Last week, I explored how job priorities shape the B2B buyer’s mindset when it comes to purchasing decisions. The reality is that unless your product solves a problem that ranks reasonably high on your buyer’s priority list, your chances of closing deals remain slim—regardless of how brilliant your solution might be. The key isn’t just solving a problem; it’s understanding where that problem sits in your user’s priority matrix.
I used the Eisenhower matrix as a framework to map where your B2B product might land on the axes of importance versus urgency. The route to avoid is the quadrant where problems are neither urgent nor important. No matter how elegant your solution feels, that’s dead-end territory. Focus your energy elsewhere.
The good news is that the other three quadrants offer fertile ground. You might assume building in a “higher” quadrant guarantees better results, but that’s not necessarily true. As long as you’re operating in one of those three viable quadrants, you have a market worth pursuing. The approach will differ—how you build, position, and present your product will vary—but the opportunity exists.
So how do you identify your quadrant?
The answer only emerges when you step away from desk research and internal conversations to engage with the real world.
Assumptions are valuable starting points. They form the foundation of scientific inquiry and drive progress. But they must be followed by a relentless pursuit of evidence. (BTW, “relentless” isn’t hyperbole when it comes to startups and business building.)
Without getting pedantic, the following steps are enough to keep your GTM moving in the right direction.
1. Commit to regular customer conversations. Set a realistic weekly target for user interviews. You won’t manage five conversations in week one—start small, stay consistent, and build momentum. Think of it as continuously casting and recasting your net.
2. Dig deeper than your assumptions. While discussing your target problem, explore your user’s broader workflow. Understand their adjacent tasks, workplace responsibilities, and how their role fits within the larger organizational structure.
3. Map and validate priorities. Create a priority list from what you’ve discovered, then confirm with users whether your assessment reflects their reality.
Once you’ve gained clarity about your quadrant, developing the right sales approach and messaging becomes significantly easier. I’ll dive deeper into those tactics in the coming weeks.
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