Product > Channel Fit X Stage: Finding Product Channel fit Across the Chasm.

Which channels should I be using?

It depends.. Background

First thing to consider is your GTM model, as outlined by Brian Balfour. His model mix is Market>Product, Product > Channel, Channel > Model and Model > Market fit.

These are all inter-related, but let’s consider the Market > Product and Product > Channel Paradigm for a moment.

Some channels just don’t work, for certain business models and price points. However, When you are growing, you should be aware that certain channels are better for certain stages of growth. Often this is masked by your company maturing, typically moving up market, or horizontally into buyer types that are not as connected to each other as your initial cohorts, and inevitably your playbooks in acquisition return less, CaC goes up etc. This is because, as you grow, you cross the chasm, and in doing so, begin to communicate with different buyer types.

These buyer types have expectations not only of What and How you should communicate, but where you do it - media strategists have know this for years, and the best software companies do to.

The medium is the message as Mcluhan said, and this applies as much to the web, and its sub-networks are anywhere else. Here is a mix you can think about, relative to your stage on the adoption curve. Trial some of these channels and experiment with their unique distribution methods, relative to your buyer type, personas and industry (B2D will be a different mix for example)