Author:Steven Gary Blank

Title:The Four Steps to the Epiphany

ReadingCompleted:true

Rating:*****

Amazon link: The Four Steps to the Epiphany

Very useful book describing a structured approach to new customer discovery for new product. Summary of the described framework below:

Customer Discovery

Customer Discovery
State your hypothesis	Product hypothesis	Customer problem hypthesis	Distribution & Pricing hypothesis	Demand creation hypothesis	Market Type hypothesis	Competitive hypothesis
Test problem hypothesis	Friendly first contacts	Problem presentation	Customer understanding	Market knowledge
Test product hypothesis	First reality check	Product presentation	Yet more customers	Second reality check	1st advisory board
	Verify the problem	Verify the product	Verify the business model	Iterate or exit Customer Discovery

Customer Validation

Will this parse then?

Customer Validation
Get ready to sell	Articulate a Value Proposition	Preliminairy Sales & Collateral materials	Preliminairy distribution channel	Preliminairy sales roadmap	Hire a "sales closer"	Align execs
Sell to Earlyvangelists	Formalize advisory boards	Contact Earlyvangelists	Sell to Earlyvangelists	Refine Sales Roadmap	Sell to Channel Partners	Refine Channel Roadmap
Develop Positioning	Product Positioning	Company Positioning	Present to Analysts & Influencers
Verify	Verify the product	Verify the Sales Roadmap	Verify the Channel Roadmap	Verify the Business Model	Iterate or Exit Customer Validation

Customer Creation
Get Ready	Market Type Questionnaire	[[Choose Market Type
Position	Select PR Agency	Positioning Audits	Match positioning to Market Type
Launch	Select Launch Type	Select Customer Audiences	Select the messengers	Craft the messages	Understand the Message Context	Understand the Media
Create Demand	Select Demand Creation Strategy	Agree on Demand Creation Measurements	Iterate or Exit Customer Creation

Company Building
Mainstream Customers	Earlyvangelists to Mainstream Customers	Manage Sales Growth by Market Type
Management / Culture Issues	Review Management	Develop "Mission-Centric" Culture
Functional Departments	Set Department Mission Statement	Set Department Roles By Market Type
Fast Reponse Departments	Implement Mission-Centric Management	Create an "Information Culture"	Build a "Leadership Culture"