Why Building a Bulletproof Go-to-Market Strategy is not just a “nice to have” option.

The pitfalls of ignoring a Go-To-Market function.

Creating a go-to-market (GTM) plan is an essential step for any company looking to launch a product successfully and avoid potential bottlenecks and frustrations in the long run. With the rise of remote and hybrid teams, establishing a robust infrastructure for company-wide GTM communication and cross-functional collaboration has become more crucial than ever before.

Developing a GTM infrastructure isn’t just a “nice to have” option; it’s a must-have component that can significantly impact a company’s success. When communication streams are non-existent and marketing messaging fails to resonate with customers, companies pay dearly for their lack of preparation. By establishing a solid GTM infrastructure from the start, businesses can avoid such pitfalls and set themselves up for growth and scalability as they expand and hire more employees.

Start with Prioritization
Once products have been tiered based on priority, the next step is to create a GTM plan and strategy for the highest-priority products and new features. Each high-priority product and feature requires careful due diligence, and involving product marketing early in the process, even during the pilot stage, is crucial. This ensures that the GTM strategy aligns closely with the product’s goals and maximizes its potential for success.

With extensive experience launching hundreds of products across diverse teams and industries worldwide, it becomes evident that managing the go-to-market process requires deep knowledge and skill. Many founders and executives mistakenly assume that it’s an easy task, only to realize the importance of expertise after experiencing lackluster launches, low retention rates, or dysfunctional marketing teams.

While GTM can be systematized to some extent, it also relies on pattern recognition, emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and instinct. Regularly launching products into the market hones these skills and builds discernment, allowing for better decision-making in future GTM strategies. Seasoned experts can quickly identify gaps in a company’s GTM approach, pinpoint areas of overemphasis, and recommend focal points to achieve long-term goals.

Ineffective communication and lack of alignment between teams can lead to bottlenecks that hinder a company’s progress. What may start as small obstacles gradually snowball into significant barriers, often when it’s too late to address them effectively. Thoughtful and intelligent founding teams may have the right product and engineering mindset but lack the necessary GTM mindset, resulting in missed opportunities and underperformance.

In the GTM process, effective team-building, cross-functional buy-in, and organizational influence are often overlooked but critical skills. Investing in employee communication and team-building is vital for empowering individuals and creating a collaborative work environment. By focusing on these aspects, the GTM process becomes a pivotal step in successful product launches.

Launching a product successfully requires more than just building a great product. Companies need to invest in creating a robust GTM strategy and infrastructure to position and ship their products effectively.

Check out my article “The 2 Minute Go-To-Market Plan”.

By avoiding common pitfalls, fostering collaboration, and empowering employees, companies can increase their chances of success and avoid becoming part of the statistic where most startups fail within the first five years.

I’d love to hear from you. If you enjoyed this article, let’s stay in touch.

My latest book, The Launch: A Product Marketer’s Guide, is now available on Amazon. I also wrote the book “Product Marketing Debunked. The Essential Go-To-Market Guide” which you can purchase on Amazon.

If you’d like more in-depth tools on how to take your product to market, you can check out my Go-To-Market workshop where I share my 10+ years of knowledge about how to launch your product.

If you’re interested in learning more about the next executive coaching program offering, let’s find some time to chat HERE.