How do you know when your company has crossed the 'chasm'?

So in the last chapter we learned about an important aspect of technology adoption and the necessity to cross the chasm to move into the main market of the pragmatists. Now we will look at how you know your company has crossed the chasm courtesy of TCG..

As most veterans of market development initiatives involving new technologies know only too well from the many scars they carry, such efforts usually occur in an environment devoid of sufficient or accurate market research data. Assuming for one moment that a company has fought a serious and disciplined campaign to establish a beachhead that will provide them with strong customer references and reward them with increased market ‘power’ going forward, how can they tell when they have passed the ‘tipping point’?
Here are a few of the ones that successful chasm-crossers most often see occurring:

1. Fewer customer buying decisions are indefinite or deferred, i.e., the pipeline and forecast become a more reliable indicator of actual decisions to buy;

2. Sales cycles get shorter, your win ratio goes up, and deal size and reach increase;

3. Revenue starts to grow in a predictable curve, instead of going up and down like a yo-yo;

4. Opportunities start coming to you as a result of customer references;

5. Desirable partners start gravitating to you and asking to be included in your deals;

6. Competitors start ceding the segment to you, focusing their energy elsewhere;

7. Competitors’ sales reps (and others) contact you for possible job opportunities;

8. People no longer ask you to spell the name of your company when you mention it over the phone (this is especially for startups and other young companies);

9. Analysts cover your category, and start calling you for briefings;

10. Prospects do not want to spend a lot of time on the compelling reason to buy, but instead want to focus on whether or not you have the whole product for their problem.