Priya Sharma had built what she thought was a breakthrough B2B SaaS product. Twelve months of development. $340,000 raised. A team of 6 people.
When she launched? Seven downloads on day one. Four of those were her own team.
"I spent a year building a product and three months wondering why no one bought it," Priya told us. "The brutal truth? I had no go-to-market strategy. I thought if I built it, they would come. They didn't."
Today, Priya's company has 847 customers and $2.1 million in ARR. Her GTM strategy? She spent two weeks on it before launch—after her first failure taught her exactly what not to do.
This guide covers the complete go-to-market framework that works for startups, not just enterprise companies.
Now how do you get it in front of customers?
Most startups fail at go-to-market (GTM).
They either:
- Spray and pray (try everything)
- Pick the wrong channel (expensive lesson)
- Launch silently (no one notices)
This guide shows you how to create a GTM strategy that actually works.
What Is Go-to-Market Strategy?
GTM strategy is your plan for reaching customers and acquiring them profitably.
It answers:
- Who are you targeting?
- What's your positioning?
- How will you reach them?
- How will you convert them?
The 5 GTM Models Compared
GTM Model | Growth Driver | Sales Cycle | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
Product-Led Growth | Product itself | Short (days) | Consumer, simple products |
Sales-Led Growth | Sales team | Long (months) | Enterprise, complex |
Marketing-Led Growth | Marketing channels | Medium (weeks) | Search intent products |
Channel-Partner Growth | Partners/resellers | Variable | Ecosystem products |
Community-Led Growth | Community advocates | Medium (weeks) | Passionate user bases |
Model 1: Product-Led Growth (PLG)
Growth driven by the product itself.
Strategy:
- Free trials or freemium
- In-product virality
- Self-service onboarding
- Bottom-up adoption
Best for: Consumer-facing, simple products Examples: Slack, Dropbox, Zoom
Model 2: Sales-Led Growth
Growth driven by sales team.
Strategy:
- Outbound prospecting
- Demo-driven sales
- Enterprise sales motion
- Long sales cycles
Best for: Complex, expensive products Examples: Salesforce, Workday, Oracle
Model 3: Marketing-Led Growth
Growth driven by marketing.
Strategy:
- Content marketing
- Paid advertising
- SEO/SEM
- Events and webinars
Best for: Products with clear search intent Examples: HubSpot, Mailchimp
Model 4: Channel-Partner Growth
Growth driven by partners.
Strategy:
- Reseller networks
- Integration partnerships
- Affiliate programs
- Referral partnerships
Best for: Products needing ecosystem Examples: Salesforce AppExchange, QuickBooks integrations
Model 5: Community-Led Growth
Growth driven by community.
Strategy:
- Build engaged community
- Leverage advocates
- Host events
- User-generated content
Best for: Products with passionate users Examples: WordPress, Shopify, Notion
GTM Framework: 6 Steps
Step 1: Define Your Target Market
Be Specific:
❌ "Small businesses" ❌ "Marketing teams" ❌ "SaaS companies"
✅ "First-time SaaS founders with 100-1,000 email subscribers" ✅ "Marketing teams at B2B companies with <50 employees" ✅ "E-commerce stores doing $100K-$1M annually"
Key Characteristics:
- Industry
- Company size
- Revenue stage
- Pain point intensity
- Buying behavior
Step 2: Position Your Product
Positioning Statement Template:
For [target customer] who [problem], [Product] is [category] that [key benefit]. Unlike [competitor], we [key differentiation].
Example:
For first-time SaaS founders who struggle to launch their products, Startupbricks is a tech consultancy that builds MVPs in 30 days. Unlike agencies that take 6 months, we deliver in 4-6 weeks.
