Traction Book – A Startup Guide to Getting Customers
tractionbook.com
Traction Book – A Startup Guide to Getting Customers
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Re: Traction Book – A Startup Guide to Getting Customers
#2Co-author here.
I actually started exploring this book topic in late 2009 through an initial series of open-ended interviews that involved a lot of people from HN and were discussed on HN quite extensively (when it was much more startup focused). Here is that set: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6r4nAnkQO3VpddRSVwUVDg (e.g. patio11 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuzNs-LhC_8, Alexis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enEqAq1x9UQ, Garry Tan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Win0moC4cA).
I started angel investing around the same time and I quickly came to the conclusion that the pursuit of getting traction needed much more structure akin to product development frameworks. I also got increasingly busy with DuckDuckGo, and so it took finding a great co-author and many years to actually get this book across the finish line.
Here's the announcement post from my blog: http://www.gabrielweinberg.com/blog/2014/08/get-traction-tod...
Happy to take any questions.
Re: Traction Book – A Startup Guide to Getting Customers
#3Co-author here. I actually started exploring this book topic in late 2009 through an initial series of open-ended interviews that involved a lot of people from HN and were discussed on HN quite extensively (when it was much more startup focused). Here is that set: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6r4nAnkQO3VpddRSVwUVDg (e.g. patio11 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuzNs-LhC_8 , Alexis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v…
I realize that a lot of growth channels tend to become saturated over time and they no longer make financial sense to invest in. What channels have managed to sustain themselves as profitable growth channels over longer periods of time?
Re: Traction Book – A Startup Guide to Getting Customers
#4Co-author here. I actually started exploring this book topic in late 2009 through an initial series of open-ended interviews that involved a lot of people from HN and were discussed on HN quite extensively (when it was much more startup focused). Here is that set: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6r4nAnkQO3VpddRSVwUVDg (e.g. patio11 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuzNs-LhC_8 , Alexis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v…
I realize that a lot of growth channels tend to become saturated over time and they no longer make financial sense to invest in. What channels have managed to sustain themselves as profitable growth channels over longer periods of time?
I know this isn't a very satisfying answer, but the truth is it is highly dependent on the specifics of the product and market situation. All nineteen channels we examine in the book have been sustainable growth channels for companies, and one of our core theses is that the underutilized channels for a particular market space can often have the best returns. Unfortunately that means you need to test and that's what our Bullseye framework is all about -- how to approach finding the right traction channel for your particular situation.
Re: Traction Book – A Startup Guide to Getting Customers
#5Co-author here. I actually started exploring this book topic in late 2009 through an initial series of open-ended interviews that involved a lot of people from HN and were discussed on HN quite extensively (when it was much more startup focused). Here is that set: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6r4nAnkQO3VpddRSVwUVDg (e.g. patio11 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuzNs-LhC_8 , Alexis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v…
I realize that a lot of growth channels tend to become saturated over time and they no longer make financial sense to invest in. What channels have managed to sustain themselves as profitable growth channels over longer periods of time?
That said, paid acquisition channels (Facebook, AdWords, etc.) can be highly profitable - AdWords for almost 10 years now. They just get more expensive and less profitable as time goes on.
Re: Traction Book – A Startup Guide to Getting Customers
#6[deleted]
Re: Traction Book – A Startup Guide to Getting Customers
#7Heh, interesting bit of synchronicity... like 30 seconds after I originally clicked on this, somebody comes in and hands me a package. It was my Amazon order with my copy of Traction.
We are one of those startups that has a product, but doesn't have any paying customers yet, so needless to say, I'm champing at the bit to dig into this. If the info in here is actually useful in getting some early traction, this book will far more than pay for itself.
Re: Traction Book – A Startup Guide to Getting Customers
#8Co-author here. I actually started exploring this book topic in late 2009 through an initial series of open-ended interviews that involved a lot of people from HN and were discussed on HN quite extensively (when it was much more startup focused). Here is that set: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6r4nAnkQO3VpddRSVwUVDg (e.g. patio11 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuzNs-LhC_8 , Alexis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v…
How much luck plays into traction? Since the majority of IT landscape is controlled by few platforms (companies), a BD deal with the dominant player (tier 1 player) is all you need for the big pay day. This is where your connections, network and Influential VC investors can play a big role.
Remember, every decent startup has a good product. But not every one of them has the influential connections to make it as a success. Getting traction is not a fair game. In most scenarios it is a hustle.
Re: Traction Book – A Startup Guide to Getting Customers
#9I wanted to buy the audio book but castify doesn't want to sell it, they want me to sign up.. why?
Re: Traction Book – A Startup Guide to Getting Customers
#10Co-author here. I actually started exploring this book topic in late 2009 through an initial series of open-ended interviews that involved a lot of people from HN and were discussed on HN quite extensively (when it was much more startup focused). Here is that set: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6r4nAnkQO3VpddRSVwUVDg (e.g. patio11 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuzNs-LhC_8 , Alexis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v…
Hi, Got it on Kindle. Going through it. I will definitely be reading it with great interest. I have a question: What would you say are your top 3 learning/'key insight' from writing this book? [These need not be just top 3 things to do to get traction. But anything that you realized/gained from the whole experience/time that you spent researching/writing/thinking this book.]
Edit: corrected typo