Worked questionsSkill 05: Understand the alternative before writing the pitch
Which customer would you build for first?
The alternative a buyer actually uses tells you more than the AI label you could put on the product.
The question
RelayDesk, a fictional support workspace, has notes from three buyer conversations. The person who uses the product and the person who buys it are often different.
- A · support lead, small teamUses a shared inbox. Handoffs lose the owner. Wants a reliable next owner without changing the whole stack.
- B · operations leadTracks policy exceptions in a spreadsheet. Needs approval and audit history. Few tickets, but each one matters a lot.
- C · founder-led teamPastes redacted questions into a general-purpose AI. Wants cheaper first drafts. Unclear whether they would switch tools or pay.
“Three buyer conversations name different alternatives: a shared inbox, a spreadsheet or general-purpose AI. Which customer and problem would you target first, and what would you need to verify?”
Your turn
Say your answer out loud, or jot notes below. Both work. Or skip to the worked answer.
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A strong answer, step by step
Open each step in turn. This is one strong answer, not the only one.
Step 1: Understand the real comparison
“I’d reconstruct what each buyer did last time, what they considered and why. Mentioning Claude or a spreadsheet doesn’t prove it was on a real shortlist.”
Why it works: Alternatives are what customers do, not our category labels.
Step 2: Choose a scoped hypothesis
“I’d start, provisionally, with A: a clearer owner handoff inside their existing support workflow. I’d explicitly set aside B’s audit workflow and C’s cheaper-drafts bet for now.”
Why it works: It is a product choice with an opportunity cost, not a claim about the whole market.
Step 3: State the differentiated value and the evidence
“The hypothesis is fewer lost handoffs without forcing a new stack, not ‘AI-powered support’. I need evidence of how often it happens, how urgent it is, the integration limits and whether teams will adopt and pay.”
Why it works: It names value a segment can test, without inventing demand or revenue.
Step 4: Make the next decision
“I’d interview more teams like A and test the handoff workflow. If the value and adoption hold, continue; if not, revisit the segment.”
Why it works: A specific recommendation that admits what is still unknown.
The answer, in short
- Decision
- Start with buyer A, the small support team losing owners in handoffs, and test a handoff workflow that fits their existing stack.
- Because
- It ties a concrete, recurring problem to a focused capability. Another first segment is fine with a defensible reason.
- What would change it
- If more teams like A don’t feel the pain often, or won’t adopt or pay, revisit B’s audit need or another segment.
Common traps
- Choosing the most fashionable AI feature.
- Confusing possible competitors with actual alternatives.
- Declaring a market size from three conversations.
- Writing a slogan before choosing the value.
Check your answer
- Did I identify the alternatives buyers actually use?
- Did I choose a specific segment?
- Did I explain the differentiated value to that customer?
- Did I name the evidence I need before committing?
Want to practise explaining this decision aloud? Try an AI coach on Socratify.
Last reviewed Nov 9, 2026