Step 3: Identify Your Channels
Channel Selection Matrix:
Channel | Cost | Speed | Scalability | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Content Marketing | Low | Slow | High | PLG, SEO |
Social Media | Low | Medium | Medium | Awareness |
Email Outreach | Low | Medium | Medium | Sales-led |
Partnerships | Medium | Slow | High | Channel-led |
Events | High | Medium | Low | Enterprise |
Step 4: Create Your Messaging
Messaging Framework:
Headline: [Benefit-driven promise]
Subheadline: [Supporting claim]
Key Messages:
- Message 1: [Primary benefit]
- Message 2: [Secondary benefit]
- Message 3: [Social proof]
Pain Points:
- Pain 1: [What they struggle with]
- Pain 2: [What they want to avoid]
- Pain 3: [What they dream of]
Objection Handling:
- Objection 1: [Common concern] → [Response]
- Objection 2: [Common concern] → [Response]
Step 5: Build Your Funnel**
The GTM Funnel:
Awareness → Interest → Consideration → Conversion → Retention → Advocacy
Awareness:
- Content marketing
- Paid advertising
- PR and media
- Social media
Interest:
- Landing pages
- Content offers
- Webinars
- Free trials
Consideration:
- Demos
- Case studies
- Comparisons
- Free consultations
Conversion:
- Pricing pages
- Checkout flow
- Sales calls
- Proposal
Retention:
- Onboarding
- Customer success
- Regular touchpoints
- Product updates
Advocacy:
- Referral programs
- Testimonials
- Reviews
- Case studies
Step 6: Execute and Optimize
Launch Execution:
Week 1-2: Pre-Launch
- Build waitlist
- Secure early adopters
- Create content
- Prepare launch assets
Week 3: Soft Launch
- Test with beta users
- Fix issues
- Gather feedback
- Refine messaging
Week 4: Launch
- Announce publicly
- Execute PR push
- Activate community
- Launch paid campaigns
Week 5-8: Post-Launch
- Analyze data
- Optimize channels
- Double down on winners
- Fix underperformers
GTM Channel Strategy
For PLG Products
Primary Channels:
- Product-led growth (obviously)
- Content marketing
- SEO
- Referral programs
- App marketplace
Tactics:
- Free tier with clear upgrade path
- In-app sharing
- Community building
- User-generated content
For Sales-Led Products
Primary Channels:
- Outbound sales
- LinkedIn outreach
- Industry events
- Referral programs
Tactics:
- SDR team for prospecting
- ABM campaigns
- Executive relationships
- Partner introductions
For Marketing-Led Products
Primary Channels:
- Content marketing
- Paid advertising
- SEO/SEM
- Email marketing
Tactics:
- Educational content
- Lead magnets
- Nurture sequences
- Conversion optimization
Common GTM Mistakes
Mistake #1: Targeting Everyone
Wrong: "Our product helps everyone!"
Right: Start with narrow ICP, expand later
Mistake #2: No Clear Positioning
Wrong: Generic messaging that doesn't differentiate
Right: Specific positioning that resonates with target
Mistake #3: Trying All Channels
Wrong: "Let's try Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok..."
Right: Pick 1-2 channels, master them, expand later
Mistake #4: Ignoring Feedback
Wrong: "Our launch is perfect, no changes needed"
Right: Gather feedback constantly, iterate rapidly
Mistake #5: No Metrics
Wrong: "We'll know it worked if we get customers"
Right: Define success metrics before launch, track daily
GTM Checklist
Strategy
- Define target market (be specific)
- Create positioning statement
- Identify primary GTM model
- Select 1-2 focus channels
- Build messaging framework
Preparation
- Create content assets
- Build landing pages
- Set up tracking and analytics
- Prepare launch materials
- Secure early adopters
Execution
- Execute pre-launch plan
- Launch soft release
- Execute launch day plan
- Activate community
- Monitor and respond
Optimization
- Analyze daily metrics
- Double down on winners
- Fix underperformers
- Gather feedback
- Iterate and improve
Related Reading
- Product Launch Strategy - Launch execution
- Customer Acquisition Cost - GTM economics
- Pricing Strategy - GTM component
Need Help Creating Your GTM Strategy?
At Startupbricks, we've helped dozens of startups create and execute go-to-market strategies. We know what works, how to avoid mistakes, and how to optimize.
Let's talk about building your GTM strategy.