The "tollbooth" model concentrates all go-to-market resources on the precise moment a buyer develops urgent demand. The goal is to create such a strong, targeted presence at that point that it feels strange for the prospect not to engage with your company, dramatically increasing conversion.
A consultant targets Fortune 500 CEOs in crisis by sending a personalized samurai sword. This physical, bold, and perfectly timed gesture is so unusual and relevant to their high-stakes situation that it virtually guarantees a response, cutting through the noise of traditional digital outreach.
A single-channel strategy focuses on mastering one tactic, like conferences. A "tollbooth" strategy is more profound: it focuses on owning a specific customer *demand situation*. This situation can then be targeted from multiple angles and channels, all designed to make it impossible for a buyer in that moment to ignore you.
Committing all resources to a single demand trigger is a post-product-market fit move. Early on, founders need a broader approach to discover the repeatable patterns of demand. Only after identifying this pattern from early customers can you confidently build a concentrated "tollbooth" around it.
Traditional marketing spreads budget thinly across many low-conviction prospects. A "tollbooth" approach identifies high-demand prospects with near certainty. This conviction allows you to consolidate your budget and spend dramatically more per person on a high-impact action, transforming your CAC economics.
A "tollbooth" strategy is not theoretical; it's discovered by reverse-engineering your quickest sales. Interviewing customers who bought fast reveals common "demand triggers"—the external events forcing them to seek a solution. This repeatable trigger then becomes your company's strategic focus.