Creative Traction Methodology - For Early Stage Startups

Tommaso Di Bartolo
Tommaso Di Bartoloserial entrepreneur w/ 2 exits, author, advisor, faculty, investor.
CREATIVE TRACTION
WHAT IT TAKESW
TM
twitter @todiba
hashtag #whatitTakes
name Tommaso
WHERE YOU COME
FROM CAN’T PREVENT
WHERE YOU WANNA GO
#whatitTakes
#ComfortZoneSucks
#1 REASON WHY ENTREPRENEURS
W
FAILIS ‘CAUSE WEAK TRACTION
9 

IN
10
• ABS
WTF!
http://whatitTak.es
#traction
CREATIVE
TRACTION
METHODOLOGY
W
TM
@todiba #whatittakes#creativeTraction
99% of all
startups are
forced to give
up because they
lack traction
www.creativetraction.io
pre-order

yourbook
how to build a
new product
some customer
want
how to build a
mindset that
gets a new
product traction
THE
3
THINGS
W
IDEA RELEASE LIFE CYCLE1
RANSACK TOOLS2
ACT CREATIVELY3
CREATIVE TRACTION METHODOLOGY
CTM
IDEA RELEASE
LIFE CYCLE
W1
I was
dreaming
about users
loving us
http://whatitTak.es
#validate
COMMON PITFALLS
Creative Traction Methodology - For Early Stage Startups
90% R&D
10% 

GTM
if at all
FRIEND’S
VALIDATION
MVP
AVAILABILITY
START SALES &
MARKETING
HOW TO DEVELOP
INNOVATION
LEAN DEVELOPMENT BETA
RELEASE
GA 

RELEASE
GO-TO-MARKET
1. 2. 3.
NO TIME
NO MONEY
NO POWER TO PROCEED
SOME
PROSPECTS
PLAN TO 

GET VIRAL
IDEA RELEASE LIFE
CYCLE APPLIED
CREATIVE TRACTION METHODOLOGY
SELEBRETY-APP USE CASE
Creative Traction Methodology - For Early Stage Startups
Creative Traction Methodology - For Early Stage Startups
THAT’S HOW WE CLOSED OUR
EARLY SEED ROUND
TRANSFORMATION
50% R&D
50% GTM
CTM
CREATE A COMMUNITY
ENGAGE AND LEARN
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT
TEST TRACTION CHANNELS
1.
VALUE PROP
VALIDATION
LEAN
DEVELOPMENT
CTM
CREATE A COMMUNITY
ENGAGE AND LEARN
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT
TEST TRACTION CHANNELS
1. 2.
VALUE PROP
VALIDATION
PRE
RELEASE
VIDEO PREVIEW
PRE-SIGNUP
SHARE TO JOIN
VIP EARLY ACCESS
BETA
RELEASE
GA
RELEASE
LEAN
DEVELOPMENT
CTM
CREATE A COMMUNITY
ENGAGE AND LEARN
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT
TEST TRACTION CHANNELS
1. 2. 3.
VALUE PROP
VALIDATION
PRE
RELEASE
VIDEO PREVIEW
PRE-SIGNUP
SHARE TO JOIN
VIP EARLY ACCESS
LAUNCH
VIRAL LOOP
BRAND AMBASSADORS
BETA
RELEASE
GA
RELEASE
GO-TO-MARKETLEAN
DEVELOPMENT
CTM
CREATIVE TRACTION METHODOLOGY
1. IDEA RELEASE LIFE CYCLE
▸ development vs go-to-market must be 50%-50% efforts
allocation
▸ Start before you are ready
▸ value prop validation (blogging - create community)
▸ pre-release (sign-up)
▸ launch
#TAKEAWAY W
CTM
RANSACK
TOOLS
W2
http://whatitTak.es
this blows
my mind!
#leverage
COMMON PITFALLS
SALES MARKETING
MANAGE &
SCALE
OPPORTUNITY
MOVE THE NEEDLE
RANSACK
TOOLS APPLIED
WWW.WHATITTAK.ES
TEXT
TEXT
HTTPS://WWW.MAKESMAIL.COM/
TEXT
TRANSFORMATION
TEXT
Creative Traction Methodology - For Early Stage Startups
Creative Traction Methodology - For Early Stage Startups
CREATIVE TRACTION METHODOLOGY
2. RANSACK TOOLS
▸ Tools imply new growth hacking strategies
▸ Discovery & creation of tools as an ongoing task
▸ Ignite creativity by leveraging the power of new methods
▸ Leverage the window of opportunity via new tools
▸ Hack campaigns by assembling multiple tools
#TAKEAWAY W
CTM
ACT
CREATIVELY
W3
IP
no budget
but a goal?
W
COMMON PITFALLS
TEXT
SOMETHING NEW
TEXT
FOLLOWING
ASSUMPTION
TOP DOWN
TEXT
BIASED
ACT CREATIVELY
APPLIED
DO THINGS OTHER DON’T
#brandExperience
DO THINGS OTHER DON’T
#brandExperience
PEOPLE DON’T BUY STUFF - THEY BUY WHAT STUFF DOES WITH THEM
DO THINGS OTHER DON’T
#brandExperience
‣ Make your swaaag profile visible on your other social media
profiles
‣ Share swaaag content into your other social media profiles
‣ Swag multiple times a week to be an example for others.
‣ Regularly shout out to social followers of your other networks to
join you on swaaag.
‣ Advocate swaaag within your everyday network, enchanting others
to join.
‣ Invite contacts using the in app invite feature containing your
custom invite link
‣ Make intros to people that might add value to the swaaag
community
DO THINGS OTHER DON’T
#brandExperience
awesm.io

