gtm-strategy

What this skill does

# Strategies: Go-to-Market

Guides go-to-market (GTM) strategy—the blueprint for launching or repositioning a product that aligns product, marketing, sales, and customer success around reaching and winning target customers. Organizations with a defined GTM process see ~10pp higher launch success rates (63% vs 53%) and ~3× median revenue growth. However, ~72% of sales reps miss quota, often due to execution gaps. Use this skill when planning GTM for product launch, new market entry, repositioning, or feature launch.

**When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

## GTM Scenarios

| Scenario | Scope | Use |
|----------|-------|-----|
| **Product launch** | New product to market | Full GTM; see **product-launch** for launch execution |
| **New market entry** | New geography or segment | Full GTM; different buying behaviors, competitors, regulations |
| **Repositioning** | Shift who you serve, what you solve | Messaging, ICP, channel alignment; not just rebrand |
| **Feature launch** | New capability in existing product | Tiered by impact; T1 (revenue) = full planning; T2/T3 = lighter |

**GTM vs product launch**: GTM is the strategy; product launch is the execution phase. GTM applies to multiple scenarios—not just new products.

## GTM Modes

| Mode | When to Use | ACV | Buyer |
|------|-------------|-----|-------|
| **Product-led (PLG)** | Value in minutes; self-evaluate; simple adoption | <$10K | Buyer = end user |
| **Sales-led (SLG)** | Multi-stakeholder; complex procurement; implementation | >$25K | Enterprise; negotiation |
| **Marketing-led (MLG)** | Content, SEO, paid drive awareness; market education | Varies | Demand gen focus |
| **Hybrid** | PLG for acquisition; sales for expansion | Common | Self-serve → sales handoff |

**Decision factors**: ACV, product complexity, buyer profile, how customers want to buy. Target LTV:CAC ≥3:1; CAC payback <12 months.

## 90-Day Execution Framework

| Phase | Weeks | Focus |
|-------|-------|-------|
| **Market analysis** | 1–3 | Validate demand; competitive landscape; TAM; buying signals |
| **Strategy design** | 4–6 | ICP, personas; positioning; pricing; GTM mode; channels |
| **Execution build** | 7–9 | Messaging, content, sales playbook; tech stack |
| **Launch & iterate** | 10–12 | Go live; measure; iterate |

**Key**: Connect plan to real buying activity within 90 days—not disconnected strategy documents.

## ICP vs Buyer Persona

| Type | Level | Defines |
|------|-------|---------|
| **ICP** | Company | Which organizations deliver best unit economics; firmographics (industry, size, revenue), technographics, problem intensity |
| **Buyer persona** | Individual | Decision-makers within target companies; roles, goals, pain points, objections, preferred channels |

**ICP impact**: Companies with clearly defined ICPs see higher conversion rates and lower CAC. Include negative profiles (explicit disqualifiers) to protect pipeline quality.

## Market Analysis

| Element | Purpose |
|---------|---------|
| **TAM** | Total addressable market; named account lists; primary TAM, serviceable TAM, accounts with buying signals |
| **Competitive landscape** | Customer bases, strengths, weaknesses, positioning claims |
| **Buying patterns** | Replace assumptions with data; customer pain points; decision criteria |

## Enterprise / High-ACV Challenges

| Challenge | Mitigation |
|-----------|------------|
| **Customization** | Product modularity; professional services; clear scope |
| **Data security / private deployment** | On-prem or private cloud; compliance; security certifications |
| **Procurement cycles** | Multi-stakeholder alignment; champion building; long sales cycles |
| **Buy vs SaaS** | Total cost of ownership; flexibility; ongoing value |

**Use**: When GTM targets enterprise or high-ACV—expect longer cycles, procurement, and security requirements.

## New Market Entry

~70% of international market entries fail within two years—often from overestimating demand, underestimating execution, spreading resources thin.

| Entry model | Trade-off |
|-------------|-----------|
| **Organic expansion** | High control; slower; capital-intensive |
| **Strategic partnerships** | Faster access; shared risk; reduced control |
| **M&A / Acquisition** | Immediate presence; high integration risk |
| **Asset-light** (EOR, outsourcing) | Fastest; minimal upfront; market testing |
| **Pilot testing** | Lowest commitment; validation |

**Critical**: Domestic playbook won't transfer. Buying behaviors vary (self-service US vs consultation-heavy Europe vs relationship-driven APAC); competitive landscapes shift; regulatory complexity multiplies (GDPR, data localization).

## Repositioning

**Repositioning** = Strategic shift in who you serve, what problem you solve, where you play. **Rebranding** = Visual/verbal expression (logo, voice). Repositioning ≠ rebrand.

| When to reposition | Avoid |
|--------------------|-------|
| Moving upmarket (SMB → enterprise) | Quick fix for missed quarters |
| New geography with different dynamics | Leadership boredom |
| ICP fundamentally changed | |
| Major pivot, launch, or acquisition | |

**Success factors**: Research-driven (customer discovery, market analysis); cross-functional alignment (sales, marketing, product, clinical); sharp differentiation.

## Cross-Functional Alignment

- **RACI**: Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed—clarify roles across teams
- **Shared timelines, tools, accountability**
- **Consistent messaging** across all channels

## Output Format

- **Scenario** (product launch, new market, repositioning, feature)
- **GTM mode** (PLG/SLG/MLG/Hybrid) recommendation
- **90-day** phase plan
- **ICP** and **persona** (or link to project-context)
- **Market analysis** checklist
- **Launch** execution → see **product-launch**

## Related Skills

- **product-launch**: Launch execution; channels, timeline, checklist; implements GTM for product launch
- **pmf-strategy**: Validate PMF before scaling GTM
- **cold-start-strategy**: First users; differs from full GTM (0→1 vs commercialization)
- **rebranding-strategy**: Domain change, 301, announcement; when repositioning includes rebrand
- **localization-strategy**: New market entry; i18n, multilingual
- **paid-ads-strategy**: Ad channel for GTM
- **website-structure**: Pages needed for GTM
- **branding**: Positioning, differentiation; GTM messaging foundation