The Ultimate 90-Day Plan for Growth Hackers
Starting as a growth hacker at a new company can be both exciting and overwhelming. To hit the ground running, having a structured plan is essential. Hila Qu, who worked alongside Sean Ellis to grow the GrowthHackers network, shared a detailed roadmap for what every growth hacker should focus on during their first 90 days in a new role.
Here’s a breakdown of her actionable framework:
Week 1: Build the Foundation
The first week is all about understanding the environment you’ll be working in and gathering insights. Here’s what you should do:
- Learn the Tool Stack: Familiarize yourself with the tools and platforms the company uses, from analytics to CRM systems.
- Dive into Historical Data: Analyze past performance metrics to uncover trends, successes, and areas for improvement.
- Meet Leadership: Schedule a meeting with your manager or CEO to understand the company’s goals, priorities, and expectations.
- Meet the Team: Collaborate with cross-functional team members to align on objectives and understand their workflows.
- Listen to Customers: Gather feedback through customer interviews, surveys, or reviews to identify pain points and opportunities.
First Month: Quick Wins and Momentum
In the first month, your focus should shift to quick fixes and early successes to demonstrate value and build trust within the organization.
- Choose Your Growth Metric: Identify the North Star Metric that will guide your growth efforts (e.g., user retention, sign-ups, revenue).
- Decide on a Focus Area: Narrow down your efforts to a specific growth lever (e.g., acquisition, activation, retention).
- Launch Initial Tests: Run simple, low-risk experiments to generate small wins and actionable insights.
- Engage with Customers Regularly: Maintain frequent contact with customers to validate ideas and discover new opportunities.
- Fill Infrastructure Gaps: Begin addressing any missing tools, data, or processes that hinder your ability to scale growth efforts.
First 90 Days: Build for Sustainable Growth
Once you’ve established momentum, it’s time to focus on creating a long-term growth framework. This phase is about setting the foundation for consistent experimentation, collaboration, and a growth-oriented culture.
- Create an Experimentation Program: Develop a structured process for testing ideas, tracking results, and iterating quickly.
- Establish a System of Records: Ensure all key data is centralized and accessible for future analysis and decision-making.
- Host Weekly Growth Meetings: Bring the team together regularly to review results, share insights, and align on priorities.
- Promote a Growth Culture: Encourage every team member to think like a growth hacker, fostering collaboration and idea-sharing across departments.
Why This 90-Day Plan Works
Hila Qu’s approach ensures that growth hackers:
- Quickly acclimate to the company’s tools, data, and team dynamics.
- Deliver early wins to build trust and gain buy-in from stakeholders.
- Set up a sustainable framework for experimentation and growth that benefits the organization long-term.
P.S. Growth is a Team Effort
The most successful growth hackers don’t work in silos—they collaborate, listen, and inspire. Use this plan as your roadmap to become an indispensable part of your new team.
Source: medium.com