The full playbook
34 methods, every channel a founder can run.
Hand-curated. Use Find your fit if you want a personalized ranking. Use this page if you want to see the entire menu.
Method 1 · In-person
Creative Guerilla Marketing
Unconventional, low-cost, in-the-street stunts engineered for word of mouth.
StartingEarly revenueGrowing5 to 10 hrs/week · Under $500/mo · Shared channel
See the playbookMethod 2 · In-person
Speaking Engagements
Showing up on stage, on a panel, or as a guest expert in front of a curated room.
Early revenueGrowingScaling5 to 10 hrs/week · Free or near-free · Earned channel
See the playbookMethod 3 · Owned media
Webinars (Live and Evergreen)
Scheduled online sessions that teach a narrow problem and present an offer at the end.
Early revenueGrowingScaling10 to 20 hrs/week · Under $500/mo · Owned channel
See the playbookMethod 4 · Owned media
Virtual Summits
Multi-speaker online events where you host other experts and capture every attendee.
GrowingScaling20+ hrs/week · $500 to $2K/mo · Owned channel
See the playbookMethod 5 · In-person
Strategic Networking
Showing up in the rooms where the people who can change your business already are.
Figuring it outStartingEarly revenue5 to 10 hrs/week · Under $500/mo · Shared channel
See the playbookMethod 6 · Outreach
Phone Calls
Picking up the phone when everyone else hides behind email.
StartingEarly revenueGrowingUnder 5 hrs/week · Free or near-free · Owned channel
See the playbookMethod 7 · In-person
High-Touch Client Experiences
Dinners, private events, and meaningful in-person moments that make existing clients into evangelists.
GrowingScaling10 to 20 hrs/week · $2K+/mo · Owned channel
See the playbookMethod 8 · Outreach
Strategic Gifting
Personalized, high-touch gifting at scale to open doors and deepen relationships.
GrowingScaling5 to 10 hrs/week · $500 to $2K/mo · Owned channel
See the playbookMethod 9 · Outreach
Texting and Video Texting
One-to-one and one-to-few SMS and video messages that cut through inbox noise.
Early revenueGrowingScalingUnder 5 hrs/week · Free or near-free · Owned channel
See the playbookMethod 10 · Owned media
Lead Magnets and Opt-Ins
Free gifts, templates, quizzes, assessments, and challenges that build your database.
StartingEarly revenueGrowing5 to 10 hrs/week · Under $500/mo · Owned channel
See the playbookMethod 11 · Social
Social Media
Posting consistently on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest, or Snapchat to build audience and trust.
StartingEarly revenueGrowing5 to 10 hrs/week · Free or near-free · Shared channel
See the playbookMethod 12 · Owned media
Substack and Standalone Newsletter
A newsletter you own, hosted as its own brand asset, not buried inside a website.
Early revenueGrowingScaling5 to 10 hrs/week · Free or near-free · Owned channel
See the playbookMethod 13 · Social
Live Social Commerce
Selling in real time on TikTok Shop, Instagram Live Shopping, and YouTube Shopping.
Early revenueGrowingScaling10 to 20 hrs/week · Under $500/mo · Shared channel
See the playbookMethod 14 · Broadcast
Connected TV
Streaming TV ads on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Roku, Hulu, and YouTube TV with measurable targeting.
Scaling10 to 20 hrs/week · $2K+/mo · Paid channel
See the playbookMethod 15 · Broadcast
Traditional Media
Radio, TV spots, direct mail, print ads, and billboards.
GrowingScaling10 to 20 hrs/week · $2K+/mo · Paid channel
See the playbookMethod 16 · Earned media
Public Relations
TV, magazines, radio, articles, podcast interviews, awards, and industry recognition.
Early revenueGrowingScaling5 to 10 hrs/week · Under $500/mo · Earned channel
See the playbookMethod 17 · Owned media
Book Authorship and Publishing
Writing a book that becomes the most powerful authority-building asset a CEO can own.
