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What is Go‐to‐Market Strategy
The term Go‐to‐Market or Go‐to‐Market Strategy is used frequently by a diverse group of
people with a meaning that spans a wide range. What is even more confusing it that
marketing strategy and go‐to‐market strategy are used interchangeable when they are
actually very different concepts.
Marketing Strategy
Marketing strategy is usually focused on who to sell to and what to sell. The boundaries of
marketing strategy run across functional lines inside an organization but marketing primarily
interacts with two other functions in a company. First, marketing interacts with
development via product marketing to convey market requirements and to provide content
for communications and sales tools for selling. Marketing also interacts with sales to build
pipeline and assist in closing opportunity more quickly.
Go‐to‐Market Strategy is focused on how the organization will put offerings into the market
to reach market penetration, revenue and profitability expectations. This charter is a
superset of marketing strategy as it impacts all functions within an organization with the
goal of preparing the entire company for market success. Another key point to stress is that
G0‐to‐Market Strategy is not an event, i.e., a product launch. GTM strategy is focused on the
entire product lifecycle—from concept to grave.
The Go‐to‐Market Strategy can be overwhelming if not managed properly. The key is not to
try to do everything but to focus on the core issues and to nail them. For example, here is a
checklist that one company used:
Go‐to‐Market Strategy Checklist
Solve a compelling business problem in a differentiated manner that demands a premium
Determine the market opportunity.
Decide upon the beach head target for initial market penetration.
Understand the buying process: Identify the decision makers, approvers,
recommenders, influencers and snipers.
Understand the business issues for decision makers and develop a value proposition
that resonates with them. Tie them to a compelling event.
Establish a differentiated position from substitutes and alternatives.
Prepare a product road and complete product life cycle.
Document the distribution strategy and corresponding sales process.
Create an integrated demand creation plan to create qualified opportunity.
Develop a comprehensive and methodical demand management plan to follow‐up on
qualified opportunities.
Prepare an implementation plan to ensure the offering is set‐up to perform properly.
Train the support organization to handle implementation and end user inquiries.
Identify partners for creating awareness, interest, consideration, purchases,
implementations and supporting customers.
Go‐to‐Market Strategy‐ Product Roadmap
Once you have identified the business needs you will address in the market, it is critical to
have a product roadmap that highlights the evolution of a product, product extensions and
the entrance into new markets. Organizations may use a planning horizon of 1 year (for
start‐ups) to 5 years (for the largest enterprises). These roadmaps should be reviewed and
updated each quarter. When an offering is added to the roadmap it should be accompanied
by a market backgrounder—a two page document that covers the most pertinent
information about the offering like price, competition, positioning, market focus,
anticipated revenue, compatibility information, etc. As time progresses, a market
requirements document should be created, followed by a product requirements document,
a feature requirements document and finally a product introduction plan.
Who Are You Selling To
A big question that needs to be addressed and well thought out is who will you sell to. This
is a loaded question as it implies the fundamental business problem is understood, a unique
and differentiated solution to that problem has been developed, a compelling value
proposition that resonates has been created, a path to access the decision maker is known
and the story to communicate to the decision maker has been crafted that results in action.
All of this information should exist in various forms of completion as this is the exact
information that should have been used to initiate a development effort.
Go‐to‐Market Strategy – Sales
Sales is obviously a critical component of any GTM strategy. There should be a standard,
repeatable sales process that is communicated, understood and followed.
In a B2B complex sale there might be a technical and business component to the sale. There
may also be attention placed on titles or roles and the concerns, issues or challenges that
each face. It’s a good practice to document and overlay the buying process on top of the
sales process as well for a comprehensive view of customer acquisition and revenue
generation. Finally, detailing the specific sales activities at each phase is a best practice that
ensures each at bat was exhausted to generate a potential sale.
What is the Distribution Strategy
Will your organization be responsible for 100% of all sales? If so, will the offering be sold
through a direct sales force, an inside sales force, an ecommerce site or some combination
of the three? Or will indirect sales channels be leveraged. The more sales channels that are
used the more thought that needs to given to the market coverage model, sales strategy,
compensation plans, sales training, sales tools and channel conflict. Outlining a distribution
model, like the one you are viewing, will help you think through issues and opportunities
and serves to get everyone on the same page.
