Gave a talk at StartCon about the future of Growth. I touch on viral marketing / referral marketing, fake news and social media, and marketplaces. Finally, the slides go through future technology platforms and how things might evolve there.

1. What’s Next in Growth?
Andrew Chen / StartCon 2016

2. Zoom out. See what’s come before

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5. Getting customers to refer friends

7. Why do you refer?
Who’s referred?
Which channel?
Is it exponential?

11. Spreading viral content

13. When a dog bites a man, that is not news,
because it happens so often…

14. When a dog bites a man, that is not news,
because it happens so often.
But if a man bites a dog, that is news.
(John B. Bogart. City Editor at The Sun)

15. GREAT ASTRONOMICAL DISCOVERIES LATELY MADE BY
SIR JOHN HERSCHEL - Published 1835

16. AKA The Great Moon Hoax of 1835

19. Bootstrapping marketplaces

20. Marketplace

21. Marketplace
Which side is constrained?
How to grow buyers?
How to grow sellers?
Find > Price > Transact

25. We could go on for a while on this.

26. Convincing people to buy stuff
has been around for a long time.

27. But really here’s the point…

28. Technology changes, but people stay the same

29. Referrals, content marketing,
virality, coupons, publicity stunts,
influencer marketing, A/B testing,
copywriting, etc etc …
Created 100 years ago…
Relevant 100 years from now!

30. Growth opportunities arise constantly:
Classic strategies x New platforms x Smart execution

39. My challenge to you:

40. Study the classics.
(Don’t try to get clever with tips and tricks)

41. Approach platforms/channels systematically
Be early to new platforms when you can!

42. Execute thoughtfully and iteratively

43. Ignore quick growth hacks
Only trust ideas that 100+ years old :)

44. Technology changes, but people stay the same

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Thank you!