1. Name the market you can actually win
Most GTM plans fail because they describe a total addressable market instead of a winnable beachhead. We define a first market by buying committee, urgency, and a proof you already have. The output is a one-page ICP with exclusion rules.
2. Make the offer unmistakable
Buyers should be able to repeat your offer after one meeting. We write a category claim, a proof stack, a pricing narrative, and three objection answers sales can use without a slide deck.
3. Choose routes to revenue
Direct sales, partnerships, product-led, and community are not equal. We score each route on speed, margin, and control, then design one primary motion and one supporting motion. BD then has a job: fill the chosen route, not every route.
4. Build a partnership thesis
Partnerships work when both sides can sell the same outcome. We map complementors, define a co-sell offer, set joint pipeline rules, and install a monthly business review. Random logos are not a channel.
5. Design demand around search and conversations
Marketing should intercept high-intent questions and arm BD. We build a content map from commercial keywords, sales objections, and partner enablement. Each piece has an owner, a next action, and a conversion path.
6. Run a weekly operating cadence
Strategy dies in decks. We install a Monday forecast, a Wednesday pipeline review, and a Friday experiment log. Leading indicators: qualified conversations, partner-sourced opportunities, stage conversion, and cycle time.
Read the deeper essays: business development strategy, go-to-market strategy, and marketing strategy for growth.
