Get your first customers

How do I figure out which distribution channel is right for my startup?

The short answer

Run experiments, don't guess. Use the Bullseye framework from 'Traction': brainstorm across all ~19 channels, pick 3 promising ones to cheaply test, then double down on the single channel that clearly works. Almost every startup gets most of its traction from one channel, your job is to find yours fast.

Go deeper, your way

2 hand-picked resources, 1 link-checked. Pick how you want to dig in.

📖 Book
✓ Link checked Paid Intermediate

Why we picked it The definitive playbook on distribution, it catalogs all 19 channels and gives you the Bullseye framework to systematically find the one that works. Essential for anyone thinking channel-first.

Traction: How Any Startup Can Achieve Explosive Customer Growth

From Portfolio / Penguin by Gabriel Weinberg & Justin Mares book (~240 pages)

  • There are 19 traction channels; most startups win on just one.
  • Bullseye framework: brainstorm all channels, test 3, focus on the winner.
  • The 50% rule: split your time evenly between product and traction.
  • Draws on 40+ founder interviews (Wikipedia, reddit, HubSpot, Kayak).
Open amazon.com →
📄 Article
Free Intermediate

Why we picked it The official companion site for Traction, summarizing the Bullseye framework for founders who want the method without reading the whole book first. Included as the canonical home for the framework.

How to plan and test distribution channels (Bullseye method)

From Traction (companion resource) by DuckDuckGo / Gabriel Weinberg ~10 min read

  • Rank all 19 channels into inner circle, potential, and long shots.
  • Cheaply test your top 3 inner-circle channels in parallel.
  • Focus resources on the single channel showing the most traction.
  • Revisit the exercise as your startup and market evolve.
Open tractionbook.com →

People also ask

Why does everyone say 'distribution is more important than product'? Because a great product nobody can find dies quietly, while an average product with a strong channel wins the market. Most founders overspend on bu... Intermediate 2 resources → What are the actual distribution channels I can choose from? There are roughly 19 well-known ones, SEO, content, paid ads, viral/referral, email, sales, business development, PR, community, existing platforms... Beginner 1 resource → Should I focus on one channel or spread across many? Focus. Early on, pick one channel that shows real traction and pour your energy into mastering it before diversifying, spreading thin across five c... Intermediate 2 resources → How do the fastest-growing B2B companies find and scale their distribution? They start with high-trust channels, personal network and direct outreach, to land their first ten, then scale on a dominant engine, most often con... Advanced 2 resources → As an Indian founder, how do I think about distribution for a global product? The channel is still the strategy, but pick ones that don't require you to be physically in the buyer's market, content/SEO, product-led self-serve... Advanced 3 resources → I have zero marketing budget. What distribution can I actually do for free? Free distribution is not really free, it costs your time and often your face. The honest options for a broke founder are: showing up in communities... Beginner 3 resources →

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