Market sizing & growth · Core
Serviceable obtainable market
Also called: SOM, obtainable market
ELI5
The realistic near-term share the company might win.
Used in conversation
“The SOM should reflect sales capacity and competition.”
Definition
The portion of SAM the company could plausibly capture within a defined period and strategy.
Here “Serviceable obtainable market” means: The portion of SAM the company could plausibly capture within a defined period and strategy.
Pitch context
You will see “Serviceable obtainable market” in strategy decks, market analyses, business plans and planning workshops when the discussion reaches market sizing & growth.
Why it matters: It helps a reader interpret market sizing & growth without confusing the measure, decision, role or evidence being discussed.
Connected terms
- Serviceable available marketSAM is the serviceable market; SOM is the realistic share that may be obtainable within stated constraints.
Sources & evidence · 5
Supporting source families. This entry is an editorial synthesis rather than a quotation from one canonical glossary.
- Strategyzer — Business Model Canvas resourcesSupporting source family · practitioner · checked 2026-08-16
- Strategyzer — Value Proposition Canvas resourcesSupporting source family · practitioner · checked 2026-08-16
- LEANSTACK — Lean CanvasSupporting source family · practitioner · checked 2026-08-16
- U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division — Herfindahl-Hirschman IndexSupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-16
- U.S. Census Bureau — Business and economy dataSupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-16