go-to-market

Go-to-Market Strategy

You create comprehensive go-to-market strategies for product launches, feature releases, market expansions, and repositioning efforts. You research market context, competitor GTM approaches, pricing benchmarks, and channel benchmarks yourself — do not ask the user for data they would need to look up. Only ask the user for decisions and confirmations.

This skill complements competitive-analysis (which maps competitive landscape), customer-segmentation (which defines target segments), market-sizing (which quantifies opportunity), and vision-crafting (which defines product vision) by translating insights into an actionable launch strategy.

Metadata	Value
Primary category	planning
Secondary category	generation
Output mode	human_readable
Mixins	diagram-rendering, autonomous-research
Version	1.0.0

Phase 1 — Setup

Input handling

Follow shared foundation S7 — interview mode. When input is missing or insufficient, interview to gather at minimum:

Dimension	Required	Default
Product/feature/initiative	Yes	--
Launch type	No	Auto-detect from context
Target market/audience	No	Will research
Competitive analysis output	No	Will research independently
Customer segmentation output	No	Will research independently
Market sizing output	No	Will research independently
Vision crafting output	No	Will research independently

Exit interview when: Product/feature context is clear enough to define ICP and positioning.

1. Collect input

Accept one of:

• A product or feature description
• A file path to a business case, competitive analysis, segmentation, or market sizing report
• Pasted content (product brief, launch plan draft, market research)
• No input or vague input -> enter interview mode

2. Detect launch type and scope

From the input (or interview results), identify:

• Product/feature/initiative: What is being launched
• Launch type: New product | Feature launch | Market expansion | Repositioning/rebrand
• Domain: Industry, regulatory context
• Import sources: Any available outputs from competitive analysis, customer segmentation, market sizing, vision crafting

3. Confirm scope

**Product/Feature**: [name]
**Launch type**: [detected type + rationale]
**Import sources**: [list of available imports or "none — will research independently"]
**Target market**: [identified or to be defined]

Ask the user to confirm or adjust. Ask diagram render mode and output path per the diagram-rendering and autonomous-research mixins.

Phase 2 — Research

Use WebSearch and WebFetch per the autonomous-research mixin.

2a. Market context research

Research the market landscape for this product/launch:

• Market size, growth rate, and maturity stage
• Key trends affecting the category
• Buyer expectations and purchasing patterns
• Regulatory or compliance requirements

2b. Competitor GTM research

Research how competitors go to market:

• Competitor pricing models and tiers
• Competitor channel strategies (PLG, SLG, partner)
• Competitor positioning and messaging themes
• Recent competitor launches and market moves

2c. Pricing benchmarks

Research pricing norms for this category:

• Pricing models common in the space (per user, per seat, usage-based, feature-gated)
• Price ranges by tier and segment
• Free trial vs freemium prevalence
• Expansion revenue patterns

2d. Channel benchmarks

Research channel effectiveness for this category:

• Typical customer acquisition channels
• CAC benchmarks by channel
• Conversion benchmarks (trial-to-paid, demo-to-close)
• PLG adoption rates where applicable

Phase 3 — Market & Customer Definition

Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)

Define the ICP with these dimensions:

Field	Description
Company characteristics	Size, industry, geography, tech stack, growth stage
Pain points	Top 3-5 problems the product solves
Buying triggers	Events that create urgency (funding round, compliance deadline, team growth)
Disqualifiers	Characteristics that make a prospect a poor fit

Buyer vs User Personas

For each key persona (2-4):

Field	Description
Role	Job title/function
Type	Buyer (economic decision-maker), Champion (internal advocate), User (daily user), Influencer (shapes opinion)
Goals	What they care about (mapped to product value)
Objections	Likely concerns or blockers
Activation trigger	What makes them take action

Buying Process Stages

Map the typical buying journey:

Stage	Buyer activity	Product touchpoint
Problem aware	Researching the problem	Content, SEO, community
Solution aware	Evaluating options	Landing page, comparison, demo
Decision	Selecting vendor	Trial, POC, sales call
Purchase	Procurement/approval	Pricing page, contract, security review
Onboarding	Getting started	Onboarding flow, docs, CS

Phase 4 — Positioning & Messaging

Category claim

Define where the product sits:

• Category: The market category the product competes in
• Subcategory (if applicable): Niche within the category
• Frame: How the product reframes the category (e.g., "the first X that Y")

Competitive positioning

Dimension	Our position	Key competitor A	Key competitor B
[dimension 1]	...	...	...
[dimension 2]	...	...	...

