Getting initial customers as a startup remains one of the most grueling and daunting challenges in the entire business ecosystem. Even when young companies manage to generate early interest, capture a fleeting headline, or secure a handful of curious users, there is never any guarantee that those customers will stick around for the long haul. Building a sustainable base requires more than just launching a product into the digital void; it demands a calculated, resilient strategy tailored to the unique DNA of the business.<\/p>\n
At the TechCrunch Disrupt conference, this eternal startup dilemma took center stage during a panel featuring seasoned industry leaders. Elia Wallen, founder and CEO of travel startup Engine; Grant Lee, founder and CEO of AI-powered presentation platform Gamma; and Crystal Huang, a general partner at venture capital giant Google Ventures, took the stage to share hard-earned tips, counterintuitive insights, and practical strategies on how startups can effectively attract and retain customers in a hyper-competitive market.<\/p>\n
In the current era of rapid technological advancement, the digital landscape looks vastly different than it did a decade ago. Today, young artificial intelligence companies like Cluely and Instinct are successfully building massive, engaged audiences not just through the raw utility of their products, but also through the colorful, highly visible online presences of their founders. In this environment, social media can easily seem like an absolute magic bullet for reaching early customers, offering a direct pipeline to the masses with the tap of a screen. <\/p>\n
However, founders who want to elevate their overarching business strategy with modern digital marketing have to approach the space with extreme strategic discipline, according to Gamma\u2019s Grant Lee. <\/p>\n
Gamma, a company that sells cutting-edge AI-powered presentation software, managed to scale its business exponentially by deploying a clever social media strategy that leveraged micro-influencers through its dedicated Ambassadors\u2014or "Gambassador"\u2014program. The enterprise adopted this forward-thinking plan long before influencer-based marketing became a tried-and-true, boilerplate strategy for smaller tech companies attempting to break through the noise. That early bet paid off spectacularly, with the company eventually soaring to a multi-billion-dollar valuation and hitting impressive annual recurring revenue milestones.<\/p>\n
Yet, Lee cautions that simply handing influencers a platform script and telling them to promote a brand online does not automatically translate to sustainable sales or long-term growth. There is significantly more nuance required to execute influencer campaigns effectively. <\/p>\n
During the panel discussion, Lee elaborated on the granular approach required for successful creator marketing, noting that founders must look closely at their target audience demographics. If a company has a product that can serve many different market segments or a wide variety of use cases, the strategy must reflect that diversity. According to Lee, founders need to engage creators who can specifically target each of those distinct verticals. Whether a company is targeting everyday consultants, corporate strategists, or professionals who create decks directly for their chief marketing officers, there are numerous distinct segments that a startup might want to pursue, each requiring a tailored voice.<\/p>\n
Lee also pointed out a common pitfall among early-stage founders: treating creator and influencer marketing as a sort of "set it and forget it" operational task. Too many entrepreneurs sign up a handful of creators, send over some product access links, and assume the marketing engine will run itself. <\/p>\n
In reality, Lee argues that founders are much better served by investing substantial time, energy, and resources into building deep relationships with these creators. If the influencers themselves are unable to fully understand or accurately articulate the core value proposition of a product, it simply does not matter how much money a startup pours into the campaign. Without deep comprehension from the promoter, the marketing effort is bound to fall flat.<\/p>\n
At the same time, the fundamental effectiveness of social media depends heavily on the specific type of business being built. While viral videos and creator partnerships work wonders for certain software-as-a-service applications, other methods of reaching customers can be just as effective\u2014if not significantly more so\u2014depending on the industry.<\/p>\n
Elia Wallen knows this reality better than most. His company, Engine, which manages complex lodging and travel bookings for midsize businesses, successfully bootstrapped its way to $150 million in bookings before ever taking on a single dollar of outside venture capital funding. Remarkably, during that intense early growth phase, Engine had no visible social media strategy whatsoever. For Wallen, old-school, traditional sales tactics can prove far more useful and reliable than hoping for a positive TikTok video to spark organic growth.<\/p>\n
Wallen recalled the gritty, hands-on methods Engine relied on in its early days, noting that his team focused heavily on live events and relentless outbound sales efforts. They smiled and dialed prospective clients day after day. According to Wallen, the company still maintains a strong culture of people picking up the phone to talk directly with clients. He observed that many modern tech professionals who did not grow up with traditional sales or who fundamentally do not understand outbound mechanics often dismiss it as outdated or ineffective. However, Wallen insists that old-fashioned salesmanship still works wonders. He acknowledged that it is undeniably hard work, and noted that many companies simply refuse to do it or lack the institutional knowledge to execute it well. By ignoring the telephone and direct outreach, those companies are missing out on a massive, highly lucrative offline client base. Simply put, as Wallen emphasized during the panel, the phone still works.<\/p>\n
To illustrate the power of unconventional, in-person engagement, Wallen shared a memorable tactic that Engine deployed during its scrappy early days. In an effort to stand out at crowded industry events and draw people to their exhibition space, the company hired a professional magician named David. The magician performed close-up sleight-of-hand tricks for prospective clients wandering the convention floor, effortlessly entertaining them and encouraging them to step directly over to Engine\u2019s booth to continue the conversation. The anecdote served as a vivid reminder that old-fashioned personal engagement and creativity in the physical world can work just as well, if not better, than the latest digital social media growth hacks.<\/p>\n
Once a startup manages to secure those elusive early customers through whatever combination of digital marketing, cold calling, or live events, the work is far from finished. Crystal Huang, the Google Ventures general partner who has managed droves of early-stage startups and successfully shepherded them through the perilous waters of scaling, emphasized that an immense amount of future business value can be derived by closely examining how those initial users actually interact with the product.<\/p>\n
Huang advised founders to dive deep into their analytics and customer behavior metrics right from the start. She posed critical questions that every entrepreneur should be asking: Can you look into usage data and figure out if the engagement is recurring, if activity levels are increasing over time, and if those early users are actively referring their friends and colleagues to the platform? According to Huang, these crucial signals often manifest clearly in early usage patterns and retention information. Furthermore, founders should keep a sharp eye out for natural brand champions\u2014the super fans who demonstrate an extraordinary affinity for the product. These are the individuals who not only use the software consistently, but may even express a desire to work at the company, actively promote the brand on their own accord, and become deeply emotionally attached to the corporate mission. Ultimately, Huang concluded, startups need to intentionally build mechanisms that create genuine evangelists who are fiercely passionate about the product.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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