Traction A Startup Guide To Getting Customers

Written By: Gabriel Weinberg and Justin Mares

By: Fianna

McClain

What Is TRACTION "Anyways?!?

u  Sign that your business is taking off

u  Quantitative evidence of customer demand

u  Growth

u  The pursuit of Traction is what defines a Startup

Find the channel that is best for your business, it is very likely that

one channel is optimal for you!!"

Step 1: Brainstorm

Step 2: Rank

Step 3: Prioritize

Step 4: Test

Step 5: Focusing

Step 6: Repeat, if Necessary

 

Every Startup Has A Product, Not Every Startup Has

Enough Customers

“The number one reason that we pass on

entrepreneurs we’d otherwise like to back is they’re focusing on

product to the exclusion of everything else.”-Marc Andreessen

There are 19 TRACTION Channels That You Need

to Know About!! 1.) Viral Marketing        11.) Targeting Blogs 2.) Public Relations      12.) Business Development�

3.) Unconventional PR    13.) Sales 4.) Search Engine Marketing  14.) Affiliate Programs 5.) Social and Display Ads      15.) Existing Platforms 6.) Offline Ads          16.) Trade Shows 7.) Search Engine Optimization    17.) Offline Events 8.) Content Marketing      18.) Speaking Engagements 9.) Email Marketing        19.) Community Building

10.) Engineering as Marketing  

Viral Marketing

We Use Viral Marketing!!

The Shorter, The Better

o  The process of getting your existing users to refer others to your product

o  Creates true exponential growth o  Successful viral strategy involves constant testing, measurement, and trying new things

Public Relations v  Gain Traction Through Traditional Media

v  Get On Traditional Media Via Smaller Blogs

v  Build Relationship With Pertinent Reporter

Unconventional PR Publicity Stunt Customer  Appreciation  

Search Engine Marketing

Generate Instant Results Through Pay-Per-Click

Advertising on Google, Yahoo! and Bing

Constantly Be Testing!!

Ad Copy

Keywords

Demographic Targeting

Landing Pages

CPC Bids

Social & Display Ads

Goal Of Social Ads Is Awareness-Orientated.

Purchase Takes Place Further Down The Line.

Allow You To Reach A Very Broad Audience Since Display Ads Are Present On Most Sites On The Internet.

Of2line  Ads  

More Money Is Spent On

Offline Ads Than Online Ads!!

Use Coupon Codes To Measure Effectiveness!!

Search Engine Optimization Improve Your Ranking In Search Engines And

Get More People To Your Site.

Content Marketing�Use Blogs To Educate And Reach Your�Customers By Creating Quality Content.�

Email Marketing •  Acquire Customers. •  Build Familiarity With Prospects.

•  Move Customers Through Your Funnel. •  Retain The Customers You Already Have.

•  Personal Traction Channel. The More Personal, The Better.

•  Email Can Be Used At All Stages Of The Customer Lifecycle.

Engineering As Marketing

²  Create Simple Ways To Engage Potential Customers That Naturally Lead To Your Main Offering.

²  Make Useful Tools To Generate Leads and Expand Your Customer Base.

Targeting Blogs Best Tools To Find New Blogs

Search Engines You Tube

Delicious Twitter

Social Mention Talk To People

Works Best At The Beginning Stages And Is

Not Infinitely Scalable-Good Way To Get Your First Users

 

Exchange Value Through Partnerships To Reach Customers In A Way That

Benefits Both Parties.

Sales Good For Products That Require Interpersonal

Interaction Before A Purchase-Often An Expensive One.

Affiliate Programs Main Traction Channel For Many Ecommerce Stores

Retail Affiliate Programs Will Use q  Coupon/Deal Sites q  Loyalty Programs

q Aggregators q Email Lists q Vertical Sites

Existing Platforms Use An Existing Platform To Reach Potential Customers And Gain Traction!!

ü  App Stores

ü  Browser Extensions

ü  Social Media ü  Newer Platforms

Set Up Meetings With People, Before The Event, So That You Can Actually Meet With The People You Want To Meet With.

u Editors Of Online And Offline Magazines

u Bloggers You Like u Existing Customers u Potential Customers

u Your Vendors u Your Competition u Potential Partners

q Offline Events Give You The Opportunity To Engage Directly With Potential Customers About Their Problems.

q Works Well When Your Target Customers Do Not Have

A Place Online To Congregate. q Effective For Startups With Long Sales Cycles.

Community Building

Build A Strong Community By Creating, Cultivating And Empowering Evangelists For Your Product. If People Are Passionate About What You Offer Then They Will Likely Assist In Other People Becoming Passionate Too.