In this article, Bryter Associate Director, Charlie Wood reflects on his years of experience in the B2B research space.
In the B2B world, bold decisions often rest on uncertain ground. When a business is weighing whether to enter a new market, launch a product, or reposition an offer, the questions are familiar but the answers can be elusive: How big is the opportunity? Will it be profitable? Can we win in this space? That’s where opportunity sizing research comes into its own — giving decision-makers the clarity to move forward with confidence, or the foresight to pause before overcommitting and make that uncertain ground, certain. .
Over the past few years, I’ve worked with B2B organisations across sectors — helping them navigate exactly these kinds of decisions. What unites them is a desire to reduce guesswork and ground strategy in something more robust: real, considered, customer-centred insight. The best leaders don’t just want data — they want direction, and B2B sizing is one of the most powerful ways to provide it.
Sparking Alignment and Strategic Momentum
What I find most exciting is how B2B market sizing research becomes a springboard for broader strategic thinking. We run cross-functional workshops that turn insight into action. We find these sessions are often where the magic happens: when sales, product, and strategy teams come together and realise they’re looking at the same market opportunity, just from slightly different angles. Insight acts as the common language that brings it all together.
Guiding Smarter, More Adaptive Businesses
There’s a lot of talk in B2B about being data-driven. But in practice, it’s not just about having the data — it’s about knowing how to use it. The most adaptive businesses we work with don’t treat research as a tick-box exercise or a retrospective justification. They use insight as a strategic compass — a way to ask better questions, challenge assumptions, and make bold yet informed decisions in complex environments.
These organisations aren’t just reacting to market shifts — they’re anticipating them. They’re not fixated on chasing trends or copying competitors; they’re focused on identifying where they can create meaningful value, sustainably and at scale. They use research to test not just the what, but the why — what makes a proposition relevant, what defines success for their customers, and what needs to change internally to deliver it.
That’s why I find this work so energising. It sits at the intersection of commercial rigour and customer empathy. It’s where strategy meets real-world behaviour — and where big decisions get grounded in something more powerful than opinion: evidence. Whether we’re shaping a new proposition, reframing a go-to-market approach, or pressure-testing a business model, we’re helping clients move forward with clarity and conviction.
In a world where uncertainty is the only constant, the ability to adapt — thoughtfully, quickly, and with purpose — is what defines long-term winners. Research won’t give you all the answers, but when used right, it helps you ask exactly the right questions. And that’s where smarter business begins.
Grounding Strategy in Customer Reality
One of the biggest misconceptions about this kind of research is that it’s purely analytical — just a numbers game. But the truth is, the most valuable insight often comes from people. Customers. Users. The decision-makers who will ultimately say yes or no to your proposition.
That’s why we don’t stop at B2B market sizing or revenue modelling. While those are essential for understanding the scale of opportunity, they don’t tell you why buyers behave the way they do — or what truly motivates a decision. We combine traditional techniques like segmentation, demand estimation, and competitive mapping with in-depth qualitative exploration that brings context, nuance, and clarity to the numbers.
We ask the tough, revealing questions: Who are the buyers? What’s keeping them up at night? What would make your solution feel not just relevant, but essential? Where does your offer fit into their current priorities — and where might it fall short?
By understanding both the emotional drivers and the functional needs that shape buying behaviour, we help clients uncover the "why behind the what" — identifying unmet needs, reframing positioning, and surfacing fresh angles that competitors may have overlooked.
This isn’t about validating a pre-decided strategy — it’s about discovering one that will actually resonate. Because in B2B, where relationships are complex and decisions are high-stakes, the companies that win are the ones who listen first, then build.
Keeping the customer at the centre
Yes, we use frameworks. Yes, we analyse data. But at its core, this is about empathy. What do customers want? What are they trying to achieve? And how can your business help them get there in a way that makes commercial sense?
That’s the human side of opportunity sizing. It’s not just about chasing growth. It’s about creating value — for your customers and your business — in equal measure.
Conclusion
Opportunity sizing isn’t just a tool for measurement — it’s a mindset for better decision-making. In an environment where uncertainty is a constant and stakes are high, this kind of research gives businesses the clarity to act with confidence and the humility to course-correct when needed. It helps leadership teams align around shared truths, not assumptions. It invites commercial ambition, but tempers it with evidence. And perhaps most importantly, it puts the customer — their needs, behaviours, and priorities — at the heart of strategic thinking.
What I’ve learned from working with B2B organisations over the years is this: success doesn’t come from having all the answers. It comes from asking the right questions, being willing to challenge internal bias, and using insight not just to support decisions, but to shape them.
When done right, B2B market sizing becomes more than a report — it becomes a catalyst. For sharper propositions. For smarter allocation of resources. For braver, more aligned choices. It’s not just about spotting where the growth is — it’s about understanding what will make that growth real, sustainable, and customer-driven.
To read more about how market research services key sectors like healthcare and pharmaceuticals, technology, gaming and B2B markets read our article Bryter - Applications of B2B Market Research
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Can a B2B opportunity sizing research help for your business? Get in touch with one of the insights team if you want to learn more about different approaches to market research and to understand which methodology may be most appropriate for your insight needs
