The concept is simple, but it allows you to...
1) Think strategically about building your own audience
2) Analyze the relative strength of other companies' audiences
3) Understand the similarities & differences of different audience channels
Audience Building 101
Every company in the world is an audience company.
Whether it's a Media, VC, or DTC business, if you're not building audience Day 1, you're not prioritizing the right things.
Here's my framework for thinking about & building a killer audience 👇
The concept is simple, but it allows you to...
1) Think strategically about building your own audience
2) Analyze the relative strength of other companies' audiences
3) Understand the similarities & differences of different audience channels
1) Rented Audience
2) Owned Audience
3) Monetized Audience
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁: This is your top of funnel. It allows you to build mass awareness & is key for developing a relationship with your audience.
𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘀: High shareability, high discoverability
𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀: You don't own your audience
- Social networks (IG, FB, Twitter, TikTok)
- Video platforms (Twitch, YouTube)
- Search engines (Web content)
Examples of Businesses with Big Rented Audiences
- @BuzzFeed (Instagram)
- @GoPro (YouTube)
- @charlidamelio (TikTok)
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁: This is your opt-in audience. It allows you to build a deeper, more intimate relationship.
𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘀: You own the relationship with your audience.
𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀: Low shareability, Low discoverability
- Free newsletters
- Free podcasts
- Virtual events
Examples of Businesses with Big Owned Audiences
- @MorningBrew (Newsletter)
- @tferriss (Podcast)
- @salesforce (Event)
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁: This is your highest intent audience. This allows you to extract value from your audience directly.
𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘀: Extends LTV of best customers
𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀: Difficult to pull off, must be done with existing owned or rented audience
- Paid newsletter
- Paid web subscription
- Membership
- Commerce
Examples of Businesses with Big Monetized Audiences
- @something_navy (Apparel)
- @nytimes (Subscription)
- @MrBeastYT (Burgers)
Now, here's how to think about it with your own audience:
1) Rented Audiences aren't inherently bad.
You must leverage them responsibly. Use the power of platforms (size, shareability, discovery) to kick-off a relationship with your audience.
Remember, you don't own the relationship. A platform, network, search engine does. You must become great at building large, rented audience & moving that audience down the funnel.
Just look at @MorningBrew. We built an owned audience from scratch.
2.6 million email addresses later, we have the privilege of building up audience elsewhere.
More from Alex Lieberman ☕️
Introducing "The Balloon Effect"
Many businesses & creators have experienced a similar pattern of success.
From @MrBeastYT and @MorningBrew to @oatly and @Rovio.
Let's break down what "The Balloon Effect" is and examples of it in real life.
Keep reading 👇
1/ What is "The Balloon Effect"?
It is a particular pattern of growth.
It is not Instagram's growth trajectory.
It is not https://t.co/5axsTUKek6's growth trajectory.
"The Balloon Effect" is defined by several years of hard work & grit complemented by slow, linear growth.
2/ And then one day, one month, or one quarter...everything changes.
A business hits a tipping point and its trajectory shifts entirely.
Gradual growth turns to exponential growth & your brand and your size explode.
Like a step function.
3/ Now, you're probably wondering.
Why is it called "The Balloon Effect"?
Because filling/popping a water balloon follows the exact pattern I just described (and so many businesses experience).
Long unsexy slog 👉 Exponential tipping point.
4/ Initially, you turn on the faucet & water takes up space in the empty balloon.
Through effort you open the faucet, yet the results are unexciting.
But it's what must be done for water (or growth) to happen at all.
It's not sexy, but it's necessary.
Many businesses & creators have experienced a similar pattern of success.
From @MrBeastYT and @MorningBrew to @oatly and @Rovio.
Let's break down what "The Balloon Effect" is and examples of it in real life.
Keep reading 👇
1/ What is "The Balloon Effect"?
It is a particular pattern of growth.
It is not Instagram's growth trajectory.
It is not https://t.co/5axsTUKek6's growth trajectory.
