Running Your First Growth Workshop
Every effective strategy starts with alignment — not just between leaders, but across teams. The Ansoff Matrix isn’t just a diagram; it’s a shared language for growth. When you run a growth strategy workshop, you’re not just collecting ideas. You’re creating a space where assumptions are tested, risk is named, and opportunity is mapped with clarity.
Start with a simple rule: the goal isn’t to find the perfect answer in one session. It’s to create a shared understanding of where your business is and where it could go. That means choosing a format that’s both structured and flexible — one that invites participation without overwhelming it.
As someone who’s led dozens of strategy sessions across startups, agencies, and SMEs, I’ve seen how a well-facilitated workshop can turn confusion into momentum. This chapter walks you through organizing and running your first Ansoff Matrix workshop with purpose. You’ll learn how to set the stage, guide decision-making, and turn brainstorming into actionable steps. No jargon. No fluff. Just practical, real-world guidance.
Preparing for Your Workshop
Preparation is the invisible foundation of a successful growth strategy workshop. Without it, even the best-intentioned sessions collapse into vague discussions or ego-driven decisions.
Begin by defining the objective clearly. Is the goal to explore new product opportunities? To challenge the status quo of market penetration? Or to align leadership on the next 12 months of expansion?
Choose participants thoughtfully. Invite people from product, marketing, sales, and operations — not because they must agree, but because they represent the realities of execution. A product manager sees features differently than a sales rep sees customer pain points.
Key Inputs to Gather Beforehand
Collect these data points before the session to ground the conversation:
- Current market share and customer demographics
- Customer feedback and churn reasons
- Competitor expansion activity
- Product roadmap and R&D capacity
- Available budget and resource constraints
Having this upfront prevents the workshop from becoming a guessing game. It shifts the focus from “what do we want?” to “what can we actually do?”
Setting the Stage
Choose a room with enough wall space for a large Ansoff Matrix. Use sticky notes, markers, and a whiteboard or flip chart. I recommend a 45-minute to 2-hour window. Rushing leads to superficial outcomes; going too long drains energy.
Start with a 5-minute orientation: explain the matrix, define the quadrants, and show a simple example relevant to your business. Avoid jargon. Use analogies — like “Market Penetration is like selling more of the same thing to the same people, like a coffee shop adding loyalty points.”
Facilitating the Brainstorming Session
Now comes the heart of the workshop: strategic brainstorming. The goal isn’t to generate every possible idea. It’s to generate the right kind of ideas — ones that map clearly to a quadrant and have a path to execution.
Begin with a time-boxed exercise. Say: “In 10 minutes, write down any growth idea, no matter how small, and place it on the matrix where it belongs.” Use different colored sticky notes for each quadrant: red for market penetration, blue for market development, green for product development, yellow for diversification.
Guidelines for Effective Participation
- Everyone gets equal time — no one dominates.
- No idea is too small or too wild at this stage.
- Encourage “How?” and “Why?” questions to dig deeper.
- Use the “Idea + Quadrant + Reason” format: “Launch a mobile app for existing users (Product Development) because 62% of them use mobile but lack a dedicated app.”
Be ready to challenge assumptions. Not every idea fits. A “market development” idea might actually be a product change in disguise. That’s okay — pause and ask: “What’s really changing? The market or the offering?”
Building the Ansoff Matrix Together
Workshop participants should label the four quadrants:
| Product | Market Penetration (1) | Market Development (2) |
|---|---|---|
| Offering | Product Development (3) | Diversification (4) |
Place each idea on the board. Cluster similar ideas. Ask: “What do these have in common?” This builds shared understanding and reveals patterns — like multiple teams wanting to expand into new regions, suggesting market development is underprioritized.
From Ideas to Action
Having mapped your ideas, the next step is to evaluate and prioritize. This is where many workshops fail — jumping from idea generation to execution without filtering.
Use a simple scoring model:
| Criterium | Scale (1–5) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Strategic Fit | 1–5 | Does it align with core vision? |
| Feasibility (Resources) | 1–5 | Do we have the people, budget, and timeline? |
| Market Demand | 1–5 | Is there evidence of need? |
| Risk Level | 1–5 | High risk = 1, Low risk = 5 |
Score each idea. The total (out of 20) helps you rank options. Focus on ideas scoring 14+ — those that are both viable and impactful.
But don’t stop at scoring. Ask: “What’s the first real step?” If the idea is “launch a new product for existing customers,” the first action might be: “Define 3 key user needs via customer survey by Friday.”
Turning Strategy into a Timeline
Turn your top 3–5 ideas into a simple action plan:
- Assign owners
- Set clear milestones
- Define success metrics (e.g., “10% increase in user engagement in 90 days”)
- Build a review cadence (e.g., bi-weekly check-ins)
This keeps energy high and accountability real. A strategy that lives only on a board is a ghost. A strategy with actions is a plan.
Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
Even well-intentioned workshops can go off track. Here’s what to watch for — and how to correct it.
- Over-romanticizing diversification: Diversification is high-risk. Don’t let excitement about “new markets” blind you to execution risk. Ask: “Do we have the team, data, or capital to support this?”
- Confusing market development with product development: Expanding to a new country isn’t the same as launching a new feature. Be precise. If you’re changing the product, it’s product development. If you’re only changing the market, it’s market development.
- Letting seniority dominate: The most senior person shouldn’t decide the agenda. Use anonymous voting or dot voting to democratize decision-making.
- Missing the “why” behind ideas: If a team suggests “entering a new region,” ask: “What makes you believe there’s demand? What data supports this?” Without evidence, it’s just speculation.
These aren’t mistakes — they’re signals. They mean the workshop is working. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s clarity.
Next Steps After the Workshop
After the session, send a follow-up email summarizing:
- Key ideas generated
- Top 3 prioritized initiatives
- Owners and next steps
- Next review date
Don’t treat the workshop as a one-off event. It’s the beginning of a process. Schedule a 30-day checkpoint — not to re-evaluate the Ansoff Matrix, but to see what’s working, what’s blocking, and what needs adjustment.
Remember: the Ansoff Matrix is not a static document. It’s a living guide. Revisit it quarterly. Update it. Let it evolve as your business does.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should a growth strategy workshop take?
Plan for 60 to 120 minutes. A 90-minute session works well for most teams. Keep the energy high by using timed rounds, breaks, and clear transitions.
What if the team disagrees on where an idea belongs?
That’s normal. Use the “how” and “why” questions to clarify: “Is the market changing or the product?” If the line is unclear, place it temporarily in a “Review” zone. Revisit later with data or customer feedback.
How many ideas should we aim for in a workshop?
Target 10–20 ideas per team. More than that becomes unmanageable. Use clustering and grouping to reduce noise. Quality beats quantity — but only if the quality is grounded in real insight.
Is it okay to have multiple ideas in one quadrant?
Yes. That’s expected. The Ansoff Matrix isn’t a checklist but a map. You might have three market penetration ideas, two product development ideas, and one diversification. That’s fine — the value lies in how you evaluate and prioritize them.
How often should we run a growth strategy workshop?
Quarterly is ideal. Use it to review progress, reset goals, and explore new opportunities. For startups, run it every 6–8 weeks to keep strategy agile. But never skip it — the longer you wait, the more assumptions harden into inertia.