GrowingScaling20+ hrs/week · $500 to $2K/mo · Owned channel
See the playbookMethod 18 · Owned media
Thought Leadership
Articles, op-eds, LinkedIn long-form, and contributed pieces in major media.
Early revenueGrowingScaling5 to 10 hrs/week · Free or near-free · Owned channel
See the playbookMethod 19 · Search
SEO-Optimized Blog
A blog built around the questions your buyers type into Google, ChatGPT, and Perplexity.
GrowingScaling10 to 20 hrs/week · Under $500/mo · Owned channel
See the playbookMethod 20 · Owned media
Podcasting and Live-Streaming
Hosting a show with the audience and the guests you want in your life.
Early revenueGrowingScaling5 to 10 hrs/week · Under $500/mo · Owned channel
See the playbookMethod 21 · Earned media
Guest-Post Blogs
Writing for industry publications and partner blogs to reach their audiences and earn backlinks.
Early revenueGrowingScaling5 to 10 hrs/week · Free or near-free · Earned channel
See the playbookMethod 22 · Owned media
Email Nurture
Newsletters and email sequences that keep leads warm with content, stories, and offers.
StartingEarly revenueGrowing5 to 10 hrs/week · Under $500/mo · Owned channel
See the playbookMethod 23 · Automation
Digital Funnels
Designed paths from low-price or free content to a high-ticket offer or call.
Early revenueGrowingScaling10 to 20 hrs/week · Under $500/mo · Owned channel
See the playbookMethod 24 · Automation
Automation and Chatbot Marketing
ManyChat, AI-driven messaging sequences, and DM automation for social and SMS.
Early revenueGrowingScaling5 to 10 hrs/week · Under $500/mo · Owned channel
See the playbookMethod 25 · Automation
AI-Powered Outreach
Personalized video and messaging at scale, generated and routed by AI.
GrowingScaling10 to 20 hrs/week · $500 to $2K/mo · Owned channel
See the playbookMethod 26 · Partnerships
Referral Programs
A formal way for clients, partners, and friends to send you new business.
Early revenueGrowingScalingUnder 5 hrs/week · Free or near-free · Owned channel
See the playbookMethod 27 · Paid
Paid Ads
Facebook, Google, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, X, Instagram, with retargeting.
Early revenueGrowingScaling10 to 20 hrs/week · $2K+/mo · Paid channel
See the playbookMethod 28 · In-person
Lead Events
Workshops, mixers, and small events designed to attract qualified prospects in person.
Early revenueGrowingScaling5 to 10 hrs/week · Under $500/mo · Owned channel
See the playbookMethod 29 · In-person
Tradeshows
Attending or speaking at the conferences where your industry already gathers.
GrowingScaling10 to 20 hrs/week · $2K+/mo · Shared channel
See the playbookMethod 30 · Partnerships
Community Building
Forums, online and offline groups, and member spaces that you host or own.
GrowingScaling10 to 20 hrs/week · Under $500/mo · Owned channel
See the playbookMethod 31 · Social
Video Promotions
Short-form and long-form video as the engine of awareness and trust.
Early revenueGrowingScaling5 to 10 hrs/week · Under $500/mo · Shared channel
See the playbookMethod 32 · Paid
Sponsorships
Paying to place the brand in front of an audience someone else has already built.
GrowingScaling5 to 10 hrs/week · $2K+/mo · Paid channel
See the playbookMethod 33 · Partnerships
Joint Ventures and Affiliate Marketing
Formal partnerships and affiliate programs where another brand sells your offer to their audience.
GrowingScaling5 to 10 hrs/week · Under $500/mo · Shared channel
See the playbookMethod 34 · Process
Follow Up
The most under-executed marketing channel: actually following up.
Figuring it outStartingEarly revenueUnder 5 hrs/week · Free or near-free · Owned channel
See the playbook