"The Balloon Effect" is defined by several years of hard work & grit complemented by slow, linear growth.
2/ And then one day, one month, or one quarter...everything changes.
A business hits a tipping point and its trajectory shifts entirely.
Gradual growth turns to exponential growth & your brand and your size explode.
Like a step function.
3/ Now, you're probably wondering.
Why is it called "The Balloon Effect"?
Because filling/popping a water balloon follows the exact pattern I just described (and so many businesses experience).
Long unsexy slog 👉 Exponential tipping point.
4/ Initially, you turn on the faucet & water takes up space in the empty balloon.
Through effort you open the faucet, yet the results are unexciting.
But it's what must be done for water (or growth) to happen at all.
It's not sexy, but it's necessary.
More from Business
I love Twitter.
It’s truly the Town Square of the Internet.
But finding the diamond in the rough voices can be tough.
Here are 20 of my favorite people to follow:
1. Alex Lieberman - @businessbarista
Alex writes extensively about the Founder journey.
The cool part is he’s lived everything he talks about - starting from $0 and selling for $75M with hardly any outside capital raised.
My favorite piece:
2. Ryan Breslow - @ryantakesoff
Ryan is a Top 1% founder.
This guy is a machine - he’s built 2 unicorns before the age of 27.
Ryan spells out lessons on fundraising, operating and scaling.
My favorite piece:
3. Jesse Pujji - @jspujji
Jesse is who I think of when I think “bootstrapping.”
He bootstrapped his company to an 8-figure exit and now shares stories about other awesome bootstrappers.
He’s also got great insight into all things growth marketing:
4. Post Market - @Post_Market
Post puts out some of the most thoughtful investment insights on this platform.
It’s refreshing because Post cuts through the hype and goes deep into the business model.
Idk who he/she/it is, but the insights are 💣.
It’s truly the Town Square of the Internet.
But finding the diamond in the rough voices can be tough.
Here are 20 of my favorite people to follow:
1. Alex Lieberman - @businessbarista
Alex writes extensively about the Founder journey.
The cool part is he’s lived everything he talks about - starting from $0 and selling for $75M with hardly any outside capital raised.
My favorite piece:
A life well-lived is a life-well planned.
— Alex Lieberman \u2615\ufe0f (@businessbarista) July 14, 2021
5 steps to build your own "Life Map" \U0001f9f5
2. Ryan Breslow - @ryantakesoff
Ryan is a Top 1% founder.
This guy is a machine - he’s built 2 unicorns before the age of 27.
Ryan spells out lessons on fundraising, operating and scaling.
My favorite piece:
The biggest lesson I\u2019ve learned in building a $4B company:
— Ryan Breslow \U0001f57a (@ryantakesoff) September 23, 2021
It\u2019s all about the people.
I\u2019m thrilled to announce today that Bolt is the first tech unicorn to officially shift to a 4 day work week.
Here\u2019s why we did it and how we came to the decision \U0001f447\U0001f447\U0001f447
3. Jesse Pujji - @jspujji
Jesse is who I think of when I think “bootstrapping.”
He bootstrapped his company to an 8-figure exit and now shares stories about other awesome bootstrappers.
He’s also got great insight into all things growth marketing:
Welcome new followers!!
— Jesse Pujji (@jspujji) September 16, 2021
Thanks for joining my entrepreneurial community.
To learn more about my journey, listen 2 my convo with @patrick_oshag.
I tell my story about bootstrapping, marketing, DTC and building a culture with conscious leadership. https://t.co/BSg6hCEE0L pic.twitter.com/gH4tAjfFBx
4. Post Market - @Post_Market
Post puts out some of the most thoughtful investment insights on this platform.
It’s refreshing because Post cuts through the hype and goes deep into the business model.
Idk who he/she/it is, but the insights are 💣.
Sweetgreen, ~$400M run-rate in sales (RLM% of 16% in 2019) and 140 units (+20-25 per year).