Messaging hierarchy

Three-level hierarchy, one message set per persona:

Level 1 — Core positioning statement (one sentence): "For [ICP] who [pain point], [product] is a [category] that [key differentiator]. Unlike [alternative], we [unique value]."

Level 2 — Value propositions with proof points (3-5 per persona):

Value proposition	Proof point	Persona relevance
[benefit statement]	[data, case study, capability]	[which persona]

Level 3 — Channel-specific copy (adapt per channel):

Channel	Message focus	Tone	Length
Website hero	Core positioning	Aspirational	10-15 words
Email outbound	Pain-specific	Direct	2-3 sentences
Ad copy	Differentiator	Punchy	5-8 words
Sales deck	Full value prop	Consultative	Slide-by-slide
Product Hunt / launch	Category disruption	Exciting	50-word tagline

Phase 5 — Pricing & Packaging

Pricing basis

Select and justify the pricing model:

Model	Best for	Signal
Per user/seat	Collaboration tools, team products	Value scales with team size
Usage-based	Infrastructure, API, data products	Value scales with consumption
Feature-gated	Platform products, multi-persona	Different needs at different levels
Flat rate	Simple products, SMB focus	Predictable, low friction
Hybrid	Complex products	Multiple value vectors

Tier structure

Tier	Target	Key features	Price range	Purpose
Free / Freemium	Individual users, evaluation	Core functionality	$0	Acquisition, PLG entry
Starter	Small teams, early adopters	Team features, integrations	$[range]	Conversion, time-to-value
Pro / Growth	Scaling teams, mid-market	Advanced features, analytics	$[range]	Revenue, expansion
Enterprise	Large orgs, regulated	SSO, audit, SLA, custom	Custom	High ACV, strategic

Entry model

Model	Conversion path	Best when
Free trial (time-limited)	Trial -> Paid	Product needs guided setup
Freemium (feature-limited)	Free -> Paid tier	Product has self-serve value
Reverse trial	Full features -> Downgrade	Show full value upfront
Demo/sales	Demo -> POC -> Contract	High ACV, complex product

Competitor pricing benchmark

Competitor	Model	Entry price	Mid-tier	Enterprise	Free option
[name]	[model]	$[price]	$[price]	[approach]	[yes/no]

Expansion paths

Define how revenue grows per account:

• Seat expansion (more users)
• Tier upgrade (more features)
• Usage growth (more consumption)
• Cross-sell (additional products)
• Add-ons (premium features, support tiers)

Phase 6 — Channel Strategy

GTM motion selection

Select and justify the primary motion:

Motion	ACV range	Characteristics	Key metrics
Product-Led Growth (PLG)	< $10K	Self-serve signup, freemium/trial, in-product upsell	Activation rate, PQL conversion
Sales-Led Growth (SLG)	> $25K	Demo, POC, contract negotiation	Pipeline, win rate, sales cycle
Hybrid	$10K-$25K	PLG for entry, sales for expansion	PQL-to-SQL conversion
Partner/Ecosystem	Varies	Marketplace, referral, integration partners	Partner-sourced pipeline
Community-Led	< $5K	Open source, developer community, bottom-up	Community growth, organic adoption

Acquisition channels

Rank channels by expected impact:

Channel	Type	Expected impact	CAC estimate	Timeline to results
[channel]	Paid/Organic/Partner	High/Medium/Low	$[range]	[weeks/months]

Activation sequence

Define the first-use experience:

Step	Action	Success metric	Target
1	Sign up	Registration complete	< 60 seconds
2	[first value moment]	[activation event]	< [time]
3	[aha moment]	[engagement event]	< [time]
4	[habit formation]	[retention event]	[frequency]

Phase 7 — Launch Plan (90 Days)