Indirect Sales Channels
Some organizations choose to leverage channel partners as part of their distribution
strategy. If you choose to leverage partners, it is critical to understand and communicate
why that choice was made. Specifically, partners may be identified and categorized into
enabling and delivery partners. Enabling partners are focused on complementing or
supplementing your offering while delivery partners gravitate towards successfully
implementing and / or supporting the offering. Understanding your distribution strategy,
how they will contribute to your success and communicating inside and outside the
organization why partnering choice has been made and is a must.
Focus‐ Focus should be made on choosing one industry and vertical, Well funded buyer and industry
Innovativeness, industry has a history of change, Market size, and competitive landscape.
When we focus on one industry
‐ Higher average sales price
‐ Lower customer acquisition cost
‐ Loser cost to serve
‐ Faster internal adaption to customer
‐ More predictable service requirement
Value proposition‐ Value proposition should be kept as simple as possible. What is one thing that
your business stands? Value position should communicate the value of the product and address
problem of the customer in simple words.
A lack of focus kills the start up.
Go to Market Plans‐ A frame work
Def: A go to market plan describes the explicit methods an organization will use to achieve specific
goal with prospects or customer.
Eight different elements
Market segmentation – In ability to focus on target market
Strategic product road map‐
Business and pricing model
Distribution channel / Partner model
Corporate communication approach
Demand generation marketing approach
Goals / Target
In the Funnel – Go to Market strategy
Five key elements.
1. Value Proposition
2. Target market – Very specific.
3. Awareness – Website, social made, speaking events.
4. Demand generation
5. Sales execution
9 Pricing Rules of Entrepreneurs
1. Understand your start up Brand ‐ Every company has position in the market. 3 to 5 words to
describe the company what it stands for.
2. Calculate your Buyers benefits
Buyers make more money – How much can buyer make an average
Buyers save money
Buyers gains non‐monetary.
3. Consider your start up competition.
4. Understand fixed cost, variable cost & sunk cost
Fixed cost – office space, utilities, servers & salaries
Variable cost‐ Raw material/ shipping
Sunk cost – Patent / Research/ in corporations / acquisition
5. Find min and Max price based on the customer benefits in term of making more money,
saving money etc.
6. Set price to optimize profit ( A buyer doesn’t care about your cost)
7. Reducing price is easier than raise
8. Does you price match your brand
9. You price is never final
Your price is too high – 7 steps to defending price
1. Don’t flinch
2. Ask question – Ask the potential customer about the product by how much too high by its
competitor. Collect and quantify as much information as possible. Shift conversation from
price to value.
3. Know your enemy –( Know about your competitors price and discount strategies)
4. Defend rule‐ You’re pricing and value. Prove your lower total const. benefits, additional
features and facts.
5. Gain commitment
6. Keep the door open – keep engage the potential customer in talking.
7. Now fix this
How to price your handmade products
Pricing formula
Material (cost) + Labour (Hourly rate X time) = Cost
First Mark up cost X cost = Wholesale price
Wholesale price X Mark up = Retail price
What Markup ?
Your Mark up is the profit you make on each piece. ( 2 to 2.5 times the cost of product)
Value of the product‐ Mark up is not the same as your take home income.
What is profit?
Profit is money that come from Markup and you invest back into the business.
Profit is money spent on things like
‐ Website hosting
‐ New materials, tools and supplies
‐ Education
‐ Taxes and legal services
What is income?
Profit is not your income. Profit goes back in to business. Income goes to you and your family. Profit
& income should never mix. Good idea to start a separate account for your business.
The Mistake maker
‐ Not Marking up twice
‐ Do it even if you don’t plan on selling wholesale.
‐ What if your pricing ends up being really high and you don’t think you sell it at the new
price.
Setting prices for services and product.
1) Cost – Overhead ( Rent , Utilities..etc) , material, labour
2) Quality: It is the basic reference point. If the quality is slightly better that your
competitor you can charge bit higher and if the quality is down you can charge less.
3) MVC‐ Most valuable customer‐ we should aim for most target customer
4) New Business – Do a survey of potential customer. What would you be willing to
spend for this product or service