Getting traction is not an accident

Many B2B entrepreneurs have a problem getting traction with their invention. The issue is they are experts in their industry or specialty. This is both good and bad.

Being an expert is good because you understand the space you are working in and have a good network of people to support and encourage you, if not buy from you.

But your expertise can blind you. Entrepreneurs who start building right away based on their own intuition are missing a great opportunity to learn some key insights that are critical to success. If you are already an expert, you see things in your lane and your network is limited in scope. If you don't spend the time really understanding how others would interact with your (potential) idea AND the problem it solves, then you are taking a big risk.

I have worked with several founders who have Sales that stalled several months or years into the product release. Almost without exception, they are not clear about their market. They don't have a clear understanding of the problem their customers need to solve and don't know how to get the answers. They don't know how to measure customer sentiment, customer activities or research problems effectively.

If you want to build a product that customers love, this is one of the biggest keys to success. Make sure you do your homework. Even if you are already selling your product, make sure you keep studying your customers to see what effect your idea or product has on their business. It is way more beneficial to say "yes" or "no" to an idea before you spend a nickel on development, rather than release and hope for the best.