Rolling Up Our Sleeves. Doing the Hard Work of Identifying Your Catalytic Customers

The ability to identify and engage Catalytic Customers can profoundly shape an organization’s approach to innovation and market leadership. These individuals are not merely loyal or frequent users; they are critical partners in the co-creation of value, providing insights and feedback that drive meaningful advancements. However, uncovering and activating these customers is not a trivial task. It requires a meticulous, thoughtful process—a blend of strategic alignment, methodological rigor, and practical engagement.

We get asked the “How?” question frequently, and, while the specifics vary according to your specific category or industry, there is a common framework we employ for all our clients. It starts with a clear definition and entails a commitment to putting in the work in a hands-on way. No “black box” here.

Defining Catalytic Customers: More Than Just Engaged Users

Catalytic Customers occupy a unique space within your customer base—and sometimes outside of it. They exhibit qualities that set them apart as transformative contributors:

• Highly Engaged: These customers interact with your product or service frequently and in diverse ways, demonstrating a deep familiarity with its capabilities and potential.

• Forward-Thinking: They are not satisfied with the status quo. Instead, they actively seek to innovate and push boundaries, envisioning what’s next for the category.

• Constructively Critical: Their feedback is rooted in experience and a genuine desire to improve the product or service, often identifying issues others overlook.

• Category-Savvy: They possess a nuanced understanding of your category, including competitive landscapes, emerging trends, and unmet needs.

Importantly, not all Catalytic Customers are current users of your product or service. Some may be deeply engaged in the broader category and possess the insight and expertise needed to challenge and refine your offerings. These individuals, though outside your immediate customer base, can become invaluable contributors to your strategy.

And unlike early adopters or paid influencers, Catalytic Customers are not defined by their enthusiasm alone but by their capacity to inspire and catalyze meaningful change.

The Framework: Engagement, Enablement, and Disposition

To systematically identify Catalytic Customers, we rely on a robust framework built around three core dimensions:

1. Engagement: This dimension assesses the depth and breadth of a customer’s interaction with your product or category. Are they power users? Do they explore and leverage advanced features? Engagement is both quantitative (frequency and variety of use) and qualitative (depth of understanding).

2. Enablement: This measures the customer’s capacity to engage meaningfully. Do they have the tools, expertise, and access required to maximize the product’s potential? For example, a professional designer using a software tool may demonstrate enablement through their hard-earned skills and hands-on access to your product. They also have the resources (read: budget) to purchase your product.

3. Disposition: This reflects the customer’s mindset and orientation toward problem-solving and innovation. Are they curious and open to experimentation? Do they articulate constructive feedback with a vision for improvement? Disposition distinguishes those who engage passively from those who actively contribute.

While these dimensions provide a clear structure, their application requires nuance. Categories differ significantly, and tailoring this framework to align with the specific dynamics and circumstances of your industry is critical.

Establishing Alignment Through Cross-Functional Collaboration

The identification process begins with alignment—both conceptual and practical. Almost always, we begin the process by convening a cross-functional workshop with members of your team and related disciplines (think, sales, marketing, engineering, operations, customer support, etc.). This collaborative session achieves multiple objectives:

• Defining Relevance: The workshop enables teams to interpret the Catalytic Customer framework within the context of their unique category. For instance, the traits of an ideal Catalytic Customer for a SaaS platform will differ from those for a luxury consumer brand.

• Crafting Tailored Metrics: Teams work together to translate the framework into actionable metrics and questions. What does “deep familiarity” look like in your space? How should “forward-thinking” behaviors be measured?

• Securing Buy-In: Involving stakeholders from product, marketing, customer success, and other departments ensures shared ownership of the process and its outcomes. This alignment is crucial for seamless execution later.

A well-structured workshop facilitates not just clarity but also consensus, laying the groundwork for everything that follows when we begin engaging with your Catalytic Customers.

Moving From Framework to Actionable Insights

Once the framework has been customized, the next stage involves identifying and recruiting your Catalytic Customers. This phase is data-driven and iterative, incorporating several layers of analysis (as appropriate to your desired level of granularity):

• Data Mining and Pattern Recognition: Existing data—from CRM systems, usage analytics, and support logs—provides a foundation for identifying potential candidates. Patterns in engagement and feedback are particularly valuable indicators.

• Qualitative Validation: Surveys and interviews help confirm whether customers meet the established criteria. Open-ended questions and scenario-based discussions often reveal nuances that quantitative data cannot capture.

• Strategic Recruitment: The identification process culminates in the recruitment of these customers for specific activities such as:

• Advisory Boards (AdBoards) to provide ongoing strategic input

• Exploratory research that uncovers unmet needs and latent demand

• Competitive intelligence efforts to benchmark against other offerings

• Concept testing for iterative product development

• Jobs-To-Be-Done (JTBD) investigations to explore deeper motivational drivers

These engagements transform Catalytic Customers from mere concept into active collaborators, amplifying their impact on your organization’s strategic direction.

Why Precision Matters

The process of identifying Catalytic Customers demands significant effort, but its precision and intentionality pay dividends. By taking the time to craft a tailored framework, secure cross-functional alignment, and execute with rigor, organizations can:

• Unlock Unique Insights: Catalytic Customers offer a perspective that is both grounded and forward-looking, revealing opportunities that generic research often misses.

• Accelerate Innovation: Their input directly informs the design of products and services that are not only relevant but also pioneering.

• Forge Enduring Relationships: These customers become partners in innovation, deepening their loyalty and connection to your brand.

In essence, the process is an investment in clarity, collaboration, and customer-centricity, yielding outcomes that extend far beyond initial expectations.

Our Commitment to Depth

Identifying Catalytic Customers is not about taking shortcuts or attaining superficial metrics. It is a deliberate, sophisticated effort that rewards organizations willing to engage deeply with their customer base—and sometimes those beyond it. By embracing this process, you position your business to lead your category with confidence, insight, and a genuine understanding of what drives impactful innovation.