Bullseye — Find the One Traction Channel That Works

Overview

From Traction (Weinberg & Mares, 2014): most startups die from lack of distribution, not product, and they fail because they over-invest in one favored channel instead of systematically testing across all of them. The Bullseye framework cycles through 19 traction channels (SEO, content, paid, virality, sales, partnerships, community, PR, events, etc.), runs cheap tests, and concentrates on the one channel that is currently working.

When to Use

• No repeatable customer-acquisition channel yet
• Effort sunk into one channel out of habit/comfort
• Reallocating a limited growth budget

The Process

1. Brainstorm all 19 channels — a realistic idea for each, including ones you'd dismiss. Gate: skipping "unlikely" channels is how you miss the one that works.
2. Rank into three rings: inner (promising now), middle (possible), outer (long shots).
3. Run cheap parallel tests on the inner ring — small, time-boxed, with a target CAC/response bar defined up front.
4. Read the data, not your preference — which test hit the bar?
5. Pick one channel and focus — double down on the single working channel; ignore the rest for now. Gate: spreading across 3+ channels pre-fit = none get enough to work.
6. Re-run when the channel saturates — channels decay; cycle Bullseye again.