What does your product (or service) experience need to look like for users to excitedly talk about it with friends? This is the fundamental question of 2026.
I am working with a number of startups right now with genuinely impressive products. Strong value prop. Awesome interface design. Real eyes for detail.
And they are all languishing and in each case we've been trying to figure out how to change the GTM strategy / PLG experience to start seeing improved growth.
I realize yesterday we're asking the wrong question. It's not about the promotion strategy, it's about creating an experience that has to be shared.
Products that do great work aren't necessarily enough any more. They have to be so good that, in the moment, the user thinks "who can I share my excitement with?!!"
Airbnb's Brian Chesky has talked extensively about brainstorming a 10-star experience and it's worth looking up online.
The gist is that five stars doesn't always cut it. But when you brainstorm a 10-star experience, sure, that's probably impossible, but a seven-star experience suddenly feels achievable.
If you're feeling like your fantastic product isn't taking off like you want, it's worth a really honest question. Are we satisfying our users or are we genuinely blowing them away?