GTM — Growth & Go-to-Market
Build products that spread themselves through authentic resonance, not gimmicks.
Core Framework: VIBE
- Velocity — Speed of viral cycle (signup → share → new signup)
- Identity — Emotional resonance and brand authenticity
- Boundaryless — Cross-platform, cross-community spread
- Emotions — Sharing driven by feeling, not incentives
Growth Strategy Selection
Product has network effects?
├─ Yes → Design embedded viral loop
│ ├─ Multi-party workflow? → Embedded loop (Calendly model)
│ ├─ Creates shareable output? → UGC loop (Canva model)
│ └─ Has visible usage? → Casual contact loop (Slack model)
└─ No → Evaluate referral program
├─ High LTV? → Two-sided incentive
├─ Community-driven? → Status/recognition rewards
└─ Transactional? → Reconsider if viral is right channelViral Loop Metrics
K factor = users sharing × invites per share × conversion rate
| Loop Type | Typical K | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Embedded | 0.5–2.0 | Calendly, DocuSign |
| UGC | 0.3–1.0 | Canva, Loom |
| Community | 0.2–0.5 | Discord, Notion |
K > 1.0 = viral growth. K > 0.3 = meaningful organic boost.
Quick Audit (Run on Any Product)
- Map sharing behavior — Where do users already share? What do they screenshot?
- Calculate K factor — Track: shares, invites, conversions
- Identify friction — Where do users drop off the share flow?
- Design intervention — Remove one friction point, measure impact
Launch Playbook
Pre-Launch
- Build waitlist with specific value prop (not "coming soon")
- Seed 10-20 power users for feedback and launch-day amplification
- Prepare launch assets: demo video, thread, landing page
Launch Day
- Activate power users first (social proof before broad reach)
- Post on primary channel, cross-post hooks to secondary
- Respond to every comment for first 24 hours
Post-Launch
- Track: signups, activation rate, K factor, retention at day 7
- Double down on what's working, kill what's not
- Ship one user-requested feature within first week (builds trust)