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Most retailers spray marketing dollars everywhere. Facebook ads. Google campaigns. Influencer partnerships. Email blasts. Content creation. And countless other channels, taking advice from friends, reading online guides, trusting their gut feeling, and most times- just anecdotal evidence.
Overtime they realize- none of these work well.
But most smart retailers take a different approach. They use the bullseye framework to find the right marketing channels systematically. No guessing. No waste. Just focused effort that delivers results. Frankly, it's quite a simple exercise, but often as you may have experienced- the most impactful deep work can get stalled for months, if not years.
Gabriel Weinberg and Justin Mares, the founders of Duckduckgo, studied how successful companies acquire customers. Their research revealed a pattern: the best companies don't try everything. They find one or two channels that work exceptionally well. But how do you really find them?
Based on their research, learnings and experiences they distilled everything into a simple, but thorough process- the Bullseye framework.
The framework has three rings:
Outer ring: The key here is divergence- list down every possible marketing channel. Yes, even ones that elicit raised eyebrow responses like- "are you serious?"
Middle ring: Now we come to convergence. We wanted to shortlist the most promising channels that really are worth testing. In most cases, the picks here can raise some tensions, but hold on just a bit longer.
Inner ring: The channels that actually work. Easier said than done, but let's discuss this in more detail a few lines below.
The goal is to think of it as a target. Your goal is systematic movement from outer ring to bullseye.
Because most retailers jump to execution without really understanding which channels fit their customers, products, and constraints- they can spend months without figuring out the why behind their struggle.
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List every marketing channel available to retailers. Don't edit yet. The goal is complete brainstorming.
Digital: Google Ads, Facebook advertising, Instagram, TikTok, email marketing, content marketing, SEO, affiliate programs, influencer partnerships, podcast advertising, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest.
Traditional: Print ads, radio, TV, direct mail, billboards, trade shows, retail partnerships, public relations, speaking events, community involvement.
Direct: Sales teams, retail locations, pop-ups, networking, referral programs, customer service touchpoints.
Partnership: Wholesale relationships, distributor networks, cross-promotions, strategic alliances.
Most retailers identify 30-40 viable channels. Yes, the number overwhelms. That's intentional. You need to be absolutely sure before making smart choices. And yes, figuring distribution is one of the biggest and most important choices businesses make.
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Filter candidates from outer ring to middle ring using three criteria:
Customer alignment: Where do your ideal customers really spend their time? Think deeply about this. If needed, really go ahead and find data to back it up. Luxury jewelry brands shouldn't start with TikTok. Teen fashion retailers shouldn't lead with LinkedIn. No, it's not purely common sense, there's data to support it.
Resource fit: Which channels match your team's skills and budget? Video marketing requires different capabilities than email campaigns. Influencer partnerships, for example- need relationship management skills.
Competitive gaps: Where are competitors weak or absent? Sometimes the best opportunity lies in ignored channels. And yes, this is where- "see, I told you it's not that crazy" kind of ideas really shine.
Ideally you should only choose only 3-5 channels for your middle ring. Choosing more means you're not thinking critically. You aren't really discarding a channel forever at this stage, but for now- you are making a decision to prioritize your business interests above perfectly reasonable growth channels. That's the thing about prioritization- it's not really prioritization if some good choices make way for some other good choices.
Yes, these may sound like choices made from intuitition, but you can really get more concrete evidence by using some market research tools or finding research reports. The important thing is to think critically, and if need be play the devil's advocate against your own choices.
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Testing separates smart retailers from hopeful ones. This is the stage where you start designing focused 30-day experiments for each middle ring channel. Each of these need your proper attention, time and resources- so plan wisely. Don't just commit for namesake. And yes, hold yourself accountable to give it your best shot (even with limited resources).
Set clear metrics: Customer acquisition cost, conversion rates, lifetime value, return on ad spend. Pick one primary metric per test.
Allocate equal budgets: Give each channel the same investment. This creates fair comparisons.
Track rigorously: Measure conversions and engagement quality. Some channels bring customers who buy once and disappear. Others create loyal advocates.
Document everything: What worked, what didn't, why. This may seem unneccessary or trivial but this really is important as the insights from here guide your future decisions.
Most retailers discover 1-2 channels significantly outperform others. Those become your bullseye channels. And over time you will see that they get at least 70% of your growth spends, even as you keep experimenting with the other non-prioritized channels from the earlier stage (see- nothing really goes to waste).
It's not full-proof, but data tells us that some retail models favor different channels based on business category. Typically-
Fashion retailers succeed with Instagram and influencer partnerships. Products are visual and lifestyle-driven.
Electronics retailers perform better with Google Ads and YouTube reviews. Customers research specifications.
Home goods retailers find success with Pinterest and home improvement partnerships.
Sporting goods retailers connect through athlete sponsorships and sports communities.
B2B retailers need LinkedIn marketing, trade publications, industry events over consumer social media.
Yes, geography matters too. Local retailers prioritizing community partnerships and local SEO also get great results because most national brands focus their ad spends on scalable digital channels. But, yes, this list isn't the only channel you should choose, it's just a starting point/consideration list.
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Testing too many channels simultaneously- This spreads attention because it makes optimization impossible.
Giving up too quickly. Most channels need 60-90 days to show potential. Yes, you have to hold your horses. Yes, even if it's an early stage start-up. Because as research shows- month-one results rarely predict long-term success.
Choosing channels based on personal preference rather than customer behavior. Your podcast obsession doesn't mean customers discover products there. If they don't, they just don't. Yes, there's definitely a chance that eventually you could amass a massive following on this new shiny platform- but do you really want to bet your business on that. It's better to handle one complexity at a time.
Ignoring channel interactions. Email marketing might not drive immediate sales but could enhance paid advertising effectiveness. Never doubt that customer, being the smart people they are- get influenced across multiple channels- and just one channel may not be enough.
Optimizing for vanity metrics. Impressions and likes don't pay bills. Focus on metrics that connect to revenue. The more downstream the metric- the higher the odds of your success.
Success requires discipline. Start your outer ring brainstorm Monday. Spend one week identifying middle ring candidates. Begin testing by month-end.
Budget allocation: 70% to proven channels. 20% for middle ring testing. 10% for outer ring exploration.
Team structure: Assign specific owners to each test. Shared responsibility means no responsibility.
Review cadence: Evaluate results every 30 days. Successful channels get increased investment. Failed channels return to outer ring or get eliminated.
The purpose of the framework is to force systematic thinking about customer acquisition. Instead of chasing every opportunity, you focus on what drives results.
Retailers who master the bullseye framework discover something powerful: excellence in one channel creates opportunities in others.
Strong email lists make social media advertising more cost-effective through lookalike audiences. Excellent customer service generates word-of-mouth that amplifies paid marketing. Great content improves SEO while providing social media material.
It's been proved time and again- while there's value in speed, but in most cases- depth matters more. And bullseye framework helps you do just that- it helps you make more confident, deeply thought prioritization decisions, that minimize doubts. And as you may have realized- doubts kill businesses. And just in case you wish your customers to kill their doubts about the products you sell, learn how SureBright's product warranties can help you get much higher revenue, profits and customer satisfaction. Discover more- surebright.com
