Check the route to the first customer
Name the customer segment
Define the intended buyer and the problem the offer addresses. Compare the alternatives those buyers already use. A market-size estimate alone does not show why they would change suppliers.
Establish the purchasing requirements
Identify who influences and approves a purchase, how suppliers are selected and what the business must be able to deliver. Record the evidence for demand separately from the evidence that the business can reach and serve those buyers.
Work through the channel costs
Compare direct sales, distribution and a local partnership. Include the cost of acquiring customers, serving them and financing the period before payment. Each route places different demands on management and capital.
Specify the partner’s contribution
State the customer access or operating capability a partner is expected to supply. Explain how that contribution will be assessed and which commercial responsibilities remain with your business.
Identify the first commitment
Define what the initial investment should establish. It may test one segment, build a service capability or validate a distribution relationship. Keep those learning requirements visible alongside the sales forecast.
Set conditions for further investment
Describe the evidence that would support expansion, require a different channel or justify stopping. Early results should be assessed against those conditions, including the cost of obtaining the next piece of evidence.