The company deliberately wins recognized leaders in its target industry early, and later buyers cite or are shown those accounts during their evaluation.
How Lighthouse Customers work
Winning the industry's largest names first gives later buyers a reference they trust, shortening their evaluation.
How companies won with Lighthouse Customers
From the win chains in Strategy Canon case studies: what the winner did, and what its rival did at the same step.
vs. BMC Remedy · 2005–15
ServiceNow
Enterprise IT references, then take Remedy's base
What it did
Quit mid-market after a year; WageWorks buyer carried it to Edmunds, then Qualcomm and TIAA-CREF led to Hyatt
BMC Remedy
ITSSM revenue share fell every year 2010-14; sales 'slow to respond' and dropped off shortlists
Which leaders did it win first, and did later buyers rely on them?
Who names it
Author
What they call it / where it appears
Moore +
Reference customers for pragmatists
Note. Near miss: A startup whose first customer happened to be large. Does not count: A logo list without evidence of targeting or of later buyers relying on it.