Presentation on the GTM strategies for startups, presented on SE2017 conference in Kiev. Vlad Shvets: https://vladshvets.com SE2017: https://se2017.indevlab.com

1. GO TO MARKET
STRATEGIES FOR
STARTUPS
VLAD SHVETS
CMO @ Vectr
@vladyslavshvets
vs@vladshvets.com

2. PRODUCT MANAGER CHIEF OFFICER DUDE
CHIEF TECHNOLOGY GUY
JUNIOR DEV GUY MARKETING GUY
GROWTH HACKER
$ 1 BILLION DOLLAR
COMPANY

3. “BUILD IT -
AND THEY WILL COME”
Happy Dreaming

4. PRODUCT DEATH CYCLE
ADD SOME
FEATURES!
“WE ARE BUILDING
WHAT USERS WANT,
RIGHT?!”
LAUNCH IT!
“PITCH MORE PRESS
AND THEY WILL COME!”
INITIAL GROWTH…
“IT MUST BE WORKING!
MAYBE..”
GROWTH
FLATTENS
“SO HOW DO WE
CONTINUE GROWING?
MORE FEATURES?

5. PRODUCT DEATH CYCLE
PRODUCT LAUNCH
FEATURE #1
FEATURE #2 FEATURE #3

6. “PRODUCT MARKET FIT
IS ALL YOU NEED TO GROW”
MAKE IT MARKET - PRODUCT FIT.
MARKET-PRODUCT FIT ALONE FIT DOES NOT SCALE.

7. THE FOUR FITS FRAMEWORK
MARKET PRODUCT
CHANNELMODEL
MARKET/PRODUCT FIT
PRODUCT/CHANNEL FIT
MODEL/CHANNEL FIT
MARKET/MODEL FIT

8. “B2B PRODUCTS
DON’T NEED MARKETING”
B2B PRODUCTS DON’T NEED COMMS.
B2B PRODUCTS DON’T NEED GROWTH.
B2B PRODUCTS DON’T NEED CUSTOMERS.

9. “WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT
SOME GROWTH HACKS.”
GROWTH IS ABOUT PROCESSES - NOT TACTICS.
@ SEAN ELLIS

10. GROWTH MARKETING MIX
MARKET / PRODUCT
MARKET / CHANNEL
CHANNEL / MODEL
PRODUCT / MODEL
GROWTH PROCESSES
TRACTION
FRAMEWORK
GROWTH MARKETER
T-SHAPE SKILLSET

11. MARKET PRODUCT FIT
MARKET PRODUCT
MARKET/PRODUCT FIT
NAIL THE PROBLEM AND MARKET FIRST
- THEN FIND A SOLUTION.

12. MARKET PRODUCT FIT
MARKET PRODUCT
MARKET/PRODUCT FIT
CATEGORY
AUDIENCE
PAIN POINTS
MOTIVATIONS
VALUE PROPOSITION
VIRALITY / NPS
TIME TO VALUE
RETENTION

13. MARKET PRODUCT FIT: QUAL & QUAN
INDICATORS
B2B SaaS / B2C
QUANTITATIVE REVENUE $ MRR / ARR
FLATTETING RETENTION
DIRECT TRAFFIC
QUALITATIVE REFERRALS NET PROMOTER SCORE
CUSTOMER FEEDBACK

14. PRODUCT CHANNEL FIT
PRODUCT
CHANNEL
PRODUCT/CHANNEL FIT
CHANNELS > PRODUCTS
PRODUCTS FIT THE CHANNELS.
CHANNELS DON’T FIT THE
PRODUCTS.

15. PRODUCT CHANNEL FIT
PRODUCT
CHANNEL
PRODUCT/CHANNEL FIT
“The kitchen sink approach doesn’t work. Most
companies get zero distribution channels to work. If you
get just one channel to work you have a great business.
If you try for several but don’t nail one, you’re finished.
Distribution follows the power law."
@ PETER THIEL, “ZERO TO ONE”
BULLSEYE
ONE CHANNEL
80% OF EARLY TRACTION

16. MODEL CHANNEL FIT
CHANNELMODEL
MODEL/CHANNEL FIT
MODEL DEFINES
THE DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS.

17. MODEL CHANNEL FIT
CHANNELMODEL
MODEL/CHANNEL FIT
MODELS CHANNELS
FREE
FREEMIUM
FREE TRIAL
ANNUAL UPFRONT
SEO / VIRAL
PAID ACQUISITION
B2B INSIDE SALES / CONTENT
ENTERPRISE SALES

18. MARKET MODEL FIT
MARKET
MODEL
MARKET/MODEL FIT
# CUSTOMERS VS PRODUCT $$
WHO YOUR CUSTOMERS ARE
DEFINES
HOW YOU CHARGE THEM.

19. MARKET MODEL FIT
MARKET
MODEL
MARKET/MODEL FIT
ELEPHANTS: 1 k CUSTOMERS x $100 k ARPU
DEERS: 10 k CUSTOMERS x $10 k ARPU
RABBITS: 100 k CUSTOMERS x $1000 ARPU
MICE: 1 mln CUSTOMERS x $100 ARPU
FILES: 10 mln CUSTOMERS x $10 ARPU
CREDIT: CHRISTOPH JANZ & POINT NINE CAPITAL

20. MACRO: BULLSEYE TRACTION FRAMEWORK
SINGLE DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL
BRINGS 80% OF EARLY TRACTION.
1. FIGURE OUT 5-6 CHANNELS.
2. RUN TRACTION TESTS - MEASURE.
3. FOCUS ON ONE CHANNEL THAT WORKS.
4. MAX IT UP UNTIL IT NO LONGER WORKS.
5. REPEAT.
CREDIT: http://www.tractionbook.com/

21. MICRO: HIGH TEMPO TESTING
BRAINSTORM
“WHAT CAN WE TEST
OUT?!”
PRIORITIZE
“WHAT DO WE DO IN
THIS SPRINT?”
IMPLEMENT
“GETTING SHIT DONE”
ANALYZE &
PLAYBOOK
“WHAT WORKED AND
WHAT DIDN’T - AND
WHY

22. T-SHAPED MARKETER
CONTENT SEO DESIGN DATA
PAID COPY EMAIL
OFFLINE COMMUNITYPR
UNDERSTANDING OF TECHNOLOGY >=
CODING
PROCESS DRIVEN > TACTICS DRIVEN
LONE WOLF & TEAM PLAYER
ABILITY TO LEARN & AGILITY

23. SUMMARY
GO TO MARKET STRATEGY AIMS TO:
1. ALIGN THE FOUR FITS.
2. FIND TRACTION CHANNELS.
3. ESTABLISH GROWTH EXPERIMENTATION PROCESS.

24. MOVE FAST AND BUILD
THINGS
VLAD SHVETS
CMO @ Vectr
@vladyslavshvets
vs@vladshvets.com