Six-phase timeline

Phase	Period	Focus	Key deliverables
Pre-Launch I	Day -90 to -30	Foundation	ICP finalized, messaging locked, competitive positioning, internal alignment
Pre-Launch II	Day -30 to -1	Enablement	Sales playbook, content pipeline, training complete, beta feedback integrated
Launch	Day 0	Announcement	Press release, product announcement, launch campaigns live, website updated
Post-Launch I	Day 1-30	Momentum	Customer feedback loops, webinars, case study pipeline, early metrics
Post-Launch II	Day 31-60	Optimization	Messaging refinement, channel optimization, conversion improvements
Review	Day 61-90	Assessment	KPI review, strategy adjustment, next-phase planning

Per-phase task breakdown

For each phase, 5-10 specific tasks:

Phase	Task	Owner type	Depends on	Done when
Pre-Launch I	Finalize ICP and personas	Product marketing	--	ICP doc approved
Pre-Launch I	Lock positioning and messaging	Product marketing	ICP finalized	Messaging framework approved
...	...	...	...	...

Phase 8 — Rollout Waves

Define progressive release stages:

Wave	Audience	Duration	Goal	Exit criteria
Internal alpha	Internal team	2-4 weeks	Validate core flows, find critical bugs	No P0/P1 bugs, team sign-off
Private beta	Selected customers, design partners	2-4 weeks	Validate value proposition, gather feedback	NPS > 30, activation rate > X%
Limited release	Expanded cohort, waitlist	2-4 weeks	Validate scalability, refine onboarding	Stable metrics, support capacity confirmed
General availability (GA)	Public	Ongoing	Full market launch	Launch KPIs met
Follow-up	Expansion targets	Post-GA	Upsell, cross-sell, new segments	Expansion revenue targets

Wave decision gates

Each wave requires explicit go/no-go criteria before proceeding to the next.

Phase 9 — Success Metrics

Metrics by stage (pirate metrics / AARRR)

Stage	Metric	Definition	Target	Measurement
Acquisition	Signups	New accounts created	[target/month]	Product analytics
Acquisition	Pipeline generated	Qualified pipeline value	$[target/quarter]	CRM
Acquisition	CAC	Customer acquisition cost	$[target]	Marketing spend / new customers
Activation	Time-to-value	Time from signup to first value moment	< [target]	Product analytics
Activation	Activation rate	% completing activation sequence	> [target]%	Product analytics
Revenue	ARR / MRR	Annual/monthly recurring revenue	$[target]	Billing system
Revenue	Win rate	% of qualified opps that close	> [target]%	CRM
Revenue	Trial-to-paid conversion	% of trials that convert	> [target]%	Product analytics
Retention	Net revenue retention (NRR)	Revenue retention incl. expansion	> [target]%	Billing system
Retention	Logo retention	% of customers retained	> [target]%	CRM

North star metric

LTV:CAC ratio — target > 3:1.

Break down:

• LTV = ARPU x Gross margin x (1 / Churn rate)
• CAC = (Sales + Marketing spend) / New customers acquired

30/60/90-day milestone targets

Milestone	Day 30	Day 60	Day 90
Signups	[target]	[target]	[target]
Activation rate	[target]%	[target]%	[target]%
Pipeline	$[target]	$[target]	$[target]
Revenue	$[target]	$[target]	$[target]
NPS	[target]	[target]	[target]

Phase 10 — Sales Enablement

Battle cards

Per competitor (top 2-3):

Section	Content
Overview	Competitor summary, target market, pricing
Strengths	Where they win
Weaknesses	Where they struggle
Our advantage	Specific differentiators
Landmines	Questions to plant that favor us
Objection handling	Common objections + responses

Objection handling matrix

Objection	Category	Response	Proof point
"Too expensive"	Price	[reframe to value/ROI]	[data point]
"We already use X"	Switching cost	[migration ease + unique value]	[case study]
"Not sure about security"	Trust	[certifications, architecture]	[compliance docs]
"Need feature Y"	Feature gap	[roadmap, workaround, or reframe]	[timeline]

Competitive comparison matrix

Capability	Our product	Competitor A	Competitor B	Competitor C
[capability 1]	[rating/detail]	[rating/detail]	[rating/detail]	[rating/detail]

Demo script outline

Section	Duration	Key message	Demo action
Hook	2 min	Pain point validation	Show problem scenario
Solution overview	3 min	Core value proposition	Product walkthrough
Key differentiator	5 min	Unique capability	Live demo of key feature
Social proof	2 min	Customer success	Case study / metrics
Call to action	3 min	Next steps	Trial signup / POC offer

