Growth Hacking in Marketing

8 years back, India's top rideshare brand's acquisition funnel was like this. - 100 users install their app  - 35 users signed up with Phone no. & Email  - 8 users booked a ride on the app successfully within 7 days of install They were the market leaders. Yet, it had a lousy acquisition funnel. Then, the cost per install(CPI) for the rideshare industry used to be $0.5 or INR40 at scale. With this acquisition funnel, the cost of acquisition(CAC) was $6 or INR500. The average order value(AOV) was $2 or INR150. At a 20% gross margin, it took more than 17 rides to break even at this CAC level. A clear recipe for disaster. Then, we made a simple change in the acquisition flow. It increased the new user conversion rate by ~100%, reducing the CAC by ~50%. Removing the Email ID requirement in the signup flow. - Install to signup rate increased from 35% to 60%  - Install to booking rate improved from 8% to 15% After the ride completion, promoting the user to add an email ID to receive the invoice got us the email ID from most users who had one. This is an incremental change that yielded an outsized outcome. Today, most brands use this "phone no. only" flow. Not then, because most of the acquisition flow is inspired by the Western counterparts. This improvement becomes quite pronounced as the brand expands to the T3+ cities and older age segment. Another great idea to test in the acquisition flow is moving the signup prompt to the end. By Installing the app, the user makes a small investment in the brand. What If we let the user see the available cabs or browse the product immediately? Without the need for you to sign up. When they are about to book or make a purchase, prompt them to sign up. At this stage, the user invested additional time in the platform. Even for a free platform, we can let the user browse the content catalog and prompt them to sign up when they decide to consume. More investment means more likely to convert. Trying this will undoubtedly improve the install-to-activation/purchase rate for all brands.

The most overlooked startup growth strategy isn't the latest AI ads platform or improved funnel optimization. It's actually hiding in plain sight: how your product naturally spreads from one user to another. Teams that understand their product's inherent distribution mechanics outperform those relying solely on paid acquisition. This is less about forcing virality, and more about recognizing your product's natural sharing dynamics: - For communication tools, it's inviting collaborators - For design software, it's exporting and presenting work - For consumer apps, it's sharing results or achievements - For B2B platforms, it's onboarding team members At Gamma, we discovered our growth accelerator was reducing friction in how users share their presentations. And while that lever was specific to our product, the principle still applies universally: Identify where your product naturally creates opportunities for exposure, then systematically optimize that pathway. To this end, there are two questions worth asking: 1. When users get value from your product, how do others naturally see that value? 2. What's preventing that moment of visibility from happening more often? Every product category has different answers, but the approach is consistent: - Map out your product's natural exposure points - Measure how often those moments occur - Remove friction from that process - Build features that amplify visibility This thinking transformed our product roadmap. Features aren't just about utility; they're about enabling natural discovery. Your growth strategy might look completely different from ours, but the mindset remains the same: The best acquisition strategy is built into how your product is naturally experienced and shared.

