Julian Shapiro presented some 2020 growth learnings based on real-world data. He discussed 16 rapid fire growth tactics spanning different channels like retargeting, influencers, cross-targeting ads between platforms, using affordable video creation tools, YouTube sponsorships, LinkedIn ads and email outreach, turning blog visitors into email subscribers with quizzes and guides, direct mail best practices, letting people educate themselves first, using ads to test copy, measuring word of mouth, growing podcasts with a YouTube-first approach and timely episodes, break-even ads, preventing email spam, timing ads, and getting podcast guests who bring audiences.

1. Julian Shapiro
presents
Some 2020 growth learnings

2. Julian Shapiro
Past: VP of Marketing @ Webflow.
Author at TechCrunch + Julian.com.
Helped run acquisition for Heap,
Clearbit, Tovala, Segment, Imperfect
Produce, Outschool.

3. Current: DemandCurve.com
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● Find vetted growth contractors
● Learn professional growth

4. Today’s chat
Based on real-world data
Rapid fire growth tactics
Spanning the gamut of growth

5. Growth tactic #1
Use long-term retargeting
Don’t abandon unsubscribers

6. Growth tactic #2
Category influencers + ad channels
Geo rollouts

7. Growth tactic #3
LinkedIn/Snap → FB/IG
Ad channel cross-targeting

8. Growth tactic #4
Screenflow, Voicebunny, Animoto,
Fiverr, Thumbtack
You can make good, cheap video ads

9. Growth tactic #5
Pay for views, not subs. Find people with
high views and low subs who aren’t fully
priced in it.
Cost-effective YouTube sponsorships

10. Growth tactic #6
LinkedIn ads → email outreach
Pre-targeting before cold outreach

11. Growth tactic #7
Quizzes, buyers’ guides → email
How do you turn blog visitors into leads?
Your goal should be collecting emails.

12. Growth tactic #8
Reach sufficient volume, add time
pressure, have a tracking strategy.
Doing direct mail properly

13. Growth tactic #9
Let people educate themselves first
Aggressive CTA’s aren’t always good

14. Growth tactic #10
Quicker than web traffic testing
Use ads to narrow down copy

15. Growth tactic #11
Figuring out how much WOM and referrals
you’re getting. Consider geographic lift
and subtract paid.

16. Growth tactic #12
YouTube-first, timely episodes, and
networked guests
Thoughts on growing podcasts

17. Growth tactic #13
Break-even ads
=
free brand awareness?

18. Growth tactic #14
support.google.com/mail/answer/81126
“Prevent mail to Gmail users from being blocked or sent to spam”
How Gmail decides whether your
outreach goes to spam...

19. Growth tactic #15
Som businesses shouldn’t have their ads
running at night

20. Growth tactic #16
YouTube-first, timely episodes, and guests
who bring audiences
Podcast growth learnings...

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