At the recent TechCrunch Disrupt event, startup founders and investors highlighted that achieving viral popularity isn’t a prerequisite for gaining and retaining customers. Founders like Elia Wallen of travel startup Engine and Grant Lee of AI presentation company Gamma emphasized that a strategic approach to customer acquisition and ongoing engagement is more crucial than chasing fleeting online fame. While social media can expand a startup’s reach, success depends on tailoring marketing efforts to different customer segments rather than expecting influencer partnerships alone to drive sales.

Grant Lee shared insights on how Gamma scaled to a multi-billion dollar valuation by carefully deploying a network of influencers—dubbed “Gambassadors”—each targeting distinct user groups. However, he warned founders not to treat influencer marketing as a one-off tactic; instead, they must work closely with creators to articulate their product’s value effectively. Without this alignment, even substantial marketing spend may fail to boost long-term sales or retention.

Elia Wallen offered a contrasting perspective, citing Engine’s $150 million in bookings achieved without any social media strategy. Wallen attributed much of their success to traditional sales methods like direct calls and personal engagement, including creative in-person tactics such as hiring a magician to draw attention at events. His experience reinforces that proven offline sales techniques can still be highly effective in building a loyal customer base, particularly in industries where personal relationships matter.

Google Ventures partner Crystal Huang added that startups should focus on understanding customer usage patterns to identify “super fans” who become passionate advocates for the brand. Monitoring metrics like recurring use, referrals, and increasing engagement can reveal whether early customers are likely to stick around. Encouraging these evangelists to promote the company can help startups build sustainable growth beyond initial acquisition efforts, demonstrating that winning customers is as much about retention as it is about gaining visibility.