With CAC rising is EMAIL the? UK’s Most Underrated Acquisition Channel? In the UK, email is often underestimated in terms of customer acquisition. Meanwhile, in the U.S., it's a top-performing channel, with 81% of businesses using for acquisition (v. 80% for retention), with an average ROI of $36 for every $1 spent (DMA) you can understand why. So why the disconnect in the UK? A big part of it comes down to GDPR & perceived limitations around high-quality data. But after sending billions of acquisition emails for some of the UK’s biggest brands, I can say with confidence: email works—when done right. Here are my top 10 tips for using email as a scalable acquisition tool & ensuring you qualify traffic: 1. 🚫 Don't buy or rent data to send emails yourself Sender reputation determines inbox placement. You could buy the best list, but if you haven't engaged with them before, you are unlikely to inbox. Only work with senders who mail their data. (nb. Delivery is everything to them, so they will ensure your offer drives engagement or they wouldn't send) 2. 🤝 Trust senders to know their audience Ask providers what’s historically performed well—designs, content, send times. Use their insight to maximise your campaign effectiveness. 3. 🧪 ROI rarely comes from a single send Create a structured testing programme. Experiment with subject lines, creative formats, audiences, timing. Think performance, not one-and-done. You wouldn't run a one hit wonder on meta - so don't do it on email. 4. 🔁 Use a multi-touchpoint approach Just like paid media or social, consumers need multiple exposures before they convert. Plan repeat sends to build familiarity and intent. 5. 🖼️ Tell your story, but make it scannable Email gives you space—use it! Combine visuals, GIFs, storytelling. But keep it easy to skim, with prominent CTAs. Guide the reader clearly. 6. 🙅♀️ Skip the “Hi [First Name]” In acquisition, personalisation by name isn’t effective. You haven’t earned a relationship yet—focus on value and relevance first. 7. ✨ Nail your above-the-fold content The top section drives most engagement. Make sure your primary USP shines here. Grab attention fast, and give users a reason to click. 8. 👁️ Think beyond opens—email is brand awareness Even unopened emails contribute. People read subject lines and from-names when deciding what to engage with. An email from “M&S – 50% Off Sale” makes an impact, even if it’s deleted. 9. 📊 Question low open rates Thanks to auto-image loading, open rates are often inflated. So if your open rates are low, it may point to real quality issues—look deeper. 10. 🚀 It can be a pure acquisition channel Email makes it easy to exclude existing customers. Clean deduplication ensures you're reaching only new potential buyers. Email isn’t just a retention tool—it’s a powerhouse for acquisition, brand visibility, and testing at scale. UK marketers who embrace its potential will unlock a competitive edge that many are still missing.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗽𝗵𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: "𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗲'𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝘁." I hear this sentence in every second transformation project. And every time, it signals the same thing: an organization that has stopped learning. In my book 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝘆𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲, I dedicate a full chapter to why a growth mindset is not a soft skill. It is an operational capability. One that determines whether your organization can adapt to change or gets stuck repeating patterns that no longer work. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲. Carol Dweck's research shows that people who believe abilities can be developed through effort consistently outperform those who believe abilities are fixed. The same applies to organizations. Companies with a growth mindset treat failure as data, not as blame. They build feedback loops into everything. They reward learning, not just delivery. Companies with a fixed mindset punish mistakes, optimize for short-term output, and slowly lose the ability to adapt. They still ship, but they stop evolving. 𝗜𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲, 𝗳𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. - Reframe failure as learning. Amy Edmondson distinguishes between preventable failures and intelligent failures. Minimize the first, maximize the second. - Build psychological safety. People who fear blame don't experiment. People who don't experiment don't innovate. - Invest in T-shaped skills. Deep expertise in one domain, broad understanding across others. This makes teams adaptable and collaborative. - Align incentives with learning. If you only reward delivery deadlines, you get people who hide problems. Reward knowledge sharing and iterative improvement instead. - Leaders go first. If leadership doesn't model curiosity and openness to being wrong, nobody else will either. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗜. AI gives us better tools. But tools don't transform organizations, people do. AI can surface insights from data, but interpreting those insights, deciding what to act on, learning from what didn't work, that's still human. The organizations that will win with AI are not the ones with the best models. They are the ones where people know how to learn, adapt, and iterate fast. A growth mindset is not a motivational poster. It is the operating system for an organization that wants to keep evolving. Where would you put your organization on the growth mindset scale? #GrowthMindset #CyberneticEnterprise #OrganizationalLearning #PsychologicalSafety #AITransformation #ContinuousImprovement #ChangeManagement

Growth Mindset: The Power to Transform and the Discipline to Let Go In business—and in life—few qualities are as powerful as a growth mindset. It is the conviction that skills, capabilities, and even entire organizations can be developed through effort, curiosity, and resilience. It is the belief that potential is not fixed but expandable. Why it matters In a world where industries are being disrupted at unprecedented speed, yesterday’s expertise quickly becomes obsolete. Teams with a growth mindset adapt faster, innovate more boldly, and view setbacks as opportunities to reset and advance, rather than reasons to retreat. The impact 1.Individuals feel empowered to experiment, knowing that failure is data, not defeat 2.Leaders cultivate environments where learning and progress are celebrated, not penalized 3. Organizations create momentum by turning challenges into catalysts for reinvention How to recognize a growth mindset ? You can often recognize it not in words, but in behaviors and attitudes. People with a growth mindset: 1. Ask “What can I learn here?” instead of “Why did this happen to me?” 2. Welcome constructive feedback, seeing it as guidance rather than criticism 3. Embrace challenges outside their comfort zone instead of seeking safe routines 4. Celebrate effort and progress, not only the final outcome 5. Persist in the face of setbacks, adjusting strategy rather than abandoning the goal 6. See potential in colleagues and invest in helping others grow 7. Stay curious, always seeking new perspectives, skills, and opportunities. 8. Have goals Growth mindset also means a Closure Mindset Growth is not simply about adding—new skills, new initiatives, new strategies or new business. Sustainable growth requires the courage to end what no longer serves us, to close chapters that drain energy, and to redirect resources toward what will create the most impact. Also, looking at everything with a view to 'Deliver'. Close and not discuss continuously. Growth without closure can lead to endless pursuit without direction. Closure brings focus, discipline, and intentionality—ensuring that growth is not only expansive but also meaningful. As leaders, our task is twofold: to nurture the belief that people and organizations can always evolve, and to exercise the judgment to know when something must be let go. The future belongs to those who can both grow wisely and close decisively. Botree Software International Pvt. Limited

