Go-To-Market Strategies to Reach Revenue Target

A true go-to-market (GTM) strategy is essential to reaching your outbound sales target.

GTM strategist Christina del Villar combines 25 years of experience in Silicon Valley with her signature GRIT Marketing Method to help companies define, develop and implement successful go-to-market strategies.

Christina joined the Predictable Revenue podcast to discuss how defining your strategy can boost revenue growth, and what most companies are missing in their go-to-market strategy.

Why a true Go-To-Market strategy is crucial to outbound sales

“A lot of companies don’t have a true go-to-market strategy these days,” Christine says, “and that’s a huge problem.” Without a proper strategy in place, you won’t be able to scale successfully.

The first step is to understand what a go-to-market strategy is and is not. According to Christina, many companies think they have a GTM, but what they really have is a sales or marketing plan. “This is where most companies are failing right now–they’re thinking tactically instead of strategically.”

Christina recommends conducting an audit of your GTM plan to see if what you have is an outbound sales and marketing plan, or a true strategy.

How to audit your GTM strategy

Strategies are longer-term, Christina says, often at least two to five years (sometimes even 10 years at a larger company). Quarterly revenue goals, for example, would fall under a short-term plan, not a GTM strategy.

Your GTM strategy should approach goals from a more holistic perspective. “I like to look at the entire customer journey,” Christina says, “including product, sales, marketing, and customer success. If the strategy is only focused on one of those pieces, it’s not a true go-to-market strategy.”

Of course, it’s also important to have outbound sales and marketing plans, but the strategy piece must come first. Once you have a larger overarching strategy, you can break that down into quarterly or annual plans for each division of your company.

How to build a strong GTM strategy

The first thing to consider is who owns the strategy: whose responsibility is it to create and implement the GTM strategy? Often this will be the CEO, but other companies may have different leaders take control. It’s important to define this role upfront.

Next, Christina recommends focusing on one clear goal. “It could be a revenue goal, a growth goal, or several goals.” Over time, your key performance indicators (KPIs) might change, but your goal will remain the same.

Make sure this goal is both tangible and measurable. If your goal is to reach a certain position in the market, for instance, how will you know when you’ve achieved that? What concrete markers can you look for? How will you measure your success?

If you miss a goal or don’t hit your outbound sales target, then it’s time to step back and evaluate.

What is the timeline of a GTM strategy vs. outbound sales plan?

Christina recommends setting goals at least three to five years in advance, depending on the size of the company and the length of the sales cycle. It’s important to set a regular date to check in and reevaluate your go-to-market strategy. Some goals may need to be re-evaluated as your strategy changes or technology advances.

Go-to-market strategies for larger organizations

One common issue Christina sees is different divisions setting different goals or different GTM strategies. “That’s why it’s key to think about having one goal to keep everyone aligned. What is your main objective?” Otherwise, if you have limited resources and two competing strategies, they’re bound to come into conflict.

“You should have one overarching strategy,” Christina says. Even if each division has a slightly different objective, it should all feed into one larger strategy. Alignment and collaboration are key.

Again, this comes back to one person owning the responsibility for your GTM strategy. “In my mind, the person who has the most insight into all of these different areas is the chief marketing officer (CMO).”

The first step toward a better GTM strategy

“It starts simply with building relationships,” Christina says. Learn what role other departments play and how they all work together. This will help you not only become better at your job but to approach the entire strategy from a sense of collaboration.

If you want to connect with Christina to learn more about improving your go-to-market strategy, visit her website christinadelvillar.com reach out via LinkedIn or Instagram.

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