Amanda Bradford is the founder of The League, the most exclusive dating app on the market. Prior to launching, The League had a wait list of 100,000 people who wanted to use the app. So how did she do this? That’s what Bradford will explain at Hustle Con.

1. Pre-gaming
Your Launch
Amanda Bradford
FOUNDER + CEO, THE LEAGUE
How to build your user
base before you launch

2. @amandabradford #hustlecon
A product launch is identical to
throwing a party
And behind every great party is an epic pre-game

3. @amandabradford #hustlecon
Agenda
1. Background
2. Defining success
3. The benefits of pre-gaming
4. The art of pre-gaming
5. The main event
6. Recap + Q&A

4. @amandabradford #hustlecon
Background

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What is The League?

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Who am I?
“I [am] a career-focused, wanna-be
tech executive with little to no interest
in playing the traditional ‘doting
girlfriend’ role”
LINKEDIN BLOG POST, OCTOBER 2015

7. @amandabradford #hustlecon
Why am I up here talking?
We pre-gamed our SF launch for 5 months and had
8,000 registrations before we launched our alpha,
and 76,000 within 3 months of going live.
Now live in SF, NYC, and LA with nearly 100k MAUs.

8. @amandabradford #hustlecon
Why did I start The League
Nov: 5-year break up
Dec: Dating app bender
Jan: Last semester of B-
School begins

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So how did we do it?

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Defining success

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What is a product launch?
Turning your service ‘live’ in hopes
that people will check out your
product.

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What is a PARTY?
Turning your party ‘live’ in hopes
that people will check out your
event.

13. @amandabradford #hustlecon
What defines a good launch?
1. What’s your DAU? (how many daily users?)
2. What’s your engagement like? (do users
interact)
3. How’s your retention? (do users stay?)
4. What’s your k-factor? (do users tell friends)
The four annoying questions the investors
ask you every time you talk to them:

14. @amandabradford #hustlecon
What defines a good PARTY?
1. How many people are there?
2. Is it fun?
3. How much longer are you staying?
4. Who else is there?
The four annoying questions your friends
ask when deciding whether to get their
ass off the couch:

15. @amandabradford #hustlecon
Yep, parties are an investment
1. How many people are there? (DAU)
2. Is it fun? (ENGAGEMENT)
3. How much longer are you staying?
(RETENTION)
4. Who else is there? (VIRALITY)

16. @amandabradford #hustlecon
A product launch is identical to
throwing a party
And behind every great party is an epic pre-game

17. @amandabradford #hustlecon
The benefits of
pre-gaming

18. @amandabradford #hustlecon
Why does one attend a pre-game?
Free booze (VALUE)
Have input on the playlist & games (FEATURES)
Have ‘real’ convos vs. superficial (ENGAGEMENT)
Arrive at party with a ‘tribe’ (COMMUNITY)
Charge your phone (ACCESS)

19. @amandabradford #hustlecon
Why should you host a pre-game?
1. Shows up, and is on time (DAU)
2. Is high energy & outgoing (ENGAGEMENT)
3. Feels committed to your party (RETENTION)
4. Gets their friends to join them (VIRALITY)
PRE-GAMES ENSURE THAT YOUR CREW:

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Want to throw an awesome party?
Have an awesome pre-game.

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The art of the
pre-game

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How to host a pre-game
1. Build an invite list
2. Get people to show up
3. Act cool
4. That’s all! Remember, expectations
are zero for pre-games.

23. @amandabradford #hustlecon
Step 1: Building an invite list
VIP APPROACH (MOST EFFECTIVE)
• Create target lists: meet in person
• Lurker/Socialite: meet and exchange contact
info
• Door to door sales: meet and pitch a party,
not product

24. @amandabradford #hustlecon
Step 1: Building an invite list
NETWORK APPROACH
• Email blasts & Facebook posts

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Step 1: Building an invite list
I-HAVE-NO-FRIENDS APPROACH (LEAST EFFECTIVE)
• Ads, Craigslist postings

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Step 2: Getting people to show up
Give them access to things they can’t easily get.
Think back to college when you were underage…
booze was a huge draw!

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The trick to getting people to show up

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The trick to getting people to show up

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The trick to getting people to show up

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The trick to getting people to show up

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The trick to getting people to show up

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The trick to getting people to show up

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The trick to getting people to show up

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The trick to getting people to show up

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The trick to getting people to show up

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Step 3: Be cool
Don’t force them to listen to a sales pitch.
Get to know your users as people so they like and
respect you and what you are building!

37. @amandabradford #hustlecon
When to end the pre-game?
The longer you pre-game, the more fun the party is.
But be careful, don’t miss the actual party!

38. @amandabradford #hustlecon

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The main event

40. @amandabradford #hustlecon
Herd your pre-gamers to the party
1. Show up, and are on time (DAU)
2. Are high energy & outgoing (ENGAGEMENT)
3. Feel committed to your party (RETENTION)
4. Get others to meet them at party (VIRALITY)
You’ve got them nice and toasty, now
point them to the party and tell the to ‘be
fun!’ Your pre-gamers:

41. @amandabradford #hustlecon
Let your product do the rest!
• 419 of our 500 pre-gamers showed up (DAU)
• 72% of pre-gamers messaged (ENGAGEMENT)
• 91% of pre-gamers stayed to day 7 (RETENTION)
• 50% of pre-gamers invited friends (VIRALITY)
You’ve now set your product up for
success! On November 12, 2014, we
opened the gates:
No launch party needed!

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Rinse & repeat for every city launch

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Recap

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When the party is good…
People are staying, inviting friends to come, and
engaging with each other. Their first experience is
incredibly important. Just like a product launch!
The best way to ensure an awesome launch is to
have an awesome pregame.

45. @amandabradford #hustlecon
A product launch is identical to
throwing a party.
And behind every great party, is an
epic pre-game.

46. TheLeague.com
Amanda Bradford
FOUNDER + CMO
#hustlecon@amandabradford