The Market Part In Product/Market Fit

Entrepreneurs often think about the "PRODUCT" side of product/market fit but often have no clue what it means to think about the "MARKET" side of product/market fit.

I think this is because thinking about MVP is natural, particularly to technical founders. But in eCommerce, goto-market is just as important and takes years to perfect. What questions should you think about?

It's about a lot more than putting a bunch of half-pilots and questionable partners in your "logo-slide" in your Powerpoint:

• For my SaaS company, which metric should be my primary billing metric?

• What are the consequences of choosing this metric over another long-term?

• Should I be selling to agencies or directly to brands?

• Which types of brands?

• Is my desired customer segment profitable and growing?

• What is the best way to reach these customers? Directly? Through agencies? 3PLs? Platform partners?

• Which types of companies should I avoid targeting? - How can I credibly position my new company even though the company itself might have limited experience?

Just remember - your prospect is smart and connected. Any name on a slide can be back channeled and referenced. Seller beware.

I want to share two posts about this idea, because I’m not the only one thinking about these things, and other people’s perspectives are certainly worth sharing and amplifying.

First, from the PMARCA Guide to Startups: The Only Thing That Matters.

And second, 12 Things About Product-Market Fit, by Tren Griffin. These both are essential reading, in my opinion, on the topic of understanding the “market” part of product-market fit.