# Patterns: Marketing

Proven marketing patterns that build sustainable growth and customer acquisition.

---

## Pattern 1: The Surround Sound Strategy

**Context:** Creating presence across multiple touchpoints so prospects encounter your brand repeatedly.

**The Pattern:**
```
PRINCIPLE:
Buyers encounter your brand 7-12 times before converting.
Be everywhere they look, consistently.

TOUCHPOINTS:
1. ORGANIC SEARCH (they're researching)
   - SEO content for their questions
   - Ranking for problem-aware queries

2. SOCIAL PROOF (they're validating)
   - Reviews on G2, Capterra
   - Testimonials they can find
   - Case studies shared

3. COMMUNITY (they're learning)
   - Present in their communities
   - Helpful, not salesy
   - Expert answers

4. RETARGETING (they're considering)
   - Reminded after website visit
   - Different angles, not same ad

5. EMAIL (they're engaged)
   - Nurture sequences
   - Value-first content

EXECUTION:
Week 1: User searches "how to solve [problem]"
        → Finds your blog post

Week 2: User browses LinkedIn
        → Sees your thought leadership

Week 3: User asks in community
        → Member recommends you

Week 4: User visits your site
        → Gets retargeted

Week 5: User reads your newsletter
        → Feature comparison article

Week 6: User ready to buy
        → Already trusts you

KEY: Same message, different channels
Consistent brand, varied format
```

---

## Pattern 2: The Wedge Strategy

**Context:** Entering a market by focusing narrowly before expanding.

**The Pattern:**
```
PRINCIPLE:
Win a small battle decisively before fighting the war.
Own a niche, then expand.

THE WEDGE:
Narrow focus → Deep penetration → Expand outward

EXAMPLES:

Facebook:
Wedge: Harvard students only
Expand: All universities → All people

Amazon:
Wedge: Books only
Expand: All products → Everything

Slack:
Wedge: Teams at startups
Expand: All teams → All companies

FINDING YOUR WEDGE:
1. Segment by pain intensity
   Who has the most urgent problem?

2. Segment by accessibility
   Who can you reach easily?

3. Segment by word-of-mouth
   Who talks to each other?

4. Segment by simplicity
   Who needs the simplest solution?

WEDGE CRITERIA:
- Small enough to dominate
- Painful enough to pay
- Connected enough to spread
- Simple enough to serve

EXECUTION:
1. Define wedge precisely
   Not "small businesses"
   "Shopify stores doing $1-10M"

2. Become THE solution
   100% mind share
   Default choice

3. Expand adjacently
   Similar segments
   Related problems

4. Repeat the playbook
   Same approach, new wedge
```

---

## Pattern 3: The Category Creation Play

**Context:** Defining a new category rather than competing in an existing one.

**The Pattern:**
```
PRINCIPLE:
The company that defines the category wins the category.
Create new space where you're the default.

EXAMPLES:

HubSpot → "Inbound Marketing"
  Before: Marketing = advertising
  After: Marketing = attracting with content

Salesforce → "Cloud CRM"
  Before: CRM = software you install
  After: CRM = software you access

Drift → "Conversational Marketing"
  Before: Forms and emails
  After: Real-time conversations

CATEGORY CREATION STEPS:
1. Identify the shift
   What's changing in the world?
   What's becoming possible?

2. Name the category
   Clear, memorable name
   Describes the transformation

3. Define the problem
   Why old way doesn't work
   What new way enables

4. Position yourself as leader
   Evangelize the category
   Create the playbook
   Write the book

5. Build the community
   Certification programs
   Events and conferences
   Content and education

CATEGORY ELEMENTS:
- Category name
- Point of view (manifesto)
- Enemy (old way)
- Evidence (proof it works)
- Ecosystem (partners, tools)

CAUTION:
Category creation is expensive.
Requires years and millions.
Only attempt with conviction.
```

