WTF is GTM?

Hey, newsletter fam!

Whether you’re a new founder, investor, startup consultant, or accelerator leader (or working with any of these people), chances are “go-to-market strategy” will quickly become part of your everyday lingo.

This week’s edition of Momentum gives you a quick overview of working on go-to-market strategies, whether you’re new to the space or just want a brief refresher.

Let’s get moving, shall we? 🏃🏽‍♀️

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Here’s what’s moving through the pipeline:

• WTF is GTM?

• Make some waves 🌊

• Gem of the week 💎

• Temperature check 🌡️

• Say hi 👋🏽

WTF is GTM? 💻

When you’re eyeing a product launch, one of the most important things you can do is set a go-to-market (GTM) strategy. A GTM strategy is a plan for how your business will use its resources to reach customers and get their product off shelves (or get their product downloaded if we’re talking about tech).

I love product marketing so much because I believe it truly pushes you to think creatively about how you’ll use the tools in your pocket to drive success—whether it’s social media, geography, influencer marketing, or other avenues. I think many facets of life are exactly like this, especially when it comes to your career.

But why’s it so important?

One of the biggest reasons is because having a clear GTM strategy can help you avoid losing money on failed launches.

It also helps you forge a path towards growth and keeps all your team members on the same page.

A GTM strategy isn’t just for launching a brand new product as a new business. Companies that are adding to their existing product line can (and should) create and use a strong GTM strategy.

Before you even begin to outline a GTM strategy, you need to understand your team’s key objectives. Are you trying to hit a certain revenue target? Increase product adoption? These are things you and your team need to be clear on ahead of time.

You’ll also need to be on the same page around how you’ll measure these metrics.

There are a couple of things you’ll want to include in a GTM strategy:

• Your target audience (including info on the personas you’re targeting)

• A description of the product, its features, and the main benefits (in lieu of a product, you may instead be launching a new feature, or even new branding. A GTM strategy can still help you maximize success in these cases)

• Your agreed upon objectives

• Messaging and use cases

• Pricing strategy

• Sales strategy (include how you plan to find your target customer)

• Marketing plan and timeline

• Success metrics

There’s so much more we can dive into when it comes to GTM strategies, but hopefully this is enough to serve as a jumping off point and get you started in the right direction.

Stay tuned for future editions of Momentum where I’ll help you uncover even more around this topic!

Make some waves 🌊

Are you a Fintech professional or someone who can effortlessly nerd out on the space? The Fintech is Femme Leadership Summit just might be the event for you.

It’s an in-person event that touches on founder stories, insights from leaders in the space, and product perspectives. Attendees can also look forward to LOTS of networking, tactical workshops, happy hour, and more.

 📆 April 8, 2024

📍 NYC

🔗 https://shorturl.at/puFK8 

Gem of the week 💎

For the last few years, I feel like I’ve been doing a lot of hard things — both personally and professionally.

It can be exhausting and draining, sometimes rewarding, but also sometimes downright discouraging and disappointing. As of late, it’s felt even more like I’m on a rollercoaster of thoughts, ideas, almost-breakthroughs, and even some limiting beliefs.

And the more people I talk to, the more I realize that we’re literally all feeling the same way. It may not be obvious from the looks of it (especially when you’re seeing colleagues post daily on LinkedIn, attend events, take smiling pictures, and all) but we’re all just really out here trying our best.

It’s easier to keep going when you regularly see the rewards from your efforts. But when the progress doesn’t feel as evident, it’s easy to feel like your spirit is being crushed.

And when things start to go wrong—you get that rejection, a key partnership disappears, sales are slower than normal today, and you just feel even further from your goals—whatever tiny sliver of hope you may have had before feels like it’s nearly gone.

Poof.

Vanished into thin air.

This is your reminder that one bad day isn’t indicative of your entire journey.

Hell, even one bad week (or a few bad weeks) don’t tell the entire story. They’re an important part of your story but they aren’t the whole thing.

One day, when it all works out for you, they’ll just be a blip on your radar.

Or a funny story you tell people over drinks.

Or a part of your first TED Talk.

Temperature check 🌡️

Please provide your feedback on this week’s edition of Momentum! The survey is only 4 questions long and it helps me create content that’s tailored to suit YOUR interests!

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Say hi 👋🏽

I love hearing from you! Whether you have a question or comment, are looking for a peer to bounce ideas off of, or want to offer me a job * cough, cough * (just kidding…but not really…) I’m just a few clicks away. Find me on LinkedIn and X, or email me at [email protected].

Let’s talk soon!

–Jasmin Suknanan, Founder & EIC of Momentum

About me

Jasmin started her career in media as a writer and reporter gaining expertise across several verticals, including lifestyle, commerce, Consumer Finance, and FinTech. Her expertise extends far beyond content and media. She decided to focus on the venture capital space and gain skills as a product marketer to continue helping companies solve consumer-focused problems. She has evaluated over 80 startups across FinTech, Wellness, EdTech, and AI and is also deeply passionate about consumer packaged goods. She holds a Master’s degree in Behavioral Economics and excels in market research and competitor analysis.