the innovation catalyst
… but who puts skin in the game?
A D V I S O R S
• reactive
• hands-off
C O N S U LTA N T S
• in between jobs
• not committed
A G E N C I E S
• Budget driven
• Prefer
established
businesses
E M P L O Y E E S
• expensive
• inflexible
the current funding climate demands traction with low capital.
Question is, who can help founders?
awesm’s USP
1. Expedite time to market
2. Reduced execution risks
3. Put traction on steroids
TRACTION
1 Million downloads
in 32 days
Massively profitable
TRACTION
Lowered the CAC 

by 75%
10x multiple on

conversion rates
TRACTION
Signed an 

Affiliate Partnership
Won OEM 

Strategic Alliances
WWW.AWESM.IO
TRANSFORMATION
TEXT
TRACTION
CREATIVE
TRACTION
METHODOLOGY
user story0
0
what is the trigger

that makes the target 

persona think/have a need 

for the product?
TRACTION
KPI & purpose
what & why?
1
CREATIVE
TRACTION
METHODOLOGY
1
what is it you 

define as
traction?
what is the
reason for that
KPI to more
relevant than
others?
2
TRACTION
quantity
how much?
CREATIVE
TRACTION
METHODOLOGY
2
how much is
needed (KPI
value) to move
the needle?
buyer persona
customer
call to action
who & what?
23
TRACTION
quantity
how much?
1
CREATIVE
TRACTION
METHODOLOGY
Describe in
details your
enduser
3
What action
needs the user
to undertake?
KPI & purpose
what & why?
who & what?
buyer persona
customer
positioning
lead
call to actionvalue prop.
why?
234
TRACTION
quantity
how much?
1
CREATIVE
TRACTION
METHODOLOGY
What are the 

benefits for the
target persona
to take action
now?

4
KPI & purpose
what & why?
who & what?
buyer persona
customer
positioningtouchpoint
visitor lead
call to actionvalue prop.UI/UX
why?where?
2345
TRACTION
quantity
how much?
1
CREATIVE
TRACTION
METHODOLOGY
Where to 

sign up?
5
What
experience has
the user?
KPI & purpose
what & why?
who & what?
buyer persona
customer
positioningtouchpointtraction channels
stranger visitor lead
call to actionvalue prop.UI/UXpromote
why?where?how?
3456
CREATIVE
TRACTION
METHODOLOGY
Select different

channels you’ll

validate and use

for the outreach
6
Where to find 

your target
persona
who & what?
buyer persona
customer
positioningtouchpointtraction channels
stranger visitor lead
promoters
call to actionvalue prop.UI/UXpromote
why?where?how?
23456
viral loop
fans
delight
TRACTION
quantity
how much?
17
CREATIVE
TRACTION
METHODOLOGY
KPI & purpose
what & why?
What action should the user
do to invite others to join?7
How’s the user reward?
who & what?
buyer persona
customer
positioningtouchpointtraction channels
stranger visitor lead
promoters
call to actionvalue prop.UI/UXpromote
why?where?how?
23456
viral loop
fans
delight
TRACTION
quantity
how much?
17
CREATIVE
TRACTION
METHODOLOGY
TOOLS
KPI & purpose
what & why?
CREATIVE TRACTION METHODOLOGY
3. ACT CREATIVELY
▸ no budget but a goal - requires lateral thinking
▸ Set a goal first combined with a purpose
▸ experimental design - validate at least 3 assumptions / step
▸ Try out things you don’t feel confident with to unleash creativity
▸ no bias but validations
▸ Target Bottom Up - niche first
▸ no salesman ship - attract people wanting to buy
#TAKEAWAY W
CTM
IDEA RELEASE LIFE CYCLE1
RANSACK TOOLS2
ACT CREATIVELY3
CREATIVE TRACTION METHODOLOGY
CTM
#awesmtimes
be.whatitTak.es
take survey
1
2get slides
survey be.whatitTak.es
twitter @todiba
blog whatitTak.es
email be.whatitTakes@gmail.com
bio t.branded.me
W
1 sur 82