---

## Pattern 4: The Content Moat

**Context:** Building defensible organic traffic through comprehensive content.

**The Pattern:**
```
PRINCIPLE:
Content that ranks creates a moat competitors can't easily copy.
SEO compounds over time.

THE MOAT COMPONENTS:

1. PILLAR CONTENT
   Comprehensive guides on core topics
   5,000-10,000 words
   Best resource on the internet

2. CLUSTER CONTENT
   Supporting articles
   Link to and from pillars
   Cover specific questions

3. PROGRAMMATIC CONTENT
   Template-based at scale
   "[City] real estate guide"
   "Best [X] for [Y]"

4. LINK BUILDING
   Earn authoritative links
   Original research
   Quotable insights

CONTENT MOAT METRICS:
- Organic traffic growth
- Keyword rankings
- Backlink profile
- Content-to-signup rate

EXECUTION TIMELINE:
Month 1-3: Pillar pages (3-5)
Month 4-6: Cluster articles (20-30)
Month 7-12: Programmatic + link building
Month 12+: Update, expand, defend

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE:
First-mover builds links
Comprehensive outranks thin
Quality beats quantity
Time compounds results

MOAT PROTECTION:
- Regular content updates
- Add new formats (video, tools)
- Build email from traffic
- Convert readers to customers
```

---

## Pattern 5: The Launch Playbook

**Context:** Maximizing impact from product or feature launches.

**The Pattern:**
```
PRINCIPLE:
Great launches are manufactured, not organic.
Preparation > the launch day itself.

LAUNCH PHASES:

PRE-LAUNCH (4-8 weeks before):
1. Build waitlist
   Landing page, email capture
   Referral incentives

2. Seed content
   Tease what's coming
   Behind-the-scenes
   Problem awareness

3. Prepare assets
   Demo videos
   Screenshots
   Press kit
   Social content

4. Line up amplifiers
   Influencers, partners
   Community members
   Early access users

LAUNCH WEEK:
Day -1: Notify waitlist
Day 0: Public launch
  - Product Hunt
  - Press release
  - Email blast
  - Social storm

Day 1-3: Amplification
  - Respond to feedback
  - Share coverage
  - Engage commenters

Day 4-7: Sustain
  - User stories
  - FAQ content
  - Review management

POST-LAUNCH:
- Collect testimonials
- Document learnings
- Plan next launch

LAUNCH MULTIPLIERS:
- Timing (Tuesday-Thursday)
- Exclusive early access
- Community engagement
- Influencer coordination
- Press exclusives
```

---

## Pattern 6: The Referral Engine

**Context:** Building systematic word-of-mouth growth.

**The Pattern:**
```
PRINCIPLE:
Every customer should bring at least one more.
Referral is CAC-free growth.

REFERRAL MECHANICS:

1. TRIGGER
   When to ask for referral
   - After positive experience
   - After achieving outcome
   - After support resolution

2. INCENTIVE
   What do referrer get?
   - Both-sided (best)
   - Cash vs product credit
   - Tiered rewards

3. MECHANISM
   How they share
   - Unique links
   - Invite emails
   - Social sharing

4. TRACKING
   Attribution
   - UTM parameters
   - Referral codes
   - Account linking

REFERRAL PROGRAM TYPES:

Give/Get:
"Give $20, Get $20"
Dropbox, Uber, Airbnb

Affiliate:
"Earn 20% commission"
Recurring, professional

Viral Mechanics:
"Invite 3 friends to unlock"
Built into product

Community:
"Share for status/access"
Non-monetary

OPTIMIZATION LEVERS:
- Incentive amount
- Ask timing
- Sharing friction
- Reward structure
- Messaging

REFERRAL BENCHMARKS:
Invitation rate: 20-30%
Conversion rate: 10-25%
Viral coefficient: 0.3-0.7
(>1.0 = true viral growth)
```

---

## Pattern 7: The Lead Magnet System

**Context:** Trading value for contact information to build audience.

**The Pattern:**
```
PRINCIPLE:
Give away your best stuff to attract the best prospects.
Email addresses are currency.

LEAD MAGNET TYPES:

HIGH-VALUE ASSETS:
- Templates (immediately useful)
- Calculators (tool value)
- Checklists (actionable)
- Swipe files (copyable)
- Frameworks (reusable)

EDUCATIONAL:
- Email courses (build habit)
- Webinars (time-bound)
- Ebooks (comprehensive)
- Reports (data/research)

TOOLS:
- Free trials (product sampling)
- Free tier (limited access)
- Assessments (personalized)

LEAD MAGNET FORMULA:
Specific problem +
Specific audience +
Immediate gratification +
Obvious value

EXAMPLES:
"50 Email Subject Lines That Get 40%+ Open Rates"
  Specific: email subject lines
  Audience: email marketers
  Immediate: copy-paste ready
  Value: proven results

DISTRIBUTION:
- Blog post CTAs
- Social media links
- Paid ads
- Website popups
- Guest posts

NURTURE AFTER CAPTURE:
Lead magnet → Welcome email →
Nurture sequence → Offer
```

