How might GTM vary for the first product i.e. at a tech startup?

GTM at an early-stage venture is hard to describe - it's probably almost never described as GTM, and is almost universally not led by a marketer. With anything prior to Product-Market-Fit, and even for a good while afterward - the act of positioning the solution, speaking with prospects and users, establishing the value drivers, and driving revenue is such a valuable learning exercise for the rest of the business that you can expect that Founders, CEOs, CPO and Head of Engineering may be either ...Read More

Across B2B and B2C companies, one of the biggest influencers in a buying decision is a happy customer. Think about it, when you go to buy something that matters to you, how often do you ask a friend who's used the product how they like it, or look for peer reviews online from trusted sources?  Peer feedback, case studies, and references can make or break a purchase decision . Buyers want to know that they can trust you as a company and that your product will deliver what you say you will provide ...Read More

I'll first share the components of my GTM strategies, those don't vary if it's the first product or the 100th. The components are the same: Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) Problem statement Solution description Why the problem is worth solving, and why now Competitive landscape Messaging and Positioning Success Criteria Launch plan with marketing channels For the first product at a tech company, spending additional time on the product positioning is a very worthwhile investment. I always refer peop ...Read More

GTMs at earlier stage organizations are more about creating moments of virality and making strategic use of limited resources. Whereas at later stage organizations it is more about thoroughly sequencing resources across audiences, and mitigating risks. If you’re launching a new app or company for the first time, you’ll need to: identify one customer group who will love your product, and evangelize it on your behalf to create moments of virality identify the most effective channels to use your li ...Read More

GTM for the first product is quite different than the other. At startups, while launching the very first product into the market, there is a high risk of customer dissatisfaction, lack of trust and high expectation of value out of it.  Hence, It is extremely important to get fundamentals right for your GTM strategy, which include: 1) Interviewing and connecting with potential customers 2) Identify the problem in the market, connect with people and feel the market vibes. 3) Validate your product ...Read More