“M”: A Growth Acceleration Framework

Crafting sustainable growth strategies is difficult. Most organizations have talented, hardworking teams, yet many struggle to achieve growth goals. For early stage companies, it can be fatal. Depending on methodology, somewhere between 75% and 90% of funded start-ups fail within five years.

Why?

Most often, it is due to the lack of a robust, scalable growth framework. Without a clear roadmap, it's easy to get lost in ambiguous complexities, intertwined stakeholders, and intra-departmental politics. And the problem isn’t isolated to startups.

??????????????????????????????? ??????????????? Nearly 70% of the Fortune 500 companies of 30 years ago

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Below is a framework (there are others) that provides the structure, efficiency, and accountability you need to:

• Break down complex tasks into manageable steps
• Ensure everyone is aligned and working towards the same goals
• Facilitate collaboration across teams
• Measure progress and make data-driven adjustments

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Ask yourself: How do your teams work with prospects/customers on their journey to ensure the customer’s success and accelerate your growth?

The Customer Journey: The “M” Framework

The customer journey isn't groundbreaking, but its nuances are crucial for success. Here are the essential elements to map a path that truly resonate.

1.????? Create Transformation

As a seller, you own your customer’s success. Your success hinges on guiding buyers towards optimal product utilization. Don't just sell; partner with them to unlock the full potential of your solution. Transform their business efficiently and they will be with you for a long time.

2.????? Focus on Impact

While ROI is important, it's not the only measure of value. It is critical that you focus on creating impact that resonates. When you demonstrate the transformative power of your product, they'll naturally justify the investment.

3.????? The Cycle of Success

Build a virtuous cycle of ever-increasing impact and customer satisfaction. The more impact your product delivers, the more value they ascribe, and the more likely buyers are to stick with you and refer others. This creates a self-perpetuating cycle of mutual success.

Finally, understand the answers to these questions:

• What impact(s) do customers realize with your product/service? What economic value do they associate with the impact?
• Why does the impact(s) of your product/service make them more competitive?
• Within the scope of what you do, how does it/will it create continuous impact and value for your customer? Why?
• Can you add capabilities that increase/broaden the impact(s) you deliver?
• How do you measure impact(s)? What systems and processes are required?

Aside. If you can’t help enough customers continuously win, you have to ask yourself if you are in the right market.

Not growing like you think you should?

The market is a harsh critic. They don't care about your passion; they care about their needs. Your product or service might be a masterpiece, but if they don’t understand how it solves their problems, positively impacts their business, it's just noise. It's time to stop preaching and start listening. Your company's place in the market isn't a matter of belief, it's a matter of evidence. The market is speaking.

When you have a moment, go back and revise what needs to happen for GTM teams to create an impact for your prospects/customers . . . you can bet at least one of your competitors is.