We all have a tendency to lead with the numbers. In seeking to win a deal, we build a rock-solid, numbers-driven “business case” for our solution, and we use that business case to win over customers.
And if we run into any doubt, we double down, making that business case even more compelling.
The operable mental model here is both strong and pervasive: The better the business case for our solution, the more likely customers are to take action and choose our solution.
But no matter how compelling it may be, that business case is suspect at best if customer stakeholders aren’t aligned in the first place around what they’re trying to do, how to achieve it, or how to measure the results.
It’s kind of like declaring you won the game without establishing any rules before you start.
Just like victory in a game is only a victory within the context of specific, predetermined rules, a “success” in business is only a success within the context of specific, predetermined objectives, tactics, metrics, targets, and timelines. Context is everything.
Without that context, your business case doesn’t just lack credibility, it lacks meaning.
Set the rules of the game first, and then map the course to victory. The math is last.