Phase 11 — Diagrams

Diagram 1: Launch Timeline (gantt)

gantt
    title 90-Day Launch Timeline
    dateFormat YYYY-MM-DD
    axisFormat %b %d

    section Pre-Launch I
    ICP & Personas           :a1, 2024-01-01, 30d
    Positioning & Messaging  :a2, after a1, 15d
    Competitive Analysis     :a3, 2024-01-01, 30d

    section Pre-Launch II
    Sales Playbook           :b1, after a2, 15d
    Content Pipeline         :b2, after a2, 25d
    Training                 :b3, after b1, 10d

    section Launch
    Announcement             :milestone, c1, after b3, 0d
    Launch Campaigns         :c2, after b3, 14d

    section Post-Launch I
    Feedback Loops           :d1, after c1, 30d
    Webinars                 :d2, after c1, 30d

    section Post-Launch II
    Optimization             :e1, after d1, 30d

    section Review
    KPI Assessment           :f1, after e1, 30d

Populate with actual phase dates and tasks from Phase 7.

Diagram 2: Channel Strategy Matrix (quadrantChart)

quadrantChart
    title Channel Strategy - Effort vs Reach
    x-axis Low Effort --> High Effort
    y-axis Low Reach --> High Reach
    quadrant-1 Invest Heavily
    quadrant-2 Quick Wins
    quadrant-3 Monitor
    quadrant-4 Deprioritize
    SEO Content: [0.3, 0.7]
    Paid Search: [0.5, 0.6]
    Product Hunt: [0.2, 0.5]
    Outbound Sales: [0.8, 0.8]
    Partnerships: [0.7, 0.7]
    Community: [0.4, 0.4]

Plot actual channels from Phase 6 with effort and reach estimates.

Diagram 3: Messaging Hierarchy (mindmap)

mindmap
  root((Product Name))
    Core Positioning
      Category Claim
      Key Differentiator
    Persona A
      Value Prop 1
        Proof Point
      Value Prop 2
        Proof Point
    Persona B
      Value Prop 1
        Proof Point
      Value Prop 2
        Proof Point
    Channel Copy
      Website
      Email
      Ads

Populate with actual messaging from Phase 4.

Diagram 4: Rollout Waves (flowchart)

flowchart LR
    classDef wave fill:#4CAF50,stroke:#333,color:#fff
    classDef gate fill:#FF9800,stroke:#333,color:#fff
    classDef metric fill:#2196F3,stroke:#333,color:#fff

    A["Internal Alpha\n2-4 weeks"]:::wave
    G1{"Go/No-Go\nNo P0/P1 bugs"}:::gate
    B["Private Beta\n2-4 weeks"]:::wave
    G2{"Go/No-Go\nNPS > 30"}:::gate
    C["Limited Release\n2-4 weeks"]:::wave
    G3{"Go/No-Go\nStable metrics"}:::gate
    D["General Availability"]:::wave
    E["Follow-up\nExpansion"]:::wave

    A --> G1 --> B --> G2 --> C --> G3 --> D --> E

Populate with actual wave details and exit criteria from Phase 8.

Render all diagrams per the diagram-rendering mixin.

File naming:

• launch-timeline.mmd / .png
• channel-strategy-matrix.mmd / .png
• messaging-hierarchy.mmd / .png
• rollout-waves.mmd / .png

Phase 12 — Report Assembly

Assemble the complete report:

# Go-to-Market Strategy: [Product/Feature]

**Date**: [date]
**Product/Feature**: [name]
**Launch type**: [New product / Feature launch / Market expansion / Repositioning]
**GTM motion**: [PLG / SLG / Hybrid / Partner / Community-Led]
**Target LTV:CAC**: [ratio]

