn limitations into selling points
- Buyer Upgrade: Shift target audience without changing product
- Access: Leverage unique network/resource access
- Bait and Switch: Offer initial value, then upsell strategically
- Combination: Bundle products/services in unexpected ways
- Arbitrage: Exploit information or timing advantages
- Aggregation: Collect and structure niche data/resources
- Reframing: Create new positioning or perspective
- Regulation Exploits: Use regulatory frameworks advantageously
- Sliding the Overton Window: Gradually shift what's acceptable
- Misappropriation: Repurpose existing systems creatively
For each recommended tactic:
- Specific application to your situation
- Implementation roadmap
- Risk assessment
- Success metrics
Recon Canvas analysis showing how to apply tactics across:
- Product: How to modify or position your offering
- Market: How to approach your target audience
- Medium: Which channels to leverage
Experimentation plan:
- Small-scale test design
- Key metrics to track
- Specific boundaries not to cross
- When to scale up or pivotHow to Use This Framework
The power of this approach lies in how it forces you to think systematically about breaking patterns. Instead of randomly trying to be different, you're strategically identifying opportunities where unconventional approaches can work in your favor.
Use this two-step process with AI:
Generate initial ideas using ChatGPT for each tactical approach
Refine and analyze these ideas with Claude's more nuanced capabilities
Remember, these AI tools are your thought partners, not your solution. Feed them specific information about your market, constraints, and risk tolerance. Then use their suggestions as a starting point for your own strategic thinking.
Getting Started
Start small. Test one unconventional tactic in a controlled way. Measure the response. Scale what works.
What's your biggest marketing challenge right now?
Try running it through this template with both ChatGPT and Claude to see what unconventional approaches emerge.
PS: Was that useful? Leave me a ♡ so I know I’m on the right track.
What founder challenge should I tackle next?
