Why Marketing Focus Beats Marketing FOMO
For founders feeling overwhelmed by marketing possibilities, here's a truth I've learned after decades in business: the best marksmen don't spray bullets hoping to hit something – they take their time, aim carefully, and strike their target with precision.
I see it every week – ambitious founders rattling off a dozen marketing channels they're "focusing" on. Social media? Check. Content marketing? Of course. PR, SEO, paid ads? All of them. These founders are trying to be everywhere, and consequently, they're nowhere. This is why I appreciate Gabriel Weinberg's Bullseye Framework – a refreshingly practical approach that's helped scale companies like DuckDuckGo from zero to millions of users. But its real genius isn't in its complexity; it's in its brutal simplicity.
It makes you think of marketing like a dartboard. The outer ring contains dozens of channels: social media, SEO, trade shows, PR, email marketing. The middle ring is more selective – your "promising" channels. But here's where Weinberg's insight gets interesting. Instead of running multiple experiments simultaneously (a common startup mistake), you systematically test each channel with a fixed time and budget. It's like dating – you need to give each prospect a fair chance before deciding they're not "the one."
The bullseye? That's your single core channel that delivers sustainable, scalable growth. PayPal found theirs in eBay users. Airbnb grew through Craigslist. Dropbox exploded through referrals. Each discovered one channel that outperformed all others combined.
But here's what most founders get wrong: they treat the Bullseye Framework like a one-time exercise. That's like thinking you only need one workout to get fit. Markets change. Customer behaviours shift. Your bullseye today might not be your bullseye tomorrow.
I've watched countless startups fail because they couldn't break free from the "spray and pray" approach to marketing. They were so busy being everywhere that they ended up being nowhere. The successful ones? They had the discipline to focus and the patience to test methodically.
The framework forces you to ask uncomfortable questions: Which channels can actually scale? Where are your customers already gathering? What's your unfair advantage? It's like a mirror that shows you what you've been missing while chasing shiny marketing objects.
For early-stage startups, this approach is particularly crucial. You don't have the luxury of infinite marketing budgets or time. You need to find your bullseye before you run out of arrows.
Here's the practical reality: start with a brainstorming session listing every possible channel. Then ruthlessly prioritise based on potential. Test your top three channels with real money and metrics. Don't fall in love with your assumptions – let data be your guide.
The hardest part? Having the courage to go all-in on your bullseye channel once you find it. It feels counterintuitive. Shouldn't you diversify? Not yet. Master one channel before expanding. It's like learning to walk before you run a marathon.
Facebook didn't start with a sophisticated multi-channel strategy. They focused obsessively on college campuses. Amazon wasn't always the everything store – they mastered books first. Your startup's path to scale likely lies in a similar focus.
In a world obsessed with growth hacks and marketing shortcuts, sometimes the best hack is having the patience to find your bullseye and the courage to bet big on it. Your target is out there. The question is: are you ready to stop spraying and praying, and start aiming with precision?