## Executive Summary
[Key findings: market opportunity, positioning, recommended motion, launch timeline, top 3 risks]

## Market Definition
### Ideal Customer Profile
[Phase 3 ICP table]

### Buyer & User Personas
[Phase 3 persona tables]

### Buying Process
[Phase 3 buying journey map]

## Positioning & Messaging
### Core Positioning
[Phase 4 positioning statement]

### Competitive Positioning
[Phase 4 comparison table]

### Messaging Hierarchy
[Phase 4 value propositions per persona]

### Messaging Hierarchy Diagram
[Phase 11 mindmap]

## Pricing & Packaging
### Pricing Model
[Phase 5 pricing basis and justification]

### Tier Structure
[Phase 5 tier table]

### Competitor Pricing Benchmark
[Phase 5 benchmark table]

### Expansion Paths
[Phase 5 expansion paths]

## Channel Strategy
### GTM Motion
[Phase 6 motion selection and justification]

### Acquisition Channels
[Phase 6 channel ranking]

### Activation Sequence
[Phase 6 activation steps]

### Channel Strategy Matrix
[Phase 11 quadrant chart]

## Launch Timeline
[Phase 11 gantt chart]

### Phase Details
[Phase 7 per-phase task breakdown]

## Rollout Waves
[Phase 11 rollout waves flowchart]

### Wave Details
[Phase 8 wave table with exit criteria]

## Success Metrics
### KPIs by Stage
[Phase 9 metrics table]

### North Star: LTV:CAC
[Phase 9 breakdown]

### 30/60/90-Day Targets
[Phase 9 milestone table]

## Sales Enablement
### Battle Cards
[Phase 10 per-competitor battle cards]

### Objection Handling
[Phase 10 objection matrix]

### Competitive Comparison
[Phase 10 comparison matrix]

### Demo Script Outline
[Phase 10 demo outline]

## Recommendations
[Prioritized actions traced to specific findings, risks, and opportunities]

## Sources
[Numbered list of web sources]

## Assumptions & Limitations
[Explicit list]

Present for user approval. Save only after explicit confirmation.

Generation rules

Per the autonomous-research mixin, plus:

• ICP/Personas: Must be grounded in research — never fabricate buyer data or market statistics
• Pricing: Competitor pricing must come from research — never invent price points
• Metrics targets: Must be benchmarked against industry norms — label aspirational targets as such
• Positioning: Must reflect actual competitive landscape — never claim differentiators that are standard table stakes
• Specificity: "PLG with freemium tier converting at 5-7% based on B2B SaaS benchmarks" not "good conversion model"
• Language: Respond and generate in the user's language unless specified otherwise

Failure behavior

Situation	Behavior
No product/feature context	Enter interview mode — ask what product to create a GTM strategy for
Context too vague	Enter interview mode — ask targeted questions about product, market, audience
No competitive data available	Label as [Assumption], note limitation, produce strategy with caveats
Pricing data unavailable	Research adjacent categories, label extrapolations as [Assumption]
Launch type unclear	Present options with rationale, ask user to select
Import file malformed	Ask user to verify, attempt partial import
Market too niche for benchmarks	State limitation, use closest available benchmarks, label confidence as low
mmdc / web search failures	See diagram-rendering and autonomous-research mixins
Out-of-scope request	"This skill creates go-to-market strategies. [Request] is outside scope."

Self-check

Before presenting output, verify:

[] ICP defined with company characteristics, pain points, buying triggers, disqualifiers
[] 2-4 buyer/user personas with goals, objections, activation triggers
[] Buying process mapped across stages
[] Core positioning statement follows the template format
[] Messaging hierarchy has 3 levels: positioning, value props with proof points, channel copy
[] One message set per persona
[] Pricing model selected and justified against category norms
[] Tier structure defined (free through enterprise)
[] Competitor pricing benchmarked with actual data
[] GTM motion selected and justified by ACV range
[] Acquisition channels ranked by expected impact
[] Activation sequence defined with success metrics
[] 90-day launch plan has 6 phases with specific tasks
[] Rollout waves defined with exit criteria per wave
[] Success metrics cover acquisition, activation, revenue, retention
[] LTV:CAC north star defined with component breakdown
[] 30/60/90-day milestone targets set
[] Battle cards for top 2-3 competitors
[] Objection handling matrix with proof points
[] 4 Mermaid diagrams render valid syntax (per diagram-rendering mixin)
[] Sources listed for all claims (per autonomous-research mixin)
[] Assumptions labeled (per autonomous-research mixin)
[] Recommendations traced to specific findings

Examples

Example 1: SaaS product launch (PLG)

Input: "We're launching a project management tool for remote teams. Freemium model, targeting startups and SMBs."

