The Four Steps to the Epiphany

Figure 3.1  Earlyvangelist Characteristics 

You can think of these characteristics as making up a scale of customer pain. Characterizing 

customers’ pain on this scale is a critical part of Customer Discovery. My contention is that 

earlyvangelist customers will be found only at points 4 and 5: those who have already built a 

homegrown solution (whether in a company by building a software solution, or at home by taping 

together a fork, light bulb and vacuum cleaner) and have or can acquire a budget. These people are 

perfect candidates to be earlyvangelists. They are the ones you will rely on for feedback and for your 

first sales; the ones who will tell others about your product and spread the word that the vision is 

real. Moreover, when you meet them, you mentally include them on your list of expert customers to 

add to your advisory board (more about advisory boards in Chapter 4).