In the world of Business Development (BD), I’ve observed a fascinating difference between the "Western" and "Taiwanese" approach: Is it better to aim first, or fire immediately?
Every company has its own DNA, largely shaped by its founders. This culture affects everything—especially how the organization approaches Market Development.
In Western business environments, regardless of company size, a Market Assessment seems mandatory before launching any new product or service.
Their core logic is simple: Resources are limited. Unless you are a huge and global capital, it is impossible to wage war on every front simultaneously. Western firms prioritize deep-dive research to identify high-value targets. If internal expertise is lacking, they don't hesitate to outsource this assessment to specialists.
You can think of it this way:
Imagine you and your team are trapped in a room during a war. You have one gun and only a few bullets left. To escape, you wouldn’t blindly spray bullets at the thick steel door. Instead, you would calmly inspect the room to find the weakest point—the door hinge or the lock mechanism (Market Assessment). You then aim your remaining bullets (Resources) at that specific spot to maximize your chances of breaking through (Success Rate).
In contrast, many local companies tend to only let their sales teams to leverage personal networks and existing relationships to push new collaborations.
While I advocate for building business on existing trust—which certainly lowers collaboration costs—it’s important to remember: "Existing Clients" do not always equal the "Right Market." Expanding new business through an existing client requires a an extraordinary alignment of coincidences: their market must happen to be your target market, and your new product must happen to be what they're looking for.
Without prior research to narrow your focus, this often devolves into "spray and pray" opportunism. For example, if the real opportunity lies in Market A, but you keep moving toward Market B just because you have a "contact" there, you will exhaust your resources before you ever reach the destination.
Opportunism could be a practical choice, but every business move carries a high cost in time, talent, and capital.
You need a "Navigation Map." Conduct your market assessment first to set your heading, then adjust your sails based on the real-world conditions you encounter. This is far more effective than drifting aimlessly at sea.
There’s a popular saying in the startup world: "Even a pig can fly if you catch the right trend." Honestly, I’d love to be that lucky pig. But in reality, if you want to surf the big waves, you must first evaluate the wind, study the tides, and position yourself to the right place. Only then can you rise with the momentum when the moment arrives.
In an era of limited resources, where are you aiming your next shot?
