Market Mapping
The optimum go-to-market strategy results from a considered tradeoff of qualitative and quantitative factors that determine the attractiveness of different options and the accessibility of these alternatives. Our Market Mapping logic provides clients with a structured process to evaluate these considerations through a layered series of analyses.
Market Structure
User Segments
Channel Landscape
Competitive Landscape
Strategy & Tactics
Understanding market structure and customer segments—including size, growth rate, and sourcing behavior/preferences—enables prioritization
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Profiling the channel landscape identifies ways to access preferred customer segments and resources required
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Assessing the competitive landscape affords a realistic view of your company’s ability to capture and retain customers as well as key channel partners
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Finally, this objective approach to decision-making provides a consistent evaluation of options and enables the selection of “best fit” strategy and tactics for your business
Lynn Cullotta Consulting clients value our process that applies consistent logic to derive a market-based strategy and action plan.
Learn more about the components and application of Market Mapping logic. Learn more here.
Channel Programs & Economics
The most effective channel programs provide clear and simple guidance to your channel partners. Your program should outline what the company values—based on the role your channel partner plays in your go-to-market strategy. The program should communicate how you will measure each of these value elements, providing guidance to channel members on how they can earn rewards.
The logic stream to capture and communicate your channel program consists of several key components:
Program Elements
Review
Rewards
Electives
Qualifying Criteria
Contract / Authorization
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Review: An objective evaluation process lends credibility to your program and makes it actionable for you and your channel partner
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Rewards: Consist of a combination of quantitative and qualitative benefits that enhance your channel’s revenue/profit, reduce their cost/risk, and/or improve ease-of-doing-business
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Electives: Additional criteria guide your channel partner’s incremental investment in your brand, earning the partner added rewards/benefits
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Qualifying Criteria: Mandated minimum, standard requirements provide your channel partner with the right to represent your brand in the market
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Contract/Authorization: Annual contracts create a regular, formal opportunity to review (and renew) the business relationship
Lynn Cullotta Consulting clients value our processes that apply consistent logic to derive a market-based strategy and action plan. Learn more about the approach to building effective channel programs. Learn more here.
Adjacencies
One of the most profitable decisions a company can make is where to place its bets on growth. As a strategic buyer investing to build a new business platform for growth, your motivations and objectives for acquisitions are different than a private equity financial buyer.
Our adjacencies framework assesses acquisition opportunities through the lens of a strategic buyer.
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Clearly defining key competencies that drive success in the core business (i.e., your company’s “reason for being”)
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Understanding potential points of synergy and market leverage into new areas
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Using these facts to identify the most attractive adjacent markets and to evaluate acquisition candidates
The adjacencies framework helps define where to look for inorganic growth and how to think about the potential fit of an acquisition candidate.
Lynn Cullotta Consulting clients have applied the Adjacencies framework to successfully develop new business platforms and generate step-function growth. Learn More Here
Channel Selection
Building a highly effective channel network can be one of your most significant go-to-market challenges. The wide variability of opportunity across local markets, coupled with a limited range of channel partners available in key markets, forces tradeoffs to be made in channel recruitment and selection. These tradeoffs can be best managed by creating a profile of your “ideal” channel partner. What traits, capabilities, and characteristics are critical for a high‑performing channel partner?
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Management: Organization structure? Team depth at the management level? Succession plan in place?
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Sales/Marketing: Geographic footprint? Sales (field and inside) organization? Technical competencies? Relative importance to the channel business (product category and brand)?
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Operations: Logistics? Service levels? Systems (and integration) with your business?
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Financial: Cost of the channel partnership? Capable of investing? Stable financially? Able to withstand an economic downturn?
Lynn Cullotta Consulting clients value our processes that apply consistent logic to derive a market-based strategy and action plan. Learn more about how to apply consistent decision rules to channel selection. Learn more here.
Local Markets
Every significant period of economic discontinuity reshapes markets. As an example in the housing market, after the Great Recession (2007–2009), consolidation among the top 200 national/regional builders created a few “winners.” Suppliers strategically aligned with these large customers triumphed as well.
There is no doubt that the pandemic related events and recent market upheaval created an inevitable restructuring of industries and shake out among market participants. Companies lacking sufficient capital and flexibility will find it hard to weather an extended decline in market conditions.
On a market-by-market basis, the puzzle is bound to look different. Any company whose future success is tied to having a strong presence in local markets can anticipate many missing pieces in some geographic areas and fewer gaps in others.
Lynn Cullotta Consulting works collaboratively with clients to prepare for market restructuring. What business factors suggest that key customers or channel partners won’t survive? What market characteristics suggest that Chicago will emerge from the downturn with more missing pieces than Phoenix or Dallas? What are the actions that our clients can take to identify and ensure a strong position with eventual “winners”? Learn More Here
Futuring/Scenarios
Markets undergo rapid change as we’ve experienced over the last two years! Market strategies built on yesterday’s market dynamics are doomed to failure. A process that combines scenario planning and go-to-market strategy frameworks assures that you are always ahead of market change.
Lynn Cullotta Consulting partners with clients to develop market-based, data-supported scenarios of future environments that the business may operate in. By looking forward and then looking back, we help our clients anticipate and prepare for not only sea changes, but smaller ripples that can have big impact on their market position. Learn more here.
