Create a GTM plan with AI - Part 2

(continued from Part 1 - https://www.therift.ai/guide-content/create-a-gtm-plan-with-ai---part-1)

Part 2 - Customer Definition, Channel Strategy and Success metrics

A solid Go-to-Market (GTM) plan turns a great product into a successful business. In Part 1, we explored how to use AI to:

• Identify your target market segments
• Analyze the competitive landscape
• Develop a winning strategy

Now comes the crucial part: understanding who you're selling to, how to reach them, and how to measure success. These elements turn your market strategy into an actionable plan.

A complete GTM plan answers these essential questions:

• Where should you play? (market targeting) ✓ (Part-1)
• How will you win? (competitive strategy) ✓ (Part-1)
• Who will you serve? (customer definition)
• How will you reach them? (channel strategy)
• What will drive success? (metrics and validation)

Real-World Scenario: Sarah's Next Challenge

Quick recap: Sarah Chen's GreenStack helps e-commerce businesses reduce their carbon footprint through smart supply chain optimization. She has accomplished the following :

• Identified mid-market fashion brands ($100M-500M revenue) as her initial target
• Positioned GreenStack in the $50-150K price range
• Focused on combined supply chain optimization and carbon tracking
• Set a 3-6 months implementation target

With her market and competitive strategy defined, her current challenges:

• Identify and understand her key buyers
• Figure out how to effectively reach them
• Define what success looks like for both customers and investors
• All while managing a small team and 8-month runway

Customer Definition: Understanding GreenStack's Buyers

A product solves a problem, but a business needs to know exactly who has the problem, who can approve the solution, and how they make that decision. For B2B SaaS companies like GreenStack, this means understanding not just job titles, but the entire buying committee and their decision-making process.

‍

Step 1: Mapping the Buying Committee

Why It's Important: Sarah needs to understand who influences and makes sustainability technology decisions in mid-market fashion brands.

How to Do It: Use AI to analyze organizational structures and decision-making patterns. 

‍

Sarah's prompt to AI:

Based on my research from job boards, LinkedIn, and company websites of mid-market fashion brands ($100M-500M):

Common Roles in Sustainability Decisions:

- Chief Sustainability Officer (15% of companies)

- VP of Supply Chain/Operations (95%)

- Sustainability Manager/Director (60%)

- Head of Sourcing (85%)

- IT/Digital Transformation Lead (90%)

Help me:

1. Map typical buying committee structures

2. Identify primary decision-makers vs. influencers

3. Understand their key priorities and pain points

4. Build engagement strategies for each role

AI Response:

Step 2: Mapping the Decision Journey

‍

Why It's Important: Sarah needs to understand how these committees actually make purchasing decisions to align her GTM execution.

How to Do It: Use AI to analyze typical B2B SaaS buying processes in mid-market fashion brands.

‍

Sarah's prompt to AI: Based on sustainability software purchase data (Gartner, G2 Crowd 2023):

Average B2B SaaS Purchase Patterns in Mid-Market:

- Sales cycle: 4.3 months for solutions $50-150K

- Key buying window: 60% of sustainability tech purchases in Q4/Q1

- Evaluation process: 5-8 stakeholders involved

- Proof of concept/trial: Required by 80% of buyers

Common Purchase Triggers (Forrester 2023):

- ESG reporting requirements (78%)

- Customer/retailer mandates (65%)

- Cost reduction initiatives (58%)

- Competitive pressure (52%)

Help me map out:

1. A realistic evaluation & purchase process

2. Brief description of critical decisions stages

3. Timelines for product eval and sales process

‍

AI Response:

‍

Channel Strategy: Getting GreenStack to Market

When you know who you're selling to, the next crucial question is: how do you reach them effectively? Channel strategy for B2B SaaS isn't just about sales - it's about finding the most efficient paths to your buyers while managing limited resources.

Step 1: Identifying Channel Mix

Why It's Important: With limited resources, Sarah needs to determine the most efficient ways to reach her target mid-market fashion brands.

How to Do It: Analyze successful channel strategies in similar B2B sustainability SaaS companies.

Sarah's Prompt: Based on B2B SaaS benchmarks (OpenView, SaaStr 2023):

Go-to-Market Models for $75-150K ACV solutions:

- Product-led Growth: 15% of companies

- Sales-led: 55% of companies

- Marketing-led: 30% of companies

Channel Performance Data:

- Direct sales: 85% of early revenue

- Partnerships: Growing to 30% by year 2

- Self-serve: <5% at this price point

- Average CAC: $35K for mid-market

Current sustainability software buying patterns:

- 68% start research on industry platforms

- 45% engage through industry events

- 72% seek peer recommendations

- 55% use consultants/experts

Help me design an initial channel strategy that:

1. Matches our resources (small team)

2. Can be executed within 8-month runway

3. Focuses on fastest path to first 10 customers

‍

AI Response:

Success Metrics: Measuring GreenStack's GTM Performance

When launching a new product, you're either making progress or learning why you're not. Success metrics help you know which is which - especially crucial for startups like GreenStack with limited runway to prove their model.

Step 1: Defining Key Metrics

Why It's Important: Sarah needs clear indicators to track GTM effectiveness and make quick adjustments.

How to Do It: Use AI to analyze typical SaaS metrics and identify the most relevant ones for GreenStack's stage.

Sarah's Prompt:  Based on early-stage B2B SaaS benchmarks (OpenView, SaaStr 2023):

Key Metrics for Seed-Stage Companies:

- ARR Growth: 100%+ YoY expected

- Gross Revenue Retention: 85%+ target

- CAC Payback: 18-24 months typical

- Sales Cycle: 90-120 days average

- Pilot Conversion: 60-70% benchmark

For sustainability software specifically:

- Implementation Success: 85% under 60 days

- User Adoption: 60% in first 90 days

- Carbon Reduction Impact: 15-20% average

Help me create:

1. Critical metrics for first 8 months

2. Leading indicators for success

3. Key milestones for fundraising

4. Customer success benchmarks

‍

AI Response:

Pro Tips

• Use AI to monitor and analyze early signals - don't wait for full trends
• Let AI parse customer feedback and support conversations for hidden insights
• Combine AI analysis with human judgment, especially for unusual patterns
• Use AI to run multiple 'what-if' scenarios when adjusting strategy
• Set up AI alerts for competitive movements and market changes

Considerations

• Early metrics may be noisy - focus on trends over absolute numbers
• Not everything can (or should) be automated with AI
• Your GTM plan should be a living document, not a static strategy
• Keep tracking both quantitative and qualitative feedback
• Stay focused on core metrics that drive investor confidence

Wrapping up:

A successful GTM plan combines strategic clarity with executional focus. Through Sarah's journey with GreenStack, we've explored how AI can help with both:

Part 1: Market & Strategy

• Identified mid-market fashion as the ideal segment
• Positioned between enterprise solutions and basic tools
• Found the 'Goldilocks' price point ($75-150K)
• Developed clear competitive advantages

Part 2: Customers & Execution

• Mapped the buying committee and decision process
• Designed direct-first channel strategy
• Set clear success metrics and milestones
• Built measurement framework for growth

The key is to move quickly, learn constantly, and use AI to accelerate your understanding and adaptation.