Chapter 04. Market Map
How to Use This Chapter
Use this chapter before large-scale outreach. The market map helps you stop arguing about
"candidates exist / candidates do not exist" and instead show which pools have been checked,
where volume exists, where relevance lies, and which risks are visible.
Remember in One Phrase
The market map replaces opinion-based arguments with a list of testable pools, sources,
risks, and first tests.
| If Your Task Is | Go to Section | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Show where to search | Market map template | A table of pools, sources, and risks |
| Select donor companies | Donor company matrix | A basis for search and market explanation |
| Explain constraints to the client | Market reality summary | Calm language for a difficult conversation |
| Prepare an AI draft | AI tips for this chapter | A link to the safe prompt in Appendix G |
Quick Chapter Map
1. Split the market into direct, adjacent, and high-risk pools.
2. For each pool, name the source and the verification method.
3. Record the risk rather than hiding it.
4. After the first sample, update the brief or hypotheses.
Minimal Start
In 45–60 minutes, pick 3 pools and check 10–15 profiles in each. Record not only relevant
profiles but also the reasons for noise. The copyable map and company matrix forms are in
Appendix D.6 and Appendix D.7.
Principle
The market map protects you from premature "there are no candidates." First show which pools
have been checked, what facts you have, and where constraints genuinely narrow the market.
Example
For a B2B Sales Manager, do not search only for Sales Manager SaaS. Build a map: companies
with a similar average deal size, sales cycle, buyer profile, and sales model; adjacent companies
with comparable stakeholder complexity; webinars, podcasts, partner ecosystems, and graduates
of companies with a strong sales training programme.
Market Map Template
Pool Why Relevant Job Titles Sources Risks Next
Test
Direct Same product or Account People from company Hiring constraints, 30 profiles
competitors client Executive, Sales salary
context Manager
Adjacent Similar buyer or Sales Lead, Company lists, podcasts Domain gap 20 profiles
product companies problem Commercial
Manager
Consulting and Complex Client Partner, Case studies, speakers Lack of product 15 profiles
service stakeholders Business sales
companies Development
Speakers Visible GTM Lead, Sales Events, webinars May be too senior 10 profiles
communities expertise Ops
Donor Company Matrix
Company Why It Trains the Right Teams Job Title Signs Priority
People Traits
Company A Similar clients and Sales in middle AE, Sales Quota, segment, High
sales model segment Manager cycle
| Company | Why It Trains the Right People | Teams | Job Titles | Signs | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sales | |||||
| Company B | Similar technical scale | Platform/backend | Senior Engineer | Reliability, distributed systems | High |
| Company C | Similar operational complexity | Operations | Programme Manager | Cross-functional rollout | Medium |
| Market Reality Summary |
Self-Check
Can you sort pools into direct, adjacent, experimental, and those not worth continuing?
AI Tips for This Chapter
The full market map prompt is in Appendix G.3. Use it as a draft generator, then manually
verify the companies, exclude irrelevant pools, and present the client not with an "opinion"
but with a hypothesis map and a first test.
Key Takeaways / Where to Go Next
Take away a map of 3–5 pools with a first test for each. If the market map is ready, move to
Chapter 5 to turn pools and traits into testable queries.
