The Bullseye framework: how to choose and test customer acquisition channels
The Bullseye Framework is a method for choosing customer acquisition channels described by Gabriel Weinberg and Justin Mares in the book "Traction" (2015). It involves reviewing all channels, selecting a few of the most promising, running cheap tests and focusing resources on the channel that works. The article describes the steps of the method, a worked example of tests and common mistakes.
Amounts and values in the examples are illustrative and show how the calculation works. In projects, we use the client's data.
Dominik Dębski · Lemur Media · · reading time: 4 min
Reviewed by Dominik Dębski, 1 November 2026
What is the Bullseye Framework?
The Bullseye Framework is a procedure that structures the choice of customer acquisition channels (traction channels) through successive narrowing of the list and testing. It was described by Gabriel Weinberg and Justin Mares in the book "Traction: How Any Startup Can Achieve Explosive Customer Growth" (2015). The authors identify 19 channels, including viral marketing, public relations, search engine marketing (SEM), SEO, content marketing, email marketing, business development through partnerships, direct sales, affiliate programmes, trade shows and community building.
The method addresses a common problem of companies in the direction phase: the team uses the channels it knows and does not consider the others. The authors also recommend spending around half of one's time on customer acquisition throughout product development.
What are the steps of the method?
The method has five steps, which are repeated when the chosen channel stops delivering results.
- Brainstorming: for each of the 19 channels, the team writes down at least one realistic way to use it.
- Ranking: channels are placed in three rings: inner (most promising now), middle (could work) and outer (unlikely).
- Prioritising: usually around three channels go into the inner ring; more spreads resources too thinly.
- Testing: small, cheap experiments in each of the selected channels.
- Focusing: resources go to the channel that produced the best result in testing.
What should a channel test show?
A channel test should answer three questions: how much it costs to acquire a customer, how many customers the channel can deliver and whether they are the right customers. The test does not need to be scalable. A few ads, one webinar or conversations with three potential partners are enough if they give a reliable signal. The test budget and timeframe are set before it starts.
How do you compare test results in an example?
Test results are compared on customer acquisition cost (CAC) relative to customer value and the potential scale of the channel. The example concerns a B2B SaaS company that tested three channels from the inner ring over 6 weeks.
| Channel | Test cost | New customers | CAC in the test | Estimated monthly potential |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LinkedIn advertising | PLN 6,000 | 4 | PLN 1,500 | 20 customers |
| Industry webinars | PLN 3,000 | 3 | PLN 1,000 | 8 customers |
| Partner programme with accounting firms | PLN 2,000 | 1 | PLN 2,000 | 30 customers |
Webinars have the lowest CAC (3,000 ÷ 3 = PLN 1,000) but limited potential. The partner programme has the highest CAC in the test (PLN 2,000) but the greatest scale, and the cost of the first weeks includes partner training. With an annual contribution margin per customer of PLN 4,800, all three channels pay back within a year. The decision on where to focus therefore requires an assessment of scale and cost trend in a further, longer test.
How should the Bullseye Framework be applied depending on company size?
The steps of the method stay the same, but company size changes the test budget, the number of parallel experiments and the people who run them. In a small company the test is run by the founder or one marketing person; in a larger company a channel test also covers lead handling by sales and measurement in the CRM.
| Company size | Typical test budget | Number of parallel tests | Who runs it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–49 people | a few thousand PLN per channel | 2–3 | Founder or one marketing person |
| 50–249 people | PLN 11,000–19,000 per channel | 3–5 | Marketing team with sales support |
| 250–999 people | a quarterly budget ring-fenced for experiments | several per market or product line | Growth team with an experiment budget owner |
Regardless of scale, every test has a documented hypothesis, budget, duration and success threshold set before launch. Results go into a single test register so that other teams do not repeat experiments that have already failed once.
What are the limitations and common mistakes?
- Skipping the brainstorming step and testing only channels the team already knows.
- Sample too small: one or two customers from a test give no basis for assessing CAC.
- Judging a channel on cost alone, without checking customer quality, e.g. retention after 3 months.
- Sticking with one channel after its results decline instead of returning to the first step.
- The method, described for start-ups, needs adapting in companies with a large sales function, where a channel test also covers lead handling.