Why the Best HardTech Startups Don’t Rely on Inbound Alone
A few days ago, I was in a conversation about launching a B2B product. Someone dismissed a strategy outright, saying:
“No way. You need a big audience first.”
I understood their perspective, but their assumption is incomplete.
Many younger founders believe the only way to grow a company is by building an audience first.
They assume success comes from posting on social media, getting featured on Product Hunt, and running inbound marketing campaigns.
Without thousands of followers or strong SEO, they think growth is impossible.
Don’t get me wrong. All of those can be valuable tools, but too many founders ignore outbound.
Maybe they do not like cold outreach. Maybe it feels uncomfortable or too sales-driven. But avoiding it is a choice, not a strategy.
Outbound Works. Here’s Proof
I know plenty of businesses there were built on outbound.
For example, I spoke with a profitable HardTech startup that proved this wrong in December.
For three years, they grew their business using outbound sales only.
No social media. No SEO. Just direct outreach to the right people.
They closed deals, landing mid-market, and a few enterprise customers. They did this without a single inbound lead.
They had one inactive LinkedIn account and no SEO, sales, or marketing teams. The founders and product team handled everything.
Now, they want to add inbound. Not because they need to, but because it makes sense at their stage.
Inbound vs. Outbound: What HardTech Founders Get Wrong
Both inbound and outbound work. The best companies use both. But many founders default to inbound or hope and pray for an introduction.
Some believe cold outreach feels pushy. Others assume people will not respond. Some do not want to sell at all.
But those are personal preferences, not business strategies.
A Smarter Way to Build Your HardTech GTM Strategy
Instead of guessing, let your customers tell you where they find new products.
- Interview 10 ideal customers.
- Ask four key questions:
- Where do you go to learn about new products?
- How do you conduct deep research on those products?
- Who influences your buying decisions?
- What is your product evaluation process?
- Analyze the answers.
- You will likely hear a mix of online and offline channels.
Once you know where your customers are, build a mix of inbound and outbound channels that match your resources and bring the highest ROI.
You do not need to do everything at once. The answers you get from customers will point to a combination of strategies.
Some will find products through content and personal referrals. Others will buy through direct relationships and outreach.
The key is identifying which mix works for your market and where you can execute.
Instead of trying to cover every possible channel, focus on a few that align with your strengths and budget.
A well-executed mix of inbound and outbound will always outperform a scattered approach.
If you are unsure where to focus, hit reply. I would love to hear what is working or not working for you. Or you can download my Go-to-Market Strategy Interview Bundle.