Startups require a very different marketing approach than established companies. This slide deck from the first marketer at Dropbox, LogMeIn, Lookout and others explains how you prioritize your marketing efforts in a startup. It starts by give you a way to determine startup’s growth potential or if it's even growable at all. It then explains why stacking the odds is critical for reaching your startup’s growth potential and tells you how to stack the odds for growth. Finally it shares a case study explaining how a startup overcame growth frustrations to become worth more than one billion dollars today.

1. Stacking the Odds
For Authentic,SustainableGrowth
Sean Ellis
Founder& CEO
Qualaroo& GrowthHackers.com

2. Agenda
• How todetermine startup’sgrowthpotential
• Whystackingthe oddsis critical forreachingyourstartup’sgrowth
potential
• How tostacktheoddsforgrowth
• Casestudy–How stackingthe oddsforgrowthwascritical tobuilding
a$1B+company

3. About Me
• Founder/CEOatQualaroo& GrowthHackers.com
• PreviouslyVP MarketingfromcustomerzerotoIPO filing at
LogMeIn & Uproar.com
• Then6-monthmarketingrolesatDropbox,Lookout,
Eventbrite…

4. Marketer’sRole?
Marketer’s Role?
Realize full growth potential of a product
• Tapintofull potentialforauthenticgrowth
• Growingbeyondpotentialisunsustainable
• Product/marketfit definespotential

5. P/M Fit Foundation
P/M Fit Foundation
Foundation of all sustainable growth
Growth
Stacking the
Odds
Product/Market Fit

6. Product/MarketFit
Product/Market Fit
Authentic growth requires product marketfit
• Largegroupwantsorneeds yourproduct

7. MustHave Experience
MeasuringP/M Fit
Measuring yourstartup’s growth potential
“Very Disappointed” Recommendation
More than 40% Focus on retention cohorts, start transitioning
Less than 40% Keep iterating product, positioning, and targeting
Must HaveQuestion
How wouldyoufeel if youcouldno longer user [Product]?
Usage
• Lengthofvisits
• Repeatvisits

8. MustHave Experience
Must Have Experience
Thekeyasset for a product/marketfit startup
• How do“musthave” customersuseproduct?
• Ask:Whatisthemain benefityoureceive?
• Ask:Whyis thatbenefit importanttoyou?

9. P/M Fit Foundation
Stackingthe Odds
Critical for reachingyourgrowth potential
Growth
Stacking the
Odds
Product/Market Fit

10. WhyStack the Odds?
Stack the Odds for Growth
Optimize percentage that reachmust have experience
• Opens profitablemarketingchannels
• Makesallmarketingmoreprofitable
• Beatcompetitionin channels
Growth
Stacking the Odds
Product/Market Fit

11. Stacking the Odds
How to Stack theOdds
Optimize to reachyourgrowth potential
• Increasedesireformusthaveexperience
• Reducefrictiontodelivering MH experience
Growth
Stacking the Odds
Product/Market Fit
Desire–Friction =ConversionRate

12. IncreaseDesire
Increase Desire
Understand visitor intent
• Ask:Whatareyouhoping[X]can doforyou?
• Ask:Doesthispagemakeyouwanttosign up?
• User test for“ahamoments”

13. Reduce Friction
Reduce Friction
Find friction preventing must have experience
• Studyfunnelanalyticsfordropoffs
• Ask:Anythingpreventing youfromsigning up?
• Runusabilitytests(Usertesting.com)

14. Start testing variations
StartTesting Variations
Test to increase desire and reduce friction
• Stronghooksbasedonintent research
• Fix issues(fearandconfusionfriction)
• Testing never stops…

15. Calibrate growth engine
CalibrateGrowth Engine
Valuedelivery machine
• Hookandpromiseconnect
• “Promise”aboutmust haveexperience(authenticityover response)
Must-Have
experience
Hook
Promise

16. OrganicGrowth
Organic Growth
Strong value delivery drives organic growth
• Retention/loyalty
• Wordof mouth
• Up selling

17. P/M Fit Foundation
ScaleGrowth
JoinFreeGrowthHackers.com Community
Growth
Stacking the
Odds
Product/Market Fit

18. Case Study
Case Study
Optimization unlocks growth
• Growthbeforeoptimizationwasfrustrating
• First 4monthsofOptimization:1000%visit-to-purchaserate
improvement
• Growthchannelsnowscaled
• Over $1Bvaluationtoday

19. Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
Optimization unlocks growth
1. Marketerroleis toreachpotential
2. Product/marketfit definespotential
3. Understandmusthaveexperience
4. Increasedesire, reducefriction
5. Valuemachinedrives organicgrowth

20. THANK YOU!
#startupmarketingconf