Contenu connexe

Tendances(20)

Top Tips For Working SmarterTop Tips For Working Smarter
Top Tips For Working Smarter
InterQuest Group55.2K vues
The battle for attentionThe battle for attention
The battle for attention
Newsworks100.4K vues
Why Content Marketing FailsWhy Content Marketing Fails
Why Content Marketing Fails
Rand Fishkin6.9M vues
17 Things Powerful People Say17 Things Powerful People Say
17 Things Powerful People Say
GetSmarter278.6K vues
Startups are Hard. Like, Really Hard. @luketuckerStartups are Hard. Like, Really Hard. @luketucker
Startups are Hard. Like, Really Hard. @luketucker
Empowered Presentations432.9K vues
Random Life HacksRandom Life Hacks
Random Life Hacks
Lennie Khalid49.4K vues
The Hierarchy of EngagementThe Hierarchy of Engagement
The Hierarchy of Engagement
Greylock Partners305K vues
IQ Work Hacks - Power Dressing (For Men) IQ Work Hacks - Power Dressing (For Men)
IQ Work Hacks - Power Dressing (For Men)
InterQuest Group5.4K vues
25 Need-to-Know Marketing Stats25 Need-to-Know Marketing Stats
25 Need-to-Know Marketing Stats
contently412.5K vues
The Build TrapThe Build Trap
The Build Trap
Melissa Perri565.4K vues
IQ Work Hacks : Verbal communication IQ Work Hacks : Verbal communication
IQ Work Hacks : Verbal communication
InterQuest Group139.7K vues
28 Pitching Essentials28 Pitching Essentials
28 Pitching Essentials
Michael Parker122.6K vues

En vedette(6)

SXSW 2016: The Need To KnowsSXSW 2016: The Need To Knows
SXSW 2016: The Need To Knows
Ogilvy Consulting180K vues
Activism x TechnologyActivism x Technology
Activism x Technology
WebVisions335.9K vues
The AI RushThe AI Rush
The AI Rush
Jean-Baptiste Dumont1.1M vues

Similaire à Creative Traction Methodology - For Early Stage Startups(20)

Lean   ingLean   ing
Lean ing
Cedric Deweeck805 vues
Art of product_development.pptxArt of product_development.pptx
Art of product_development.pptx
Anubhav Sinha293 vues
EIA2016Nice - Brian Kress. Getting your users hookedEIA2016Nice - Brian Kress. Getting your users hooked
EIA2016Nice - Brian Kress. Getting your users hooked
European Innovation Academy705 vues
EIA2016Turin - Brian Kress. Goals, KPIs & TrackingEIA2016Turin - Brian Kress. Goals, KPIs & Tracking
EIA2016Turin - Brian Kress. Goals, KPIs & Tracking
European Innovation Academy603 vues
How to go about building great tech productsHow to go about building great tech products
How to go about building great tech products
Kuliza Technologies829 vues
Making Whuffie [from SHiFT08]Making Whuffie [from SHiFT08]
Making Whuffie [from SHiFT08]
Tara Hunt38.9K vues
(PROJEKTURA) lean startup(PROJEKTURA) lean startup
(PROJEKTURA) lean startup
Ratko Mutavdzic1.7K vues
Using Digital to Launch your Beauty BrandUsing Digital to Launch your Beauty Brand
Using Digital to Launch your Beauty Brand
Your Favourite Story2.3K vues
Content changes everythingContent changes everything
Content changes everything
Haslimann Taylor145 vues
Creating Powerful Customer ExperiencesCreating Powerful Customer Experiences
Creating Powerful Customer Experiences
Digital Surgeons 1.8M vues

Plus de Tommaso Di Bartolo(20)

The Metaverse Economy - by Tommaso Di BartoloThe Metaverse Economy - by Tommaso Di Bartolo
The Metaverse Economy - by Tommaso Di Bartolo
Tommaso Di Bartolo3.6K vues
Digital transformation in AgricultureDigital transformation in Agriculture
Digital transformation in Agriculture
Tommaso Di Bartolo749 vues
How to recognize a tangible opportunityHow to recognize a tangible opportunity
How to recognize a tangible opportunity
Tommaso Di Bartolo242 vues

Creative Traction Methodology - For Early Stage Startups