I recently coached a team leader who had hit a wall. Great instincts, strong vision—but every mistake felt personal. Every critique, a threat. Every missed target, a question of worth. He didn’t need more strategy. He needed to step away from some unexamined narratives stuck on repeat, and... He needed a new "Mantra Playlist" with greatest hits like: -I am not finished. I am forming. -Growth begins where comfort ends. -Struggle is the work. -I choose formation over perfection. -Failure is not final, it's formative. -Curiosity keeps me moving. -Effort shapes what talent cannot. -Progress is slower (and deeper) than it looks. -Who I’m becoming matters more than what I achieve. -Resilience is built, not born. That’s the core of a Growth Mindset. It’s not about faking positivity. It’s not about glossing over failure. It IS about rewiring your perspective (and brain) toward curiosity, learning, and development. And science spells out the payoff: -Teams that adopt growth mindset cultures see higher innovation rates and adaptability (Dweck, Harvard Business Review) -Leaders who model learning over perfection build psychological safety—the #1 predictor of high-performing teams (Google Project Aristotle) Growth Mindset isn’t a posture. It’s a system of belief that shapes resilience. The leaders and teams that endure? They don’t just chase wins. They rewire for formation: "always be learning." 📌 Where are you (or your team) being invited to grow—without needing to get it right the first time? #growthmindset #leadershipdevelopment #groundedandgrowing #formation #learningculture #resilience #leadershiphabits

100 customers. 3+ launches. 10 assets per launch. 20 creator demos. 99% of warm engagement followed up. That's not brand awareness. That's a customer acquisition CADENCE. Most founders don't need more people to “know they exist.” They need a repeatable way to turn attention into conversations, pipeline, and customers. Likes happen. Comments happen. People say, “This looks interesting.” Then nothing happens. Attention leaks when there’s no follow-up system behind it. YC's playbook fixes that with a weekly loop: Find where buyers hang out. Launch into those rooms. Turn each launch into assets. Show the product in public. Use creators to make use cases obvious. Follow up with warm signals. Track what hit. Run again. Not planning forever. Not hiding behind “we're still tweaking the message.” Not letting momentum die after 1 post. That's why I use Blotato. Blotato keeps the customer acquisition machine organized: launches, demos, creator assets, warm outbound, repurposing, scheduling, and tracking. Here's the weekly version I'd run if I needed 100 customers now: 1. Start inside existing buyer rooms Don't wait for the algorithm to find your ICP. Find where buyers already trust recommendations: Slack groups, Discords, newsletters, podcasts, directories, niche accounts, founder communities, comparison posts, and competitor mentions. Earn your way in with useful, specific content. 2. Launch more than once Most founders announce once, get a small spike, then disappear. YC pushes the opposite. Launch again with a new angle, audience, use case, customer pain, or product improvement. A launch isn't a moment. It's a weekly habit. 3. Turn every launch into assets One launch shouldn't become 1 post. It can become a founder story, demo clip, pain post, X thread, LinkedIn breakdown, short video, carousel, email angle, comparison post, or creator brief. Blotato keeps the rollout from turning into scattered files and forgotten drafts. 4. Make the product visible with demos & creators Screenshots explain. Video makes the pain real. Post demos that show specific problems getting solved. Then bring in 30 niche creators to make demos, reactions, use-case videos. 5. Convert engagement into warm conversations A like isn't a customer. But it can be a signal. Each week, review who liked, commented, saved, shared, replied, or watched. Filter for your ICP and start useful conversations while interest is fresh. 6. Ride formats that already work Every week, X and LinkedIn show which formats are pulling attention. Don't copy the words. Copy the structure. Add your product, market, proof, and customer pain. 7. Track the loop and repeat it Which sites sent qualified people? Which launches created conversations? Which demo made buyers ask questions? Which posts created warm outbound opportunities? Then use Blotato to repurpose winners, schedule the next wave, and keep the system moving without chaos. That's the real playbook.

