Go-to-Market Playbooks

Overview

Comprehensive guide to go-to-market (GTM) strategies, product positioning, launch planning, and market entry tactics.

When to Use This Skill

Auto-loaded by agents:

• launch-planner - For GTM strategies, positioning, and distribution playbooks

Use when you need:

• Planning product launches
• Positioning new products
• Entering new markets
• Rebranding or repositioning
• Competitive differentiation

GTM Strategy Types

Four core GTM motions. Pick based on product complexity, price point, and distribution model.

Deep dive: See [references/gtm-strategy-types-guide.md](references/gtm-strategy-types-guide.md) for full playbooks, funnels, and step-by-step tactics for each motion.

Positioning

Use April Dunford's 5-component framework:

1. Competitive Alternatives - What customers use today
2. Unique Attributes - What you have that alternatives don't
3. Value - What those attributes enable
4. Target Customer - Who cares most about that value
5. Market Category - What context makes the value obvious

Positioning Statement Template:

For [target customer]
Who [need/opportunity]
[Product] is a [category]
That [key benefit]
Unlike [alternative]
We [primary differentiation]

Deep dive: See [assets/positioning-statement-template.md](assets/positioning-statement-template.md) for the full 5-step positioning process with worked examples.

Messaging

Three-level messaging hierarchy:

• Level 1: Company messaging (mission, brand, values)
• Level 2: Product messaging (positioning, value props, differentiators)
• Level 3: Feature messaging (benefits, use cases, proof points)

Key formulas:

• Before-After-Bridge (BAB): Pain -> desired state -> how product bridges the gap
• PAS (Problem-Agitate-Solve): Identify pain -> make it worse -> your solution

Deep dive: See [assets/messaging-formulas-template.md](assets/messaging-formulas-template.md) for full formulas with examples.

Launch Strategy

Launch Tiers

Tier 1: Major Launch - New product, major rebranding, strategic pivot. Full PR, events, marketing.

Tier 2: Feature Launch - Significant new capability. Blog post, email, social, targeted outreach.

Tier 3: Improvement - Bug fixes, small features. Release notes, changelog.

Launch Channels

Deep dive: See [assets/launch-timeline-template.md](assets/launch-timeline-template.md) for a Tier 1 launch checklist from T-8 weeks through post-launch.

Market Entry Strategy

TAM/SAM/SOM

TAM (Total Addressable Market): Everyone who could use product
SAM (Serviceable Available Market): Segment you can reach
SOM (Serviceable Obtainable Market): Realistic target

Beachhead Strategy (Geoffrey Moore)

Dominate one narrow segment before expanding.

1. Identify Beachhead: Narrow, winnable segment
2. Dominate: Become #1 in that segment
3. Expand: Adjacent segments

Examples: Facebook (Harvard -> Ivy League -> all colleges -> everyone), Amazon (books -> electronics -> everything)

Market Entry Checklist

• Market size validation
• Competitive landscape
• Regulatory requirements
• Localization needs (language, currency, compliance)
• Distribution partners
• Pricing for market

Competitive Strategy

Competitive Intel

What to Track: Product features/roadmap, pricing, marketing messages, customer reviews, funding/news

Sources: Competitor websites/blogs, G2/Capterra reviews, LinkedIn (hiring = roadmap hints), earnings calls, customer conversations

Battle Cards

For each competitor, document:

• Overview (size, funding, target customers, strengths)
• When they win vs. when we win
• Feature comparison and positioning
• Objection handling scripts
• Proof points (customer wins, case studies)

Pricing & Packaging

Five core pricing models: Freemium, Free Trial, Usage-Based, Tiered, Per-Seat.

Pick a value metric that scales with customer value (per user, per event, per API call, storage).

Deep dive: See [references/pricing-packaging-guide.md](references/pricing-packaging-guide.md) for pricing model details and 3-tier packaging strategy.

GTM Playbook Summary

Choose GTM Motion:

Low-touch, self-serve    -> PLG
High-touch, complex sale -> Sales-Led
Developer product        -> Community-Led
Platform complement      -> Partner-Led

Then:
1. Position (find differentiation)
2. Message (communicate value)
3. Launch (create awareness)
4. Optimize (iterate and scale)

Key Success Factors:
- Clear positioning
- Focused beachhead
- Aligned team
- Measured results

Troubleshooting

"I don't know which GTM motion to pick": Start with PLG if your product has quick time-to-value and low price point. Default to sales-led for complex products with high contract values. Use the decision tree in the GTM Playbook Summary above.

"My positioning feels generic": You likely skipped step 1 (Competitive Alternatives). Start by listing what customers actually use today, then identify what you do that those alternatives cannot.

"Launch got no traction": Most common causes: wrong channel for audience, launched without a waitlist/audience, or messaging didn't communicate value clearly. Review launch tier -- you may have under-invested for the launch type.

Resources

Books:

• "Obviously Awesome" - April Dunford (positioning)
• "Crossing the Chasm" - Geoffrey Moore (market entry)
• "Product-Led Growth" - Wes Bush (PLG strategy)
• "The Mom Test" - Rob Fitzpatrick (customer discovery)

Frameworks:

• April Dunford positioning canvas
• Jobs-to-be-Done framework
• Lean Canvas (market fit)

Tools:

• Competitors: Crayon, Klue
• Launches: Product Hunt, BetaList
• Analytics: Mixpanel, Segment

Deep Dive Files