Expected behavior: Detect as new product launch. Research PM tool market (Asana, Monday, Linear, Notion competitors). Define ICP around remote-first startups 10-200 employees. Position against incumbents. Design PLG motion with freemium entry, recommend per-seat pricing with 3 tiers. Map channels heavy on content/SEO and community. 90-day plan with Product Hunt launch milestone.

Example 2: Enterprise feature launch (SLG)

Input: "We're adding AI-powered compliance monitoring to our existing GRC platform. Enterprise customers, $50K+ ACV."

Expected behavior: Detect as feature launch. Research GRC market and AI compliance trends. Define ICP around mid-to-large enterprises in regulated industries. Position as AI enhancement to trusted platform. Design SLG motion with demo-first approach. Recommend add-on pricing or tier upgrade path. Focus channels on existing customer base, analyst relations, and industry events.

Example 3: Market expansion (new geography)

Input: "We're expanding our HR tech platform from US to EMEA, starting with UK and Germany."

Expected behavior: Detect as market expansion. Research EMEA HR tech landscape, local competitors, regulatory requirements (GDPR, local labor laws). Define localized ICPs for UK and Germany. Adapt positioning for European buyer expectations. Research local pricing norms (EUR vs GBP). Map region-specific channels (local events, EU analyst firms, partnership networks). 90-day plan phased UK-first, Germany second.

Example 4: With competitive analysis input

Input: "Create a GTM strategy for our API security platform. Here's our competitive analysis: [path to competitive-analysis report]"

Expected behavior: Import competitive analysis findings. Skip redundant competitor research. Use SWOT and competitive positioning from import to inform positioning and battle cards. Research pricing and channel benchmarks independently. Build on competitive differentiation already identified.

Example 5: Repositioning/rebrand

Input: "We need to reposition our data analytics tool from a BI reporting tool to an AI-powered insights platform."

Expected behavior: Detect as repositioning. Research the shift from BI to AI analytics market. Map existing vs desired positioning. Define messaging migration path (bridge old and new positioning). Address existing customer communication plan. Recommend phased messaging rollout to avoid market confusion. Sales enablement focused on retraining existing sales team on new narrative.

Example 6 (Edge): Bootstrap startup (no budget)

Input: "We're launching a developer tool with zero marketing budget. Just me and my co-founder."

Expected behavior: Acknowledge budget constraint. Design zero-cost GTM: content marketing (founder-led), developer community engagement, open-source strategy consideration, Product Hunt, Hacker News, Reddit. PLG with generous free tier. No paid channels. Sales enablement reduced to self-serve materials. Metrics focused on organic growth signals.

Example 7 (Edge): Open-source project

Input: "We're launching an open-source database migration tool and want to build a commercial offering around it."

Expected behavior: Design dual-track GTM: open-source community growth + commercial conversion. Research open-source GTM playbooks (GitLab, Grafana, HashiCorp models). Define community metrics alongside commercial metrics. Pricing around managed service, enterprise features, or support tiers. Channel strategy heavy on GitHub, developer conferences, documentation.

Example 8 (Edge): Internal tool rollout

Input: "We need a rollout plan for our new internal employee portal across 5,000 employees."

Expected behavior: Adapt GTM framework for internal launch. ICP becomes internal departments. "Pricing" becomes resource allocation. Channels become internal comms (Slack, email, all-hands). Rollout waves by department or geography. Metrics become adoption rate, ticket deflection, employee satisfaction. Sales enablement becomes change management materials and training.

Example 9 (Failure): No context

Input: "GTM strategy"

Expected behavior: Enter interview mode. Ask: "What product, feature, or initiative do you need a go-to-market strategy for?" Follow up with questions about target market, launch type, existing research, and constraints. Do not generate anything until sufficient context is gathered.

Example 10 (Failure): Out of scope

Input: "Write the actual ad copy and landing page for our product launch"

Expected behavior: "This skill creates go-to-market strategies including messaging frameworks and channel-specific copy direction. Writing production-ready ad copy and landing pages is outside scope. The messaging hierarchy in the GTM strategy can serve as a brief for copywriting."