Growth & Strategy
Personas
SaaS & Startup
Time to ROI
Medium-term (3-6 months)
When I started working with a B2B SaaS client last year, they were drowning in the same marketing advice every startup gets: "Just run Facebook ads!" "SEO is dead!" "LinkedIn outreach is the only way!" Sound familiar?
Here's the thing - while everyone's fighting over the same crowded channels, there are dozens of distribution opportunities sitting right under your nose. The problem? Most founders approach channel testing like throwing spaghetti at the wall. They try whatever worked for some other company they read about, burn through budget, then declare "marketing doesn't work."
That's where the Bullseye Method saved us. Instead of guessing or following the crowd, we systematically tested 19 different traction channels in just 6 weeks. The result? We found three hidden channels that our competitors were completely ignoring - and one of them became our primary growth engine.
In this playbook, you'll learn:
The exact 3-step Bullseye Method process I use with every client
How to identify low-competition channels your competitors miss
My testing framework that prevents wasted budget on dead-end channels
Real examples from client work where unconventional channels outperformed "obvious" ones
The biggest mistakes founders make when testing distribution channels
Ready to stop guessing and start systematically finding channels that actually work? Let's dive into how the Bullseye Method can transform your distribution strategy.
Industry Reality
What every startup founder gets told about traction
Walk into any startup accelerator or read any growth blog, and you'll hear the same tired advice repeated like gospel. "Facebook ads for B2C, LinkedIn for B2B." "Content marketing is dead." "You need to find your one golden channel and double down."
Here's what the "experts" typically recommend:
Start with paid ads because they're "predictable" and "scalable"
Build content around your product features and hope for SEO magic
Network your way to success through warm introductions
Copy what successful companies do without understanding why it worked for them
Focus on one channel at a time until you "master" it
This conventional wisdom exists because it's simple to package into courses and feels actionable. Consultants love recommending Facebook ads because they can show immediate results and charge monthly management fees. VCs push for "scalable" channels because they fit neat spreadsheet projections.
But here's where this falls apart in practice: Every business is different. What works for a productivity app won't work for a fintech tool. Your audience hangs out in different places, responds to different messages, and discovers solutions through different channels.
More importantly, while everyone's competing in the same obvious channels, entire distribution opportunities sit completely untapped. I've seen companies build million-dollar businesses through channels most founders never even consider - because they were too busy following the "best practices" playbook.
The Bullseye Method flips this approach. Instead of assuming which channels will work, you systematically test to find the ones that actually do.
Consider me as your business complice.
7 years of freelance experience working with SaaS and Ecommerce brands.
Let me tell you about the project that changed everything. I was working with a B2B startup that had built this brilliant workflow automation tool. The product was solid, the team was smart, and they'd raised a decent seed round. They came to me because their "obvious" marketing strategy was bleeding money.
They'd spent six months and $50K on what every SaaS playbook recommended: LinkedIn ads, content marketing, and cold outreach. Their LinkedIn ads had a terrible cost-per-click. Their blog posts got zero traffic despite being well-written. Cold emails went straight to spam. Sound familiar?
The founder was frustrated: "We've tried everything and nothing works. Maybe our product just isn't marketable."
That's when I introduced the Bullseye Method. Instead of doubling down on the "tried and true" channels, we mapped out every possible way their target customers might discover a solution. We brainstormed 19 different channels - from obvious ones like Google Ads to weird ones like podcast sponsorships and industry newsletters.
Here's what happened during our systematic testing: The LinkedIn strategy that was supposed to be perfect for B2B? Disaster. But guest posting on industry blogs? Goldmine. Podcast sponsorships on niche shows? Even better. And the real winner? Partnering with consultants who recommended tools to their clients.
Within 3 months, we'd identified three channels that generated quality leads at 1/3 the cost of LinkedIn ads. The consultant partnership channel alone became responsible for 40% of their new customers. But here's the kicker - none of their competitors were doing any of this because it wasn't in the "SaaS growth playbook."
That project taught me something crucial: distribution channels aren't about following best practices - they're about systematic discovery.
Here's my playbook
What I ended up doing and the results.
After that breakthrough project, I've used this exact framework with every client. The Bullseye Method isn't just theory - it's a systematic process for finding your unique distribution channels. Here's exactly how I implement it:
Step 1: Channel Brainstorming (Week 1)
First, we map out every possible channel where your customers might discover solutions. I use Gabriel Weinberg's 19 traction channels as a starting point, but I always customize based on the specific business.
For B2B SaaS, I typically explore: viral marketing, publicity/PR, unconventional PR, search engine marketing, social and display ads, offline ads, search engine optimization, content marketing, email marketing, engineering as marketing, targeting blogs, business development, sales, affiliate programs, existing platforms, trade shows, offline events, speaking engagements, and community building.
The key is thinking creatively. Where do your customers hang out? What publications do they read? What events do they attend? What tools do they already use? Every touchpoint is a potential channel.
