Andrew Chen

💸 A16z's program, a16z speedrun, invests up to $1M in very early stage startups. Marketing challenges for new products include SEO's long setup and unpredictability, influencer marketing's poor conversion, PR's lack of signups, email marketing's sub-30% open rates, viral loops' need for exceptional products, costly ads, referral/affiliate fraud, and one-time social media launches. The article suggests startups focus on 'Little Channels' for marketing, prioritize novelty, take brand risks, and leverage new technologies. It argues for product quality as key, noting the current AI wave's impact on marketing success.