How to find your traction channel talk Traction co-author Justin Mares will cover how you can find your traction channel, tests to run to figure out which traction channels make sense for your business, and touch on each of the 19 different channels you can use to acquire customers.

1. F I N D I N G Y O U R
T R A C T I O N C H A N N E L
B Y J U S T I N M A R E S

2. @jwmares
W H O A M I ?
1. Former Director of
Revenue for Exceptional
(acq’d by Rackspace for
$10m+ in 2013)

3. @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

4. @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

5. F I N D I N G Y O U R C H A N N E L
T O D A Y W E ’ R E G O I N G T O TA L K A B O U T …

6. “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

7. “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

8. M Y F I R S T O N E D I D :

9. “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

10. Why?

11. Product is fun.

12. Product is fun.
Traction is hard

13. “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

15. H O W D O I
F I N D M Y
C H A N N E L ?

16. Framework
The
Bullseye

17. A 4-step process to finding
your traction channel

18. S T E P 1 …
B R A I N S T O R M

19. “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

20. Framework
The
Bullseye
1.
Brainstorm
2.
Prioritize

21. Easy to test?
Potential impact?
Compound affects?

22. Also think about…
Funding?

23. Also think about…
Funding?
B2B?

24. Also think about…
Funding?
B2B?
Consumer?

25. Also think about…
Funding?
B2B?
Consumer?
Traction goal?

26. Also think about…
Funding?
B2B?
Consumer?
Traction goal?
Customer LTV?

27. Also think about…
Funding?
B2B?
Consumer?
Traction goal?
Customer LTV?
Crowded channel?

28. Also think about…
Funding?
B2B?
Consumer?
Traction goal?
Customer LTV?
Crowded channel?
Unit economics?

29. Also think about…
Funding?
B2B?
Consumer?
Traction goal?
Customer LTV?
Crowded channel?
Unit economics?
Competitors?

30. Also think about…
Funding?
B2B?
Consumer?
Traction goal?
Customer LTV?
Crowded channel?
Unit economics?
Competitors? How long?

31. Framework
The
Bullseye
1.
Brainstorm
2.
Prioritize
3.
Test

32. Search
for..

33. Search
for..
signs

34. Search
for..
signs
that

35. Search
for..
signs
that
a channel is working

37. 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.

38. 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.

39. 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.

40. 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.

41. Framework
The
Bullseye
1.
Brainstorm
2.
Prioritize
3.
Test
4.
Double Down

42. FIND

43. FIND
what works

44. FIND
what works
AND

45. FIND
what works
AND
do more of it

46. FIND
what works
AND
do more of it

47. Double.
Down.

49. I N C O N C L U S I O N …
Find

50. I N C O N C L U S I O N …
your channel
Find

51. I N C O N C L U S I O N …
Use Bullseye

52. I N C O N C L U S I O N …
Use Bullseye
1.
Brainstorm

53. I N C O N C L U S I O N …
Use Bullseye
1.
Brainstorm
2.
Prioritize

54. I N C O N C L U S I O N …
Use Bullseye
1.
Brainstorm
2.
Prioritize
3.
Test

55. I N C O N C L U S I O N …
Use Bullseye
1.
Brainstorm
2.
Prioritize
3.
Test
4.
Double Down

56. I N C O N C L U S I O N …
AND

57. I N C O N C L U S I O N …
AND
((most importantly)

58. I N C O N C L U S I O N …
AND
((most importantly)
Crush It.

59. 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 !