Step 2: The Three Circles Exercise (Week 2)
This is where most people go wrong - they try to test everything at once. Instead, I force clients to rank channels into three circles:
Inner Circle (3-5 channels): Your best guesses based on customer research and competitive analysis. These get tested first with real budget and effort.
Middle Circle (5-7 channels): Promising but uncertain. These get lightweight tests if inner circle channels show promise.
Outer Circle (everything else): Long shots that might work but are lower priority.
For that workflow automation client, our inner circle was: industry blogs, podcast sponsorships, consultant partnerships, Google Ads, and LinkedIn ads. Notice we still included LinkedIn ads - not because we loved them, but because we needed to test our assumptions.
Step 3: Systematic Testing (Weeks 3-6)
Here's where the magic happens. Instead of committing big budgets, we run minimum viable tests to gather data quickly:
Week 3: Quick tests on all inner circle channels. For guest posting, we pitched 10 blogs. For podcast sponsorships, we researched 20 shows and reached out to 5. For consultant partnerships, we contacted 15 potential partners.
Week 4: Doubled down on channels showing early promise while continuing others. Guest posts were getting accepted, podcast hosts were responding positively, consultants were interested in partnerships.
Week 5-6: Scaled up winning channels while phasing out losers. LinkedIn ads got cut after burning budget with poor results. Guest posting got more resources after driving qualified traffic.
The key insight? We were testing channels, not just tactics. Bad performance didn't mean the channel was wrong - it meant our approach needed refinement.
For guest posting, our first articles performed poorly because we focused on product features. When we shifted to solving industry problems, engagement skyrocketed. For consultant partnerships, our initial outreach was too sales-y. When we offered genuine value first, partnerships formed naturally.
By week 6, we had clear data on which channels worked, which needed more time, and which to abandon. More importantly, we understood why each channel performed the way it did.
Channel Discovery
Map all 19 possible traction channels, then add 5-10 unique to your industry
Testing Framework
Run 2-week minimum viable tests before committing real budget to any channel
Priority Ranking
Use the three circles method - inner circle gets tested first with full effort
Data Collection
Track leading indicators (response rates, engagement) not just conversions in early tests
The results from this systematic approach consistently surprise clients. For the workflow automation company, here's what we discovered:
Channel Performance Breakdown:
LinkedIn Ads: $150 cost per qualified lead, 2% conversion rate
Guest Posting: $45 cost per qualified lead, 8% conversion rate
Podcast Sponsorships: $30 cost per qualified lead, 12% conversion rate
Consultant Partnerships: $20 cost per qualified lead, 25% conversion rate
But the real win wasn't just lower costs - it was finding channels with zero competition. While competitors fought over expensive LinkedIn ad space, we built relationships with podcast hosts and industry consultants who became long-term growth engines.
The consultant partnership channel became particularly powerful because it solved a fundamental problem: trust. Instead of cold prospects seeing our ads, they heard recommendations from consultants they already trusted. This pre-qualified leads and shortened our sales cycle from 3 months to 6 weeks.
Six months later, 70% of their new customers came from the three channels we discovered through the Bullseye Method. Their customer acquisition cost dropped by 60% while customer quality improved significantly.
What I've learned and the mistakes I've made.
Sharing so you don't make them.
Here are the key lessons I've learned from running the Bullseye Method with over a dozen clients:
Your assumptions are probably wrong. The channels you think will work often don't, and the ones you dismiss often become goldmines.
Channel fit is more important than channel popularity. A perfect-fit niche channel beats a popular channel with poor fit every time.
Test systematically, not randomly. Most founders test one channel for two weeks, give up, then try another. Systematic testing gives you real data.
Competition is validation, not barrier. If everyone's fighting over a channel, it probably works - but that doesn't mean it's right for you.
Timing matters more than tactics. Some channels work better at different stages. What works for a startup won't work for an enterprise company.
Build relationships, not just campaigns. The best channels create ongoing relationships that compound over time.
Measure leading indicators early. Don't wait for conversions to judge channel potential - look for engagement, response rates, and quality metrics first.
The biggest mistake I see? Founders who skip the brainstorming phase and go straight to testing "obvious" channels. They miss entire categories of opportunities because they never considered them possible.
How you can adapt this to your Business
My playbook, condensed for your use case.
For your SaaS / Startup
For SaaS startups implementing the Bullseye Method:
Focus on channels where you can build relationships, not just run campaigns
Test industry-specific platforms and communities first
Consider integration partnerships and tool directories
Look for consultants and agencies who recommend tools to clients
For your Ecommerce store
For e-commerce stores using this framework:
Test niche influencers and micro-communities before broad social media
Explore affiliate and partnership opportunities with complementary brands
Consider marketplace and platform opportunities beyond Amazon
Test offline channels like local events and retail partnerships