Crossing the Chasm
Bridge to mainstream
The Crossing the Chasm framework is based on the idea that high-tech companies must transition from the early market, dominated by visionaries, to the mainstream market, dominated by pragmatists. This transition is challenging because visionaries and pragmatists have different values and communication styles. The framework provides a strategy for making this transition by identifying a single beachhead of pragmatist customers and accelerating the formation of a whole product to meet their needs.
- The main difference between visionaries and pragmatists is that the former are willing to bet 'on the come' whereas the latter want to see solutions 'in production' before they buy.
- Pragmatists want a 100 percent solution to their problem, which is referred to as the whole product.
- The key to a winning strategy is to identify a single beachhead of pragmatist customers and accelerate the formation of 100 percent of their whole product.
- Identify Target CustomerIdentify a single beachhead of pragmatist customers in a mainstream market segment. This involves evaluating potential target customers based on criteria such as funding, accessibility, and compelling reason to buy.Pro tipUse a systematic approach to evaluate potential target customers, such as creating a list of criteria and scoring each customer against those criteria.WarningAvoid targeting multiple customer segments at once, as this can dilute resources and reduce the chances of success.
- Develop Whole ProductDevelop a whole product that meets the needs of the target customer. This involves creating a minimum set of products and services necessary to ensure that the target customer achieves their compelling reason to buy.Pro tipWork closely with partners and customers to ensure that the whole product meets their needs and is feasible to deliver.WarningAvoid trying to develop a whole product that meets the needs of multiple customer segments, as this can lead to a product that is not tailored to any one segment.
- Accelerate Formation of Whole ProductAccelerate the formation of the whole product by focusing all systems development and whole product marketing on the target customer. This involves committing resources and prioritizing the development of the whole product.Pro tipUse a phased approach to develop the whole product, starting with a minimum viable product and then iterating based on customer feedback.WarningAvoid underestimating the resources required to develop a whole product, as this can lead to delays and cost overruns.
- Win Niche FootholdWin a niche foothold in the mainstream market by delivering the whole product to the target customer. This involves demonstrating the value of the whole product and building a strong relationship with the customer.Pro tipUse customer success stories and case studies to demonstrate the value of the whole product and build credibility with other potential customers.WarningAvoid over-relying on a single customer, as this can create a risk if the customer decides not to continue using the product.
Documentum is a company that successfully crossed the chasm by identifying a single beachhead of pragmatist customers in the pharmaceutical industry and accelerating the formation of 100 percent of their whole product. The company developed a document management system that met the specific needs of pharmaceutical companies and delivered it to 30 of their top 40 target customers in a single year.
The difference between pagers and pen-based personal digital assistants (PDAs) is an example of the importance of gaining a niche foothold in the mainstream market. Pagers have become widely accepted because they have been adopted by specific groups of people, such as doctors and LAN administrators, who use them routinely. In contrast, PDAs have not gained widespread acceptance because they have not been adopted by a specific group of people.
The concept of Crossing the Chasm was developed by Geoffrey Moore, based on his experience working with high-tech companies in Silicon Valley. He observed that many companies were struggling to transition from the early market to the mainstream market, and he developed this framework to help them navigate this challenging period.