Where Should We Land in the U.S.?

Top 3 Key Takeaways from this article:

1. Choose one U.S. cluster using the PASS Test

Don’t treat the U.S. as a single market. Use PASS (People, Access, Signal, Short TTV) to identify the best entry point. If one factor is weak, traction will stall.

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2. Execute a focused 90-day plan, not a scattered approach

Commit to one cluster for a quarter and follow a clear playbook: target top accounts, secure warm intros, validate pains, run pilots, and secure a production win within 90 days.

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3. Avoid common expansion pitfalls

Skipping focus (“NY + SF + Austin”), doing “event tourism” without meetings, or copy-pasting European personas will derail progress. Success comes from disciplined focus, not spreading thin.

Read the full article here:

A Beachhead Playbook + Worksheet

If you’re a European business leader, here’s the honest dilemma: the U.S. is 50 markets in a trench coat. Pick wrong and you spend a year collecting “promising conversations.” Pick right and you generate pipeline in 90 days. At Traksjon, we’ve watched expansions stall because the first move was a flight, not a focus. Let’s fix that with a simple, defensible beachhead method you can explain to your board—and your first 50 prospects.

The PASS Test (how to choose your city/cluster)

P — People density: Are your exact buyers, partners, and reference customers physically concentrated there?

A — Access now: Can you get warm intros inside 30 days?

S — Signal: Are there 1–2 anchor events and credible media/associations your buyers follow?

S — Short time‑to‑value: Can you implement and prove value in <90 days locally (logistics, approvals, integration help)?

If any element is weak, your travel calendar will hide the lack of traction.

The 90‑Day Beachhead Plan (do, don’t discuss)

Weekly Planner	Your To Dos
Week 1–2	Publish your Top‑50 Named Accounts list (by logo, site, and buyer title). Secure 5 warm intros and 2 partner meetings.
Week 3–4	Book 20 discovery calls; validate 3 pains you can solve fast.
Week 5–6	Stand up one integration your buyers already pay for.
Week 7–8	Launch 2 paid pilots with production‑adjacent scope.
Week 9–10	Host a field event (demand review + two customer mini‑talks).
Week 11–12	Convert 1 pilot to production; publish a U.S. proof one‑pager.

Common mistakes (and how to avoid them)

• Boiling the ocean: “NY + SF + Austin.” Choose one cluster and commit for a quarter.
• Event tourism: Walking big shows without pre‑booked meetings. Insist on 20 pre‑set meetings or skip the trip.
• European ICP transplant: U.S. buyer titles and budget lines differ. Rebuild personas (see Article #2).

The Beachhead Worksheet (copy/paste)

Beachhead Hypothesis (12 months)

– Vertical + Use Case:

– City/Cluster:

– Why PASS? (People, Access, Signal, Short TTV):

– Top-50 Named Accounts (logo, site, buyer title):

– 3 Integration Priorities (systems buyers already pay for):

– 3 Partners (SI/VAR/OEM) with named intro owners:

– 2 Anchor Events + 2 Buyer-Dense Niche Events:

– 90-Day Milestones (meetings, SQOs, pilots, production):

– Success Criteria to Scale/Kill at Month 9:

A quick vignette (what “good” looks like)

A Nordic industrial IoT company skipped “coast hopping,” chose a single aerospace cluster. They pre‑integrated with the incumbent MES, ran two paid pilots inside 60 days, and left the quarter with one production win and a credible U.S. logo. The difference wasn’t money—it was focus.

If you only do one thing this week: publish your Top‑50 list and book 20 calls. Your beachhead is either real or it isn’t.

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