# Gtm Strategy > Use when user says "go to market", "GTM", "how do we sell this", "find customers", when planning a launch, when defining the ideal customer profile, when designing a pilot program before broad launch, or when a structured sales motion needs to be documented. - Skill: `aneja5/gtm-strategy` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add aneja5/gtm-strategy` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/aneja5/gtm-strategy/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Marketing & Growth - Author: aneja5 (https://skillmd.com/u/aneja5) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/aneja5/gtm-strategy --- # GTM Strategy ## Overview Read `.forge/prd.md` and `.forge/competitive.md` to produce `.forge/gtm.md` — a concrete go-to-market plan. The output must be specific enough that a sales team can execute it without verbal briefing. ICP is a named persona, not a market segment. ## When to Use - `.forge/prd.md` exists and the product is approaching market readiness - User asks "how do we sell this" or "who do we sell to first" - Competitive analysis is done and positioning is clear - Need a pilot program design or ROI framework ## When NOT to Use - No PRD exists — run `spec-driven-development` first - Product is pre-idea — run `idea-griller` first - User wants to refine the product, not sell it — use `spec-driven-development` ## Common Rationalizations | Thought | Reality | |---------|---------| | "Our ICP is SMBs" | That's a market segment, not a person. Name the title, company size, and daily pain | | "The product sells itself" | No product sells itself. Name the channel, motion, and first touchpoint | | "We'll figure out pricing later" | Pricing shapes positioning. A free tool and a $500/mo platform attract different buyers | | "ROI is hard to quantify" | If the buyer can't calculate ROI, they can't justify the purchase internally | | "We don't need a pilot — just launch" | Pilots generate case studies. Case studies close deals. No pilot = no proof | ## Red Flags - ICP is a market segment ("SMBs", "enterprises") instead of a named persona - Wedge feature is the entire product (not a wedge — it's the whole door) - Sales channel is "inbound" with no specifics on content strategy or distribution - ROI calculator uses aspirational numbers instead of conservative estimates - Pilot has no success criteria or timeline - Case study template doesn't include quantified before/after ## Core Process ### Step 1: Define ICP Name the person, not the market: - **Title**: specific role (e.g., "VP of Sales at a 50-200 person B2B SaaS company") - **Daily pain**: what frustrates them this week, not abstractly - **Current solution**: what they do today (the status quo from competitive analysis) - **Budget authority**: can they sign a check, or do they need approval? - **Where they hang out**: conferences, communities, publications, Slack groups ### Step 2: Identify the wedge The wedge is the ONE feature that gets you in the door. Not the whole product — the single capability that makes the ICP say "I need this today." Rules: the wedge must solve an acute pain (not a nice-to-have), be demonstrable in under 5 minutes, and be usable without the rest of the product. ### Step 3: Design the pilot program - **Duration**: typically 2-4 weeks - **Success criteria**: specific metrics the pilot must hit (not "they liked it") - **Pilot scope**: what's included, what's explicitly out - **Support model**: how much hand-holding during pilot - **Conversion trigger**: what happens at pilot end — auto-convert, sales call, or expire? ### Step 4: Map sales channels For each channel, specify: - **Channel**: outbound, inbound content, partnerships, PLG, community, events - **Motion**: exact sequence (e.g., "LinkedIn post → DM → demo → pilot → close") - **Volume**: how many touchpoints per week to generate pipeline - **CAC estimate**: approximate cost per acquisition through this channel ### Step 5: Build ROI calculator Create a formula the buyer can use to justify the purchase: - **Cost of problem**: hours wasted × hourly rate × frequency - **Cost of solution**: your pricing - **Net savings**: conservative estimate (use 50% of theoretical max) - **Payback period**: months until ROI positive ### Step 6: Create case study template Structure for capturing pilot results: - Company profile (size, industry, role of champion) - Problem before (quantified) - Solution implemented (which features, how long to deploy) - Results after (quantified — same metrics as "before") - Quote from champion ### Step 7: Define success metrics - **Pilot conversion rate target**: what % of pilots should convert? - **Time to close**: expected days from first touch to signed deal - **Expansion signal**: what behavior indicates upsell opportunity? ## Output Write `.forge/gtm.md` with all sections above. Prepend a `forge:meta` header (`generated_by: gtm-strategy`, `generated_at: `, `depends_on: [.forge/prd.md, .forge/competitive.md]` — paths only, never hashes, `generated_from: {.forge/prd.md: , .forge/competitive.md: }` — each upstream's content_hash AT generation time, `content_hash: `). See [forge-dependency-graph](../../references/forge-dependency-graph.md). After writing: "GTM strategy written to `.forge/gtm.md`." ## Verification - [ ] `.forge/prd.md` and `.forge/competitive.md` read before starting - [ ] ICP names a specific title and company profile, not a market segment - [ ] Wedge is one feature, not the whole product - [ ] Pilot has specific success criteria with numbers - [ ] ROI calculator uses conservative estimates - [ ] At least 2 sales channels mapped with specific motions - [ ] Case study template includes quantified before/after - [ ] `.forge/gtm.md` written