Dimension 01 of 06

Customer Clarity

Do you know precisely who your buyer is and what drives their urgency to act?

1. How precisely have you defined who your ideal buyer is?

Not defined. We target broadly and adjust as we learn.

Loosely defined. We have a general sense but lack specificity.

Clearly defined. We know who they are, title, size, and characteristics.

Precisely defined. We can describe them in detail and have validated with real buyers.

2. How well do you understand what triggers your buyer to take action?

Unclear. We are not sure what drives buying urgency.

Assumed. We have theories but have not validated them with buyers.

Understood. We know the key triggers and pain points.

Deeply understood. We can articulate specific events or conditions that create urgency.

3. Can you describe the specific problem your buyer is trying to solve in their own language?

No. We describe the problem in our terms, not theirs.

Partially. We try but often use product language.

Yes. We understand the buyer's language and problem frame.

Fluently. We can articulate their problem better than they can, using their terminology.

Dimension 02 of 06

Market Legibility

Can buyers find you, understand you, and see your relevance immediately?

4. When a potential buyer encounters your brand for the first time, how quickly can they understand what you do and who it is for?

Confusing. Most people do not immediately understand our offering.

Somewhat clear. It takes a few sentences to explain.

Clear. Within 10 seconds, they understand what we do and who it is for.

Immediately obvious. Our positioning is crystal clear and directly resonates with our buyer.

5. How visible is your business to the buyers you want to reach?

Not visible. We rely on inbound or referral only.

Minimally visible. We have some presence but are not easily found.

Visible. Buyers in our space know about us or can find us with effort.

Highly visible. Our target buyers encounter us naturally through our channels.

6. How clearly does your positioning differentiate you from alternatives your buyer is already considering?

Not differentiated. We look like most competitors.

Weakly differentiated. We have some differences but they are not compelling.

Clearly differentiated. We stand out in meaningful ways.

Distinctly differentiated. Our positioning is unmistakably unique and valuable to buyers.

Dimension 03 of 06

Competitive Landscape

Do you understand what buyers are doing instead, and why your approach is meaningfully different?

7. How well do you understand what your target buyers are currently doing instead of using your product or service?

Poorly. We have not mapped the status quo or alternatives.

Partially. We know some alternatives but not the full picture.

Well. We understand the key alternatives and why buyers choose them.

Thoroughly. We can articulate every viable alternative and its strengths and weaknesses.

8. How defensible is your competitive differentiation?

Not defensible. Competitors can easily replicate our approach.

Weakly defensible. There are barriers but they are not strong.

Defensible. We have genuine advantages that are harder to copy.

Highly defensible. Our advantages are structural and difficult to replicate.

9. How clearly can you articulate why a buyer should choose you over the status quo?

Unclear. We struggle to justify the switch.

Partially clear. We have reasons but they are not compelling.

Clear. We have a clear value proposition.

Compellingly clear. The case for change is irrefutable.

Dimension 04 of 06

Willingness to Pay

Do you have evidence that buyers will pay at a price that sustains the business?

10. Have you tested or validated that your target buyers will pay for what you offer?

Not tested. We have not yet asked buyers about price.

Weakly tested. We have asked but responses were inconclusive.

Tested. We have evidence buyers will pay for our offering.

Strongly validated. We have closed deals at our target price point.

11. Is your pricing structured to reflect the value your buyer receives?

Not structured. Pricing is arbitrary or cost-plus only.

Loosely structured. We have pricing but it is not clearly tied to value.

Value-aligned. Pricing reflects the value delivered to the buyer.

Strategically optimized. Pricing is tiered and captures the value we create.

12. Do you have evidence that your unit economics work at your target price point?

No evidence. We have not modeled unit economics.

Unclear. We have rough calculations but they are not validated.

Confirmed. Unit economics work at our current pricing.

Optimized. Unit economics are solid and we understand how to improve them.

Dimension 05 of 06

Route to Market

Can you reach sufficient buyers through channels your unit economics support?

13. How clearly have you identified the channels through which you will reach your ideal buyers?

Unclear. We are still figuring out where our buyers are.

Partially clear. We know some channels but are not focused.

Clear. We have identified our primary channels.

Strategic. Our channel strategy is clear and prioritized.

14. Have you tested whether your acquisition cost is sustainable at the volume you need?

Not tested. We have not modeled acquisition costs.

Partially tested. We have tested some channels but not systematically.

Tested. Our CAC is sustainable relative to LTV at our target volume.

Optimized. We have proven CAC efficiency and scalable channels.

15. How repeatable is your current method of generating new business?

Not repeatable. Each win feels like a one-off.

Partially repeatable. We have a pattern but outcomes are inconsistent.

Repeatable. We have a documented process that works consistently.

Scalable. Our process is proven, documented, and can be handed off to a team.

Dimension 06 of 06

Commercial Readiness

Do you have the proof points and sales motion to convert interest into a first sale?

16. Do you have proof points, case studies, or evidence that your product or service delivers the outcome you promise?

None. No customers yet or no documented outcomes.

Anecdotal. We have customer stories but no structured proof.

Documented. We have case studies and customer references.

Compelling. We have detailed case studies showing measurable results.

17. How structured is your sales or conversion process from first contact to closed deal?

Not structured. We react to each deal differently.

Loosely structured. We have a general approach but no documented process.

Structured. We have defined stages and a consistent approach.

Highly structured. Our process is documented, trained, and measured.

18. How ready are you to handle an increase in demand tomorrow?

Not ready. We lack product, team, or process readiness.

Partially ready. We could handle some growth but would be stretched.

Largely ready. We have capacity to handle meaningful growth.

Fully ready. We have systems, team, and processes ready to scale.

Is your business market ready?

Can you reach buyers and convert them profitably?

Next Step

Talk through the issue.

Is your business market ready?

Can you reach buyers and convert them profitably?

Next Step

Whitespace, or Wishful Thinking? How to Tell Whether an Underserved Market Is Actually Viable

Go-to-Market Diagnostic™

Talk through the issue.