What Triggers Progression
Each stage transition has a trigger event and observable signals. Learning to read them is the practitioner's core skill.
The Seven Transitions
Each transition on the Value Path has a trigger (what causes the shift), signals (what you can observe), and a practitioner role (what you should do). People move when they are ready. Your job is to recognize readiness and support the transition, not create artificial urgency.
Audience to Researcher
Trigger: Their problem becomes acute enough to investigate. Something changed in their environment.
Watch for: Increased engagement, return visits, deeper content consumption.
Practitioner role: Have substantive content available. Do not chase. Be worth finding.
Researcher to Hand-Raiser
Trigger: Enough confidence to reveal themselves. They believe you might be able to help.
Watch for: Direct contact, form fills, event registration, questions submitted.
Practitioner role: Respond with substance, not sales pressure. They took a risk reaching out. Honor that.
Hand-Raiser to Buyer
Trigger: Alignment confirmed, timing right, resources available.
Watch for: Decision language, budget discussions, timeline questions.
Practitioner role: Guide the decision, do not force it. The Four Conversations framework (Module 4) governs this entire transition.
Buyer to Value Creator
Trigger: Work begins. The conversation shifts from planning to doing.
Watch for: Showing up, completing tasks, asking implementation questions.
Practitioner role: Enable success. The Empowerment belief becomes primary. You are building their capability, not just delivering yours.
Value Creator to Adopter
Trigger: New behaviors become natural. Effort decreases. It becomes "how we do things."
Watch for: Language shifts, independent application, self-correction.
Practitioner role: Reinforce. Help them see their own transformation. This is where renewals and expansion emerge naturally.
Adopter to Advocate
Trigger: Confidence in their transformation. They feel the difference and want others to know.
Watch for: Unprompted sharing, referral offers, testimonial willingness.
Practitioner role: Make it easy to share. Appreciate without exploiting. Never manufacture advocacy.
Advocate to Champion
Trigger: Identity integration. The methodology becomes part of who they are, not just what they use.
Watch for: Leading initiatives, teaching others, expanding scope, thought leadership.
Practitioner role: Partner. Learn from them. Champions often see applications you have not considered.
The Unified Views at Each Stage
Each stage has a primary Unified View that provides operational visibility. Understanding this mapping helps practitioners know which systems and data matter most at each point:
| Stage | Primary View | What's Visible |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Audience | UCV | Who they are, how they found us |
| 2. Researcher | UCV | What they explore, engagement depth |
| 3. Hand-Raiser | UCV | Explicit signals, conversation context |
| 4. Buyer | URV | Deal health, commercial terms |
| 5. Value Creator | URV + UTE | Delivery progress, resource allocation |
| 6. Adopter | UBC | Transformation signals, health indicators |
| 7. Advocate | UBC + UCV | Referral activity, testimonial readiness |
| 8. Champion | UTE | Partnership activities, community role |
Practitioner Exercise
Transition Recognition
Which transition do you find hardest to recognize in practice?