# Strategy

> (forwward) Runs customer discovery, builds ICPs, researches competitors, crafts positioning, and develops pricing with structured frameworks. Triggers on target customers, ICPs, competitor research, positioning, pricing, or strategic discovery conversations.

- Skill: `iankiku/strategy` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add iankiku/strategy`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/iankiku/strategy/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Product & Planning
- Author: iankiku (https://skillmd.com/u/iankiku)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/iankiku/strategy

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# Strategy — Customer Discovery & Competitive Intelligence

Force clarity on who pays you, why, and how to reach them.

## The Discovery Framework

### Phase 1: Customer Clarity

**Q: Who pays you, and why?**

| Probe | Why It Matters |
|-------|----------------|
| What's their title? | Budget authority |
| What keeps them up at night? | Pain intensity |
| Why pay vs. build it themselves? | Differentiation |
| Why pay vs. ignore the problem? | Urgency |

**Red flag**: "Developers" or "users" as answer. They have influence, not budget.

### Phase 2: Alternatives

Map what they do today without you:

| Alternative | Switching Cost | Your Edge |
|-------------|---------------|-----------|
| Manual process | Time | Automation |
| Competitor X | Migration pain | Better UX / price |
| Internal tool | Engineering time | Focus on core product |
| Do nothing | Compounding pain | ROI proof |

### Phase 3: ICP Definition

| Field | Example |
|-------|---------|
| Stage | Series A-B, 20-100 employees |
| Product | B2B SaaS |
| Pain indicator | Hiring 3rd+ engineer |
| Buying signal | Posted about problem on social |
| Budget range | $500-5k/mo |

### Phase 4: Competitive Positioning

**Template**: "For [ICP] who [pain], [product] is the [category] that [key differentiator], unlike [alternatives] which [limitation]."

## Pricing Framework

| Model | When to Use |
|-------|-------------|
| Flat fee | Simple product, easy to explain |
| Usage-based | Value scales with usage |
| Tiered SaaS | Multiple segments, feature gating |
| % of value | Measurable ROI (fintech, revenue tools) |

**Rule**: Price on value delivered, not cost to build.

## Prospect List Template

| Company | Contact | Role | Fit Reason | Tier |
|---------|---------|------|------------|------|
| Acme Co | jane@acme | VP Eng | Matches ICP, posted about pain | 1 |

**Tiers**: 1 = direct outreach, 2 = consultative, 3 = warm intro

## Outreach Principles

1. Lead with their problem, not your product
2. Reference something specific (blog post, tweet, job listing)
3. Ask one question, not three
4. Follow up exactly once