startupfest 2015: justin mares (distribution team, 500 startups) - "how to"
TRANSCRIPT
@jwmares
W H O A M I ?
1. Former Director of Revenue for Exceptional (acq’d by Rackspace for $10m+ in 2013)
@jwmares
W H O A M I ?
1. Former Director of Revenue for Exceptional (acq’d by Rackspace for $10m+ in 2013)
2. Co-author of Traction
@jwmares
W H O A M I ?
1. Former Director of Revenue for Exceptional (acq’d by Rackspace for $10m+ in 2013)
1. Former Director of Revenue for Exceptional (acq’d by Rackspace for $10m+ in 2013)
2. Co-author of Traction
3. A MISERABLE FAILURE
“Most startups don’t fail because they can’t build a product.
Most startups fail because they can’t get traction.”
- T R A C T I O N B O O K
“Most startups don’t fail because they can’t build a product.
Most startups fail because they can’t get traction.”
(yes I’m quoting my own book. Sorry)
- T R A C T I O N B O O K
“The #1 reason we pass on entrepreneurs we’d otherwise like to back is their focus on product to the exclusion of everything else.”
- M A R C A N D R E E S E N
“If you can get even a single distribution to work, you have a great business.
If you don’t nail one, you’re finished.”
- P E T E R T H I E L
“If you can acquire customers in a channel your competitors are ignoring, that’s a
huge competitive advantage.”
- J A S O N C O H E N , W P E N G I N E
Also think about…
Funding?
B2B?
Consumer?
Traction goal?
Customer LTV?
Crowded channel?
Unit economics?
Also think about…
Funding?
B2B?
Consumer?
Traction goal?
Customer LTV?
Crowded channel?
Unit economics?
Competitors?
Also think about…
Funding?
B2B?
Consumer?
Traction goal?
Customer LTV?
Crowded channel?
Unit economics?
Competitors? How long?
Some ideas of tests to run
SEO
Sponsor top pages that already have the rankings you want.
Buy AdWords for top keywords, see how they convert.
Some ideas of tests to run
Offline Events
Attend 5 Meetup groups in a week.
Create an event using Eventbrite. Try selling 25 tickets
to prospective customers.
Some ideas of tests to run
Social Ads
Buy $500 worth of ads on Facebook, targeting different
groups.
Pay 5 smaller Instagram feeds to post your content 1-3x.
Some ideas of tests to run
Content Marketing
Hire a writer to create 3 killer posts and 1 infographic.
Put 100% effort into promoting the 3 posts & infographic. Then
evaluate.
F I R S T 3 C H A P T E R S O F T R A C T I O N - T R A C T I O N B O O K . C O M
K E E P U P W I T H M E - J U S T I N M A R E S . C O M
@jwmares
T H A N K Y O U !