# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We work with teams all around the world to help visualize their business idea using tools such as the Business Model Canvas and Value Proposition Canvas. Ideally, teams should quickly test their canvases using experiments, as we've documented in the book Testing Business Ideas. But in reality, teams often go down a rabbit hole and forget about their canvases. We've found that using templates can help teams make the important connection between the canvas and their experiment. A template gives advice on how to pull valuable information from your canvas and inform your experiment design.

You will learn about templates and more by signing up for our masterclass on Testing Business Ideas .

Connecting the Value Proposition Canvas to a Simple Landing Page.

A very common and widely practiced experiment we see in the wild is the Simple Landing Page. But many of the pages that launch lack the core jobs, pains, and gains of the target customer. All they contain is the solution in words that the customer may not relate to. You can remedy this by using a simple template to pull in the jobs, pains and gains you've already created in your Value Proposition Canvas. This test is a great way to validate the collection of hypotheses underpinning your value proposition and communicate it in a clear and simple manner.

Here are a few simple tips to guide your template.

Elaborate on the customer pains and gains. Customer pains and gains will come from your Customer Profile. Take the top 1-3 voted customer pains and gains from the canvas and include them respectively in the pains or gains description at the bottom left and right of the landing page.

Describe your solution. This will come from the description of the product and service in your Value Map. The product and service in the middle column of the page should reflect this.

Make your value proposition explicit. Include a value proposition statement right at the top of the page. It should be a clear and simple statement summarizing why the customer should choose your product or service. Before brainstorming what appears as your main headline for the landing page, pull from what you've already included in your Value Proposition Canvas. Do not create your Value Proposition in a vacuum or neglect the work that you've already done.

Include a call-to-action. Lastly, you want a way for people to demonstrate whether or not your value proposition resonates with them. This can be in the form of an email sign-up.

This is our recommendation, but don't feel constrained by our design. Once you start making the connections between your canvases and your experiments, then you can make your own templates that fit your unique situation.

What other templates would you like to see from us?

Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
Testing Business Ideas Virtual Masterclass

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Design a Strong Experiment That Connects to Your Value Proposition Canvas

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We work with teams all around the world to help visualize their business idea using tools such as the Business Model Canvas and Value Proposition Canvas. Ideally, teams should quickly test their canvases using experiments, as we've documented in the book Testing Business Ideas.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Lean Product Playbook with Author Dan Olsen

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
By: Greg Sands, Founder & Managing Partner at Costanoa Ventures, and John Dawes, Executive in Residence at Costanoa Ventures
Achieving product market fit (PMF) is the single most important aspect of any early stage company. What is it and how do you know when you've got it?

Product market fit applies to all of these situations. But more importantly, each marks an important stage that your company will need to address. At Costanoa, we like to think of product market fit as akin to a journey. Successful companies understand this and apply the right approaches to address these myriad challenges at each stage. Below I will lay out the different PMF stages and dig deeper into each transition.

Stages of Product Market Fit

Stage 0: Initial concept

Stage 1: Getting to your first initial set of successful customers

Stage 2: Scaling with a predictable selling motion

Stage 3: Strong tailwind that makes it hard to keep up with demand

Be very customer-centric and close to customers to make them happy.

Not just product discovery, but discovering the right problem to solve. This means talking to every customer you can get your hands on. See "The Importance of Honest Customer Discovery."

Fully understand alternatives and why they should pay for you.

Getting to Stage 1: Concept to first initial customers

The challenge: Solving a meaningful problem in a differentiated way

The approach: Product discovery with a focus on discovering the right problem to solve

Focus on a subset of customers (a target market segment) where you can be overwhelmingly compelling to appeal to more cautious buyers (needs to be clearly better than alternatives - 10x).

Not chasing every opportunity, but prioritized based on strong lead qualification aligned with your ideal customer profile and use cases where you can demonstrate strong value.

Making the sales motion repeatable by developing a customer playbook that leverages reference customers that are aligned with your ideal customer profile of your target market segment.

Moving beyond CEO selling to hiring and training new salespeople (using your playbook) to grow and scale the business.

Getting to Stage 2: Scaling from your first customers to a repeatable selling motion

The challenge: How to scale with a broad set of opportunities and requirements

The approach: Focus on an initial target segment of customers

For each new segment go back to PMF stage 1 with additional functions (for same users) or similar functions for different user groups. You need PMF in every intersection of use case and customer type.

Each time you grow your PMF footprint you increase how much of your available market is accessible market. In many cases, it opens up new avenues for customer acquisition (marketing and lead gen) and often increases close rates as fewer leads get disqualified.

These choices are as much business strategy as product strategy which requires strong alignment as an executive team. These are not just product decisions.

Evaluate segments up front and make clear, intentional decisions as to which ones you will take on and in what order. Evaluate based on clear goals in terms of impact to your business, but also consider risk, reversibility, and strategic alignment. Bigger bets need to be well thought through.

Getting to Stage 3: From repeatable selling motion to struggling to keep up with demand

The challenge: How to get to enough critical mass to generate a tail wind

The approach: Expanding by strategically winning one segment at a time

Apply the right approach at each stage

Finding product market fit takes time and hard work, but most importantly requires a different approach at different stages of PMF. To be successful with PMF you will need to change your approach at each stage to successfully address the next stage of challenges.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Stages of Product Market Fit - Costanoa Ventures - Medium

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
By: Greg Sands, Founder & Managing Partner at Costanoa Ventures , and John Dawes, Executive in Residence at Costanoa Ventures Achieving product market fit (PMF) is the single most important aspect of any early stage company. What is it and how do you know when you've got it?