A distribution strategy selects the channels and repeatable methods used to acquire and retain customers. It can include direct sales, marketplaces, communities, partnerships, search, content, referrals, product-led adoption, or an existing audience.
Distribution is part of product design because different channels favor different prices, onboarding, trust signals, and customer segments. A strong product can still fail when its intended users do not encounter or understand it.
ELI5
A distribution strategy is the plan for getting a product in front of the right people and helping them start using it. Building the product and reaching customers are separate problems that must fit together.
For example, a specialist scheduling tool may grow through professional communities and referrals instead of broad advertising. The channel works when those communities contain the exact users who experience the problem.
