Building a Growth Engine:

Generating Sales and Traction

Search for a Great Market

In a great market — a market with lots of real potential

customers — the market pulls product out of the
startup.
Early Stage vs Growth Stage
Finding Product Market Fit Scaling

Building a
Growth
Engine

Images courtesy of ValueChainGeneration

What is a Growth Engine?

● “A growth engine is not a short-term, one-off solution, but

rather a comprehensive one.”

- Deloitte, “Developing a Growth Engine”

It’s a
“Systematic
Process”
Set Goals - Short Term and Medium Term

● Users
● Customers
● Downloads
● Subscriptions
● Contracts
● Revenue
Common Startup Marketing Myths
1. A good product doesn’t need marketing

2. The product is developed - it's time to think about

marketing

3. Was there a problem to begin with?

4. High marketing expectations

5. Promotion on all available channels

There is No Silver Bullet
Sales and Marketing Starts with People
Focus on the Customer

● “Facts Exist Outside the Building, Opinions Reside

Within – So Get the Hell Outside the Building”

- Steve Blank
Develop Buyer Personas
Attributes of a Buyer Persona
Use Empathy Mapping
Know the Competition - Differentiate!

● Who is the competition, present & future?

● What are your barriers to competition? (IP?)
● How will you defend profits & market share?
● How are you different?
Be Clear on Your Positioning
Create Compelling Value Propositions
Know Your Media Channels
Use Multiple Channels
Partners

News/PR Blogs

Video
Email
and Webinars

Social SEO

Ad
Networks
Understand the Buyer Journey
Track Funnel Conversions
Understand the Buyer Journey
Develop An Acquisition Flow Plan
Launch, Collect, Review, Change
What is Growth Marketing?
New Way Old
Way
Practice High Tempo Testing
 Channel Reach (Rate Channel Time to Cash Channel CAC Channel Channel CAC
Acquisition Channel Channel Type Priority 1,2,3) (Rate 1,2,3) Estimate Conversions Actual

ogle Organic Search

Prioritize Channels for Testing
Earned Media 1 1 1 $25 TBD
*
TBD

ch Press Earned Media 1 2 2 $50 TBD TBD

ord of Mouth/Customer Referral Earned Media 1 2 1 $15 TBD TBD

mail Owned Media 1 3 2 TBD TBD TBD

ogle PPC Paid Media 2 1 2 $150 TBD TBD

cebook Ads Paid Media 2 1 2 $150 TBD TBD

mpany Blog and Website Owned Media 2 3 2 $15 TBD TBD

ategic Partners Partner 2 1 3 $75 TBD TBD

est Blogging Earned Media 3 2 2 $50 TBD TBD

Early Stage Metrics
Constantly Tune the Engine

● Test new programs

● Use an integrated cross-channel approach
● Create content that inspires
● Optimize conversion points G.O.O.D.
Goal
● Execute efficiently and consistently Oriented
Opportunity
Driven
● Review KPIs
● Kaizen
To Surround Your Customer
Early Stage: Traction*

Traction Goals:

● Beta List Subscribers

● Downloads
● Activation (One-time Use)
● Active Users (Repeat Use)
● Referrals
● Revenue
The Goal
Stay Focused on the Market

Relentlessly
pursue
customer
needs
Resources
Marc Andreesen’s Blog Archive eBook
http://a16z.com/2015/01/09/pmarca-blog-ebook/
Addl. Resources
Dave McClure’s Startup Metrics for Pirate:
http://www.slideshare.net/dmc500hats/startup-metrics-for-pirates-long-version

Stuart Eccles’ Lean Startup Metrics:

http://www.slideshare.net/stueccles/lean-startup-metrics

Andreas Klinger’s Metrics for Early Stage Startups:

http://www.slideshare.net/andreasklinger/metrics-for-early-stage-startups Strategize, Plan
and Execute!!

Ash Maurya’s 3 Rules to Actionable Metrics in a Lean Startup:

http://practicetrumpstheory.com/3-rules-to-actionable-metrics/
Chris Bechtel
Growth Hacker and Advisor
Twitter: @chrisbechtel
growthenginelabs.com
 Contact us

424-240-7311

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