The global tech and telecommunications B2B market is headed for an incredible $1.9 trillion in 2024. Whether you're launching a startup or growing an established tech company, getting your market sizing right can make or break your success. I've helped many B2B tech companies figure this out, and I'm excited to share what really works when sizing up your market opportunity.
Getting your market size right is absolutely essential in today's B2B tech world. With U.S. B2B technology sales expected to top $70 billion by 2025, you can't afford to get these numbers wrong. I've seen firsthand how solid market sizing can open doors to growth and help companies avoid costly mistakes.
Here's what's happening in the market right now: cloud services, business apps, and communication tools are growing fast at over 10%, while device sales are seeing slower growth around 3-4%. Without understanding these numbers, you might miss out on the best opportunities for your business.
Good market sizing helps you:
Think of TAM, SAM, and SOM as your market sizing toolkit. These three metrics help you zoom in from the big picture to your actual target market.
Total Addressable Market (TAM) is your dream scenario - the total possible market if you could serve everyone. In B2B tech, where growth is heading toward 7% by late 2024, TAM shows you the whole playing field.
Serviceable Available Market (SAM) brings things down to earth - it's the part of the market you can actually reach with what you offer. For example, if you're in software and cloud services, where growth is hitting double digits, your SAM would focus on businesses that fit your ideal customer profile.
Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM) is your realistic share - what you can actually capture given your resources and competition. If you're selling hardware, where 2024 growth is expected at 3%, your SOM needs to account for competitors and your specific market entry plan.
When sizing up your market, you've got two main paths: top-down and bottom-up. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. Top-down starts with big market numbers and narrows down to your slice. For instance, knowing the global B2B tech market will hit $1.9 trillion in 2024, you'd work backward to find your specific market share.
Top-Down Benefits:
Top-Down Drawbacks:
Bottom-up starts with the details - like average deal size and potential customer numbers. It takes more work but usually gives you more accurate results.
Bottom-Up Benefits:
I've found that mixing both methods often works best. This hybrid approach uses big-picture market data while also looking at detailed customer insights and sales numbers. It's especially useful in B2B tech, where different market segments can behave very differently.
For example, you might use top-down data showing cloud services growing at 10%+, then check these numbers against what you're seeing in your customer base and sales pipeline. This helps you spot any disconnects and better understand your real opportunities.
Your success in market sizing depends a lot on choosing the right approach for your situation. Here's what to think about:
Data Quality and Availability:
Resource Limits:
Market Changes:
Stay flexible in how you approach this. Markets change - like the expected 7% growth in B2B tech revenue by end of 2024 - so you might need to adjust your method to catch new opportunities and challenges.
Finding your TAM is your first step in sizing up your market. Think of it as mapping out your entire universe of possibilities. For B2B tech companies, this means figuring out how much revenue you could make if you could reach every possible customer.
Here's how to nail down your TAM:
For context, U.S. B2B technology sales will pass $70 billion by 2025. You can use this kind of data as a starting point. Just remember to look at relevant subsectors - cloud services and business apps are growing over 10% yearly, which could affect your calculations.
When calculating SAM, you're getting real about who you can actually serve. This step turns big market numbers into practical targets by considering what you can actually deliver.
Think about these factors for your SAM:
For example, if you're focusing on hardware (projected 3% growth in 2024), your SAM would focus on specific segments where your product fits and areas you can actually reach.
Your SOM is your reality check - it's what you can actually achieve. With B2B tech revenue growth heading toward 7% by late 2024, your SOM needs to reflect both what's happening in the market and what you can realistically capture.
To get your SOM right, consider:
A solid competitive analysis makes your market sizing more accurate. Start by mapping out who has what share of the market and understanding their strengths and weaknesses. This helps you refine your SOM and find ways to stand out.
Look at:
Use industry resources like Gartner and Forrester to check your numbers. Remember that market sizing isn't a one-and-done thing - keep updating your estimates as things change.
Market sizing isn't just about numbers - it's about making smart business moves. With B2B e-commerce headed toward USD 57,578.97 billion by 2030 (growing 18.2% yearly), using market size data well is crucial for growth.
Here's how to put the data to work:
With 70% of B2B companies planning to go international in the next two years, market size data helps you pick the most promising markets - ones where what you're good at matches what customers need.
B2B marketing today needs to be precise and personal. About 57% of B2B companies now offer custom pricing for different customers, showing how important personalization has become. This means getting really specific with your market segments and messages.
Focus on:
With B2B commerce sales expected to pass $2.6 trillion in 2024, targeted marketing isn't optional anymore. Really understand what each market segment needs and tailor your approach accordingly.
Good market sizing helps you forecast finances and plan resources better. As 61% of businesses update their web presence to keep up with market changes, knowing how much funding you'll need becomes crucial.
When planning finances, consider:
For companies planning to enter six or more new countries (that's 36% of B2B businesses), detailed financial planning based on market size helps:
Keep updating your financial projections as the market changes. This keeps your planning in sync with what's actually happening in the market.
After helping many companies with market sizing, I've seen certain mistakes come up again and again. Knowing these pitfalls can save you time and help you get more accurate results.
Watch out for these common mistakes:
Double-check your assumptions using multiple sources and keep your market sizing approach current. Tech markets move fast, and yesterday's numbers might not reflect today's reality.
Modern tools have changed the game for market sizing. They help us get more precise numbers and deeper insights into what's happening in the market.
Here are the essential tools you'll want to use:
When picking your tools, look for ones that offer:
Good market sizing isn't static - it needs to evolve as markets change. Your market sizing model should be flexible enough to adapt to new information and changing conditions.
Keep an eye on:
Here's how to keep your market sizing sharp:
Set up a regular schedule to review your market predictions. Look at your assumptions every quarter and adjust your estimates based on what's actually happening in the market. This keeps your market sizing relevant and useful for making decisions.
Remember, the best market sizing combines solid analysis with real-world business insight. Stay flexible in your approach and be ready to change your methods as markets evolve. Regular fine-tuning of your market sizing model will help keep it accurate and useful for planning your strategy.