The 19 Traction Channels Map
A complete taxonomy of every way a startup can acquire customers
The 19 Traction Channels is a comprehensive taxonomy of every distinct method through which a startup can acquire customers. The channels are: Targeting Blogs, Publicity, Unconventional PR, Search Engine Marketing, Social and Display Ads, Offline Ads, Search Engine Optimization, Content Marketing, Email Marketing, Viral Marketing, Engineering as Marketing, Business Development, Sales, Affiliate Programs, Existing Platforms, Trade Shows, Offline Events, Speaking Engagements, and Community Building.
The primary value of the taxonomy is not novelty in any single channel, but completeness. Founders consistently suffer from channel bias, focusing only on channels they have used before or that seem obvious for their industry. By forcing consideration of all 19 channels, founders discover underutilized channels where competition is low and effectiveness is high.
The research behind the taxonomy found that startups taking off were usually employing channels their competitors had dismissed. Every single one of the 19 channels has been the primary traction driver for both enterprise and consumer startups at some point. The channels are not ranked because the right channel is unpredictable and changes as a company grows.
- Every one of the 19 channels has been the primary growth driver for successful startups
- Founders consistently ignore channels that feel unfamiliar or uncomfortable
- The most underutilized channels in an industry are often the most promising ones
- Which channel works best is unpredictable and changes as the company grows through phases
- Competitive advantage comes from acquiring customers through channels competitors refuse to try
- Learn All 19 ChannelsStudy each of the 19 traction channels to understand what they are, how they work, and how other companies have used them. The channels are: Targeting Blogs, Publicity, Unconventional PR, SEM, Social and Display Ads, Offline Ads, SEO, Content Marketing, Email Marketing, Viral Marketing, Engineering as Marketing, Business Development, Sales, Affiliate Programs, Existing Platforms, Trade Shows, Offline Events, Speaking Engagements, and Community Building.
- Identify Your Channel BiasesBe honest about which channels you gravitate toward and which you dismiss. Three common biases are: ignoring channels that are out of your field of vision (like speaking engagements), refusing to consider channels you view negatively (like sales or affiliate marketing), and avoiding channels that seem annoying or time-consuming (like trade shows or business development).
- Brainstorm One Strategy for Every ChannelFor each of the 19 channels, brainstorm at least one concrete strategy that could plausibly work for your specific business. Research how companies in your space and adjacent spaces have used each channel. If you cannot think of an idea for a channel, you have not brainstormed deeply enough.
- Use the Map as Input to BullseyeFeed your 19 channel strategies into the Bullseye framework's outer ring. From there, promote the 3 most promising to middle ring testing. The map ensures no viable channel gets overlooked before you narrow down.
When most fintech competitors were relying on search engine marketing and display ads, Mint's team systematically evaluated all 19 channels and discovered that targeting niche financial blogs was an overlooked opportunity. Mid-level bloggers in the personal finance space had engaged audiences but were rarely approached by fintech companies for partnerships.
After interviewing more than 40 successful founders and researching countless additional companies, Weinberg and Mares discovered that all startup customer acquisition could be categorized into 19 distinct channels. They found two consistent themes: founders only consider channels they already know, and it is nearly impossible to predict which channel will work best without testing. The taxonomy was created to be exhaustive so that no viable acquisition path gets overlooked during the Bullseye brainstorming phase.