---

## Pattern 8: The Comparison Play

**Context:** Positioning against competitors through direct comparison.

**The Pattern:**
```
PRINCIPLE:
Buyers compare. Help them compare correctly.
Control the narrative.

COMPARISON CONTENT:

1. VS PAGES
   "Notion vs Confluence"
   "HubSpot vs Salesforce"
   SEO for comparison searches

2. ALTERNATIVE PAGES
   "Asana alternatives"
   "Slack alternatives"
   Capture dissatisfied customers

3. COMPARISON TABLES
   Feature-by-feature
   Fair but favorable
   Honest about weaknesses

4. MIGRATION CONTENT
   "How to switch from X to us"
   Reduce switching friction
   Show commitment to converters

COMPARISON STRATEGY:

Punch Up:
- Compare to larger competitors
- Position as challenger
- "David vs Goliath"

Punch Across:
- Compare to similar alternatives
- Highlight unique strengths
- Fair, professional

Don't Punch Down:
- Avoid attacking smaller players
- Looks petty
- Gives them attention

COMPARISON CONTENT RULES:
1. Be accurate (verifiable claims)
2. Be fair (acknowledge weaknesses)
3. Be updated (prices/features change)
4. Be professional (no attacks)
5. Be specific (real differences)

WINNING THE COMPARISON:
- Different criteria (change the game)
- Specific use cases (not better, better for you)
- Proof points (customer examples)
```

---

## Pattern 9: The Community-Led Growth

**Context:** Building a community that drives acquisition and retention.

**The Pattern:**
```
PRINCIPLE:
Communities create belonging, advocacy, and retention.
Members become marketers.

COMMUNITY TYPES:

CUSTOMER COMMUNITY:
- Support each other
- Share best practices
- Feature requests
- Example: Salesforce Trailblazers

PRACTICE COMMUNITY:
- Broader than product
- Industry/skill focused
- You're the host
- Example: Designer community (by design tool)

DEVELOPER COMMUNITY:
- API users
- Integration builders
- Technical content
- Example: Stripe developers

COMMUNITY BENEFITS:
Acquisition:
- Referrals from members
- Content from community
- SEO from discussions

Retention:
- Belonging = switching cost
- Help from peers
- Success stories

Product:
- Feedback loop
- Feature validation
- Bug reports

BUILDING COMMUNITY:
1. Start small (50-100 members)
2. High touch (personal invites)
3. Core members (super users)
4. Value before scale
5. Moderation and culture
6. Gradual opening

COMMUNITY METRICS:
- Active members (weekly)
- Engagement rate
- Member-to-member help
- Referrals from community
- Content generated
```

---

## Pattern 10: The Account-Based Marketing

**Context:** Focused marketing to specific high-value target accounts.

**The Pattern:**
```
PRINCIPLE:
Fish with spears, not nets.
Personalized outreach to dream customers.

ABM TIERS:

TIER 1 (1:1):
10-25 accounts
Fully personalized
Dedicated resources
Custom content per account

TIER 2 (1:few):
50-100 accounts
Cluster by segment
Customized by industry/size
Shared campaigns

TIER 3 (1:many):
100-500 accounts
Light personalization
Technology-enabled
Targeted advertising

ABM EXECUTION:

1. ACCOUNT SELECTION
   - Ideal customer profile
   - Revenue potential
   - Fit signals

2. INTELLIGENCE
   - Key stakeholders
   - Tech stack
   - Business initiatives
   - Pain points

3. PLAYS
   - Multi-channel touch
   - Personalized content
   - Events and dinners
   - Executive outreach

4. MEASUREMENT
   - Account engagement
   - Pipeline influence
   - Deal velocity
   - Win rate

ABM CHANNELS:
- LinkedIn (targeting)
- Direct mail (cuts through)
- Custom landing pages
- Events and webinars
- Executive connections
- SDR outreach

ABM SUCCESS FACTORS:
- Sales + marketing alignment
- Deep account research
- Patient approach
- Measurement infrastructure
```