Most leaders focus on performance. Great leaders focus on what fuels it. And here’s a truth we don’t talk about enough: 👉 You can’t build a growth mindset culture if people feel unsafe to stumble, stretch, or speak up. Yes, growth mindset means believing skills can be developed. But in practice, it means something deeper: ✨ That it’s okay not to know everything. ✨ That learning curves are part of the job. ✨ That discomfort is not failure—it’s data. Recently, I worked with a manager who wanted his team to step up. But something was off. People were hesitating. Playing it safe. Saying “yes” but disengaging. What changed everything? He shifted how he showed up. Instead of pushing harder, he started asking questions like: 🟡 “What’s getting in your way right now?” 🟡 “What would help you feel more confident to try this?” 🟡 “What’s one thing you’re proud of this week?” Suddenly, people leaned in. Performance didn’t just improve. It felt different. More personal. More honest. More resilient. 💡 Leadership insight: You can train mindset. But first, you need to tune into the emotional cues your team is giving you—every day. That’s what unlocks growth. ⸻ What gets in the way of growth in your team? Is it mindset… or the unspoken emotional signals we keep avoiding? 👇 Let’s talk about it. https://lnkd.in/gEkwPfaf #Leadership #GrowthMindset #CultureShift #TeamPerformance #EmotionalIntelligence #LeadershipDevelopment #ChangeLeadership

Your competition is stealing your customers right now because they understand one thing you don't. Understanding your customers fully = building products people actually want to use. That's the goal. To get there, you can either: - Rely on your gut instinct and assumptions. - Actually learn what your customers need, think, and want. Just carry out these daily tasks: 1. Talk to your customers directly -  ↳ Give them easy ways to provide feedback through uninstall surveys, reviews, or customer support channels.  ↳ Reach out to power users and start conversations. Many customers actively want to help improve your product. 2. Make feedback frictionless -  ↳ Customers won't go out of their way to give feedback, so reduce friction with quick surveys after key interactions, in-app prompts for feature requests, open-ended responses in support tickets, and direct access to a real person. 3. Observe how customers actually use your product -  ↳ Data tells a different story than surveys.  ↳ Use analytics to see what features people use most, where they drop off during onboarding, and what actions lead to churn vs. retention. 4. Test and iterate based on customer input -  ↳ When feedback patterns emerge, act on them.  ↳ If feature requests keep coming up, prioritize them.  ↳ If customers are confused about a function, improve the UX. 5. Build relationships with your best customers -  ↳ Your most engaged users can become your best resource.  ↳ Keep in touch with them, get their input on new features, and make them feel heard. I had a user who loved our product so much that they actively shared feedback and even tested features before launch. They'll hop on a Zoom call with just 15 minutes notice. Now all you have to do is commit to customer research, and you'll build products people actually want to use. As you progress, incorporate: - Regular customer interviews - User testing sessions - Data analysis routines It's more effective than building in isolation based on assumptions. ♻️ Repost if you agree ➕ Follow me Blaine Vess for more

Want to target ONLY new customers in Google Ads? There's a setting for that. And almost nobody knows about it. Most ecommerce campaigns waste budget on people who were already going to buy. Brand searchers. Repeat customers. People who've already visited your site numerous times. You're recycling demand—spending money to reach people already in your funnel—instead of creating new demand. High ROAS looks good on paper. But your customer base isn't growing. Here's how to fix it: 1. Upload a Customer Match List You need at least 1,000 existing customers uploaded to Google Ads. This teaches Google who your current customers are. Go to Audience Manager → upload your customer list. And refresh this list regularly to keep it accurate. 2. Turn on "New Customer Bidding" In your campaign settings, there's an option to bid only for new customers. Google will use your customer list to exclude existing customers and focus your budget on people who've never bought from you. This works across Search, Shopping, and Performance Max campaigns. 3. Offer a New Customer Discount New customers need an incentive. Test discounts between 20-30%. Find the sweet spot where you're getting volume without killing your margins. Track your effective customer acquisition cost (CAC) to make sure it's sustainable. Most PPC pros are optimizing for ROAS. The smart ones are optimizing for new customer acquisition. That's the difference between looking profitable and actually growing.