— Post M. (@Post_Market) October 25, 2021
Lets say 400 units by 2030 @ $3.5M AUV ($2.5M today) and 21.5% RLM. $300M RL EBITDA less $200M in G&A less $25M in maint. capex. is $75M in 'owners' EBIT
Last round at $1.6B. Yikes.
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IMPORTANCE, ADVANTAGES AND CHARACTERISTICS OF BHAGWAT PURAN
It was Ved Vyas who edited the eighteen thousand shlokas of Bhagwat. This book destroys all your sins. It has twelve parts which are like kalpvraksh.
In the first skandh, the importance of Vedvyas
and characters of Pandavas are described by the dialogues between Suutji and Shaunakji. Then there is the story of Parikshit.
Next there is a Brahm Narad dialogue describing the avtaar of Bhagwan. Then the characteristics of Puraan are mentioned.
It also discusses the evolution of universe.( https://t.co/2aK1AZSC79 )
Next is the portrayal of Vidur and his dialogue with Maitreyji. Then there is a mention of Creation of universe by Brahma and the preachings of Sankhya by Kapil Muni.
In the next section we find the portrayal of Sati, Dhruv, Pruthu, and the story of ancient King, Bahirshi.
In the next section we find the character of King Priyavrat and his sons, different types of loks in this universe, and description of Narak. ( https://t.co/gmDTkLktKS )
In the sixth part we find the portrayal of Ajaamil ( https://t.co/LdVSSNspa2 ), Daksh and the birth of Marudgans( https://t.co/tecNidVckj )
In the seventh section we find the story of Prahlad and the description of Varnashram dharma. This section is based on karma vaasna.
It was Ved Vyas who edited the eighteen thousand shlokas of Bhagwat. This book destroys all your sins. It has twelve parts which are like kalpvraksh.
In the first skandh, the importance of Vedvyas
and characters of Pandavas are described by the dialogues between Suutji and Shaunakji. Then there is the story of Parikshit.
Next there is a Brahm Narad dialogue describing the avtaar of Bhagwan. Then the characteristics of Puraan are mentioned.
It also discusses the evolution of universe.( https://t.co/2aK1AZSC79 )
Next is the portrayal of Vidur and his dialogue with Maitreyji. Then there is a mention of Creation of universe by Brahma and the preachings of Sankhya by Kapil Muni.
HOW LIFE EVOLVED IN THIS UNIVERSE AS PER OUR SCRIPTURES.
— Anshul Pandey (@Anshulspiritual) August 29, 2020
Well maximum of Living being are the Vansaj of Rishi Kashyap. I have tried to give stories from different-different Puran. So lets start.... pic.twitter.com/MrrTS4xORk
In the next section we find the portrayal of Sati, Dhruv, Pruthu, and the story of ancient King, Bahirshi.
In the next section we find the character of King Priyavrat and his sons, different types of loks in this universe, and description of Narak. ( https://t.co/gmDTkLktKS )
Thread on NARK(HELL) / \u0928\u0930\u094d\u0915
— Anshul Pandey (@Anshulspiritual) August 11, 2020
Well today i will take you to a journey where nobody wants to go i.e Nark. Hence beware of doing Adharma/Evil things. There are various mentions in Puranas about Nark, But my Thread is only as per Bhagwat puran(SS attached in below Thread)
1/8 pic.twitter.com/raHYWtB53Q
In the sixth part we find the portrayal of Ajaamil ( https://t.co/LdVSSNspa2 ), Daksh and the birth of Marudgans( https://t.co/tecNidVckj )
In the seventh section we find the story of Prahlad and the description of Varnashram dharma. This section is based on karma vaasna.
#THREAD
— Anshul Pandey (@Anshulspiritual) August 12, 2020
WHY PARENTS CHOOSE RELIGIOUS OR PARAMATMA'S NAMES FOR THEIR CHILDREN AND WHICH ARE THE EASIEST WAY TO WASH AWAY YOUR SINS.
Yesterday I had described the types of Naraka's and the Sin or Adharma for a person to be there.
1/8 pic.twitter.com/XjPB2hfnUC
