Why people are not interested in your Business?
From Struggles to Viral Success: A Founder's Playbook
Have you ever poured your heart and soul into a startup, only to see crickets chirping in response?
I've been there. My last venture, a fitness app, had a great product, but growth felt stagnant. Then, a breakthrough: a simple 5-step playbook that ignited a viral firestorm. Millions of social media impressions, a passionate community - users were doing pushups at midnight, fueled by friendly competition!
Here's the secret sauce,ready to be applied to your startup journey.
Step 1: Riding the Tailwinds
Imagine a surfer catching the perfect wave. That's how startups should approach market trends. My fitness app thrived because it intersected with powerful tailwinds:
A society starved for connection (remember quarantine in 2020?)
Doubts about the traditional college path
The rise of remote work
Growing interest in online communities and digital nations
The more trends you tap into, the richer your story becomes. Don't worry about hitting every single one - focus on building a genuinely interesting perspective on your market.
Step 2: Cracking the User Code
User research isn't just about product design. It's a growth engine! Instead of asking users about features,delve deeper. Explore their reactions to market trends, competitor actions, and even your potential messaging. The goal? Understand what triggers emotions and which reactions are most powerful.
My fitness app had a unique advantage: a constant stream of user feedback. We lived with them for a month at a time, constantly iterating based on their experiences.
Step 3: The Emotional Core
Understanding reactions is just one step. To build a brand that resonates deeply, uncover the "why" behind them. Why do users react the way they do? Think Nike, the Catholic Church, or Donald Trump - each evokes strong emotions (positive or negative). To stand out, you need to do the same.
Shaan Puri has a great way of framing this for content writing, but it’s applicable to startups and generating hype more broadly too:
Step 4: The Art of the Splash
Leverage your user research to identify hot-button topics within your market. Craft content or take actions that trigger those emotional responses. Aim for reactions on both sides of the fence! Clarity and boldness are key to maximizing impact.
Here's how my fitness app embraced this:
Quarantine Escape: We set up a coliving house in Tulum for founders, a radical departure from the norm.
Content is King: We prioritized social media content marketing from day one, attracting influencers to connect with our members.
We generated a stir. Some saw us as the future, others mocked us relentlessly. It didn't matter. Both extremes brought attention and fueled our growth.
Step 5: Identity Alchemy
Once you find your voice, amplify it! Refine the identity that resonates with your audience and become synonymous with it. Seek out every opportunity to get in front of them.
Stay on top of relevant trends and see how you can leverage them. Over time, you'll build a brand that people not only love, but deeply identify with. Imagine the ultimate loyalty - a user getting your startup logo tattooed!(Maybe not that extreme, but you get the idea.)
This 5-step playbook isn't a magic bullet, but it's a powerful tool to ignite hype and propel your startup forward. So, grab your virtual surfboard and ride those market trends to viral success!