| name | gtm-sprint |
| description | Time-boxed go-to-market sprint that sequences customer validation, positioning, launch, and distribution over 7-21 days. Use when validating market demand, launching an MVP, or running a structured GTM push. |
| user-invokable | true |
| argument-hint | plan | status | gate-check |
GTM Sprint
Reference
- ID: S-GRO-09
- Category: Growth
- Inputs: company.config.yaml, ICP artifact (or triggers creation), objective description
- Outputs: GTM Sprint Plan artifact + GTM Sprint Report artifact -> artifacts/growth/
- Used by: Growth Agent
- Tool scripts: ./tools/artifact/validate.sh
Purpose
Orchestrates a time-boxed go-to-market sprint that sequences validation, commitment, launch, and distribution into a structured daily cadence with quantified decision gates. Unlike /ship (which builds software) or /prototype (which proves technical feasibility), /gtm-sprint validates market demand and builds distribution — no code required.
Inspired by the 100x GTM Playbook methodology: validate with interviews, secure commitments (LOIs), build launch assets, activate distribution channels, and measure traction — all within a fixed sprint window.
When to Use
- Pre-product validation: "Do people actually want this?"
- MVP launch: "We built it, now how do we get users?"
- New market entry: "We're expanding to a new segment"
- Repositioning: "Our current positioning isn't working"
- Any time the user says: "go to market", "GTM", "launch plan", "validate market", "find customers"
When NOT to Use
- Building software features -> use
/ship
- Technical proof-of-concept -> use
/prototype
- Single-channel optimization -> use
/channel-playbook directly
- Post-launch growth optimization -> use individual growth skills directly
Modes
Mode: plan (default)
Generates a personalized GTM Sprint Plan with daily tasks, decision gates, and skill sequencing.
Mode: status
Reviews progress against the active GTM Sprint Plan — checks completed tasks, gate metrics, and recommends adjustments.
Mode: gate-check
Evaluates a specific decision gate and recommends corrective action if thresholds are not met.
Procedure
Phase 0: Context & Configuration
-
Load Context
- Read
company.config.yaml for company name, stage, product description
- Check
artifacts/product/ for existing ICP artifact
- Check
artifacts/decision-memos/ for existing CONV- artifacts (interview count)
- Check
artifacts/growth/ for existing positioning, landing page, channel playbooks
-
Sprint Configuration
Ask the user for (with smart defaults):
| Parameter | Default | Options |
|---|
| Sprint duration | 14 days | 7 / 14 / 21 days |
| Start date | Today | Any date |
| Objective | From product description | Custom |
| Target LOIs | 5 | 3-10 |
| Target interviews | 20 | 10-30 |
| Target wait-list | 50 | 25-200 |
Stage-aware defaults:
idea: 14 days, 20 interviews, 5 LOIs, 50 wait-listmvp: 7 days (validation done), 10 interviews, 3 LOIs, 100 wait-listgrowth: 7 days (repositioning sprint), 15 interviews, 5 LOIs, 200 wait-list
-
ICP Check
- If no ICP artifact exists: inform the user — "No ICP found. The sprint will begin with ICP definition (Day 0). Run
/icp-positioning now, or we'll include it in the sprint plan."
- If ICP exists but is
draft: note it needs validation through interviews
Phase 1: Generate Sprint Plan (Mode: plan)
-
Build Daily Task Schedule
Generate a day-by-day plan adapted to the sprint duration. For a 14-day sprint:
Week 1: Validate & Commit (Days 0-6)
Day 0 — Prep: Lock ICP & Outreach
- Finalize ICP criteria (role, company size, budget, current workaround)
- Build prospect list (100 targets) — use LinkedIn, communities, competitor reviews
- Book 15+ discovery calls for Days 1-2
- Skill:
icp-positioning (if no ICP exists)
- Skill:
customer-conversations prep cold-outreach
- Output: ICP artifact (draft or updated), prospect list
Day 1 — Pain Discovery: Mom-Test Interviews
- Conduct 10+ Mom-Test interviews (15 min each)
- Record key quotes and $$ impact of each pain point
- Focus: current behavior, cost of status quo, workarounds tried
- Skill:
customer-conversations prep mom-test
- Skill:
customer-conversations debrief (after each call)
- Output: 10+ CONV- artifacts
Day 2 — Insights: Synthesize Pain Data
- Conduct remaining interviews (target: 20 total)
- Run feedback synthesis on all CONV- artifacts
- Produce Pain Matrix: themes clustered by $$ impact + urgency
- Rank themes, identify top 3 "hair-on-fire" problems
- Skill:
feedback-synthesizer (with pain-matrix output)
- Output: Feedback report with Pain Matrix
Day 3 — Refine: Sharpen MVP Scope
- Map current workflow -> desired workflow for top pain
- Update MVP scope based on Day 2 insights
- Quantify time saved and cost saved per user
- Draft value proposition: "We help X do Y, saving Z hours/week"
- Skill:
prd-writer or update existing PRD
- Output: Updated PRD or mini-PRD (if pre-product)
Day 4 — Commit: Secure Letters of Intent
- Draft 1-page LOI template (problem, proposed solution, commitment level, timeline)
- Re-contact top 5 prospects from interviews
- Show prototype/mockup/demo and request commitment
- Obtain verbal commitments or e-signatures
- Output: LOI artifacts (target: 5 signed)
Day 5 — Narrative: Go Public
- Write 1-sentence mission statement
- Write 2-paragraph vision statement
- Craft positioning: "We help [X] do [Y] in [Z] seconds"
- Publish first build-in-public post
- Skill:
positioning-messaging
- Skill:
channel-playbook (build-in-public arc)
- Output: Positioning artifact, first public post draft
Day 6 — Gate Check: Week 1 Review
- Review metrics: interviews completed, LOIs signed, wait-list size
- Decision Gate 1: Evaluate against thresholds (see Decision Gates below)
- Adjust Week 2 plan based on gate results
- Output: Week 1 status update
Week 2: Launch & Grow (Days 7-13)
Day 7 — Launch Pad: Landing Page
- Build landing page with top 3 pain quotes above the fold
- Embed email capture / wait-list form
- Add Calendly or booking link for demos
- Skill:
landing-page-copy
- Output: Landing page copy artifact (or deployed page)
Day 8 — Lead Magnet: Field Report
- Compile interview insights into a downloadable asset
- Format: "Field Report" PDF, industry brief, or data snapshot
- Gate the download behind email capture
- Skill:
content-engine (lead-magnet format)
- Output: Lead magnet content artifact
Day 9 — Distribution: Directory Blitz
- Submit product to 15+ relevant directories
- Craft directory-specific hooks using interview data
- Skill:
channel-playbook (directory-blitz template)
- Output: Directory submission tracker
Day 10 — Community: Engagement Strike
- Join 3-5 Slack/Discord communities where ICP hangs out
- Share one fresh insight chart from interview data
- Offer free office-hours or AMA slot
- Decision Gate 2: Check wait-list size against threshold
- Skill:
channel-playbook (community tactics)
- Output: Community post drafts
Day 11 — Competitor: Poaching Play
- Identify 50-100 competitor reviewers (G2, Capterra, Reddit)
- Send value-first outreach: "What's frustrating about [competitor]?"
- Offer concierge migration or white-glove onboarding
- Skill:
channel-playbook (competitor-poaching template)
- Output: Competitor outreach templates
Day 12 — Demo Day: Show & Tell
- Live demo to LOI signers and top prospects
- Capture video testimonials (even 30-second clips)
- Post build-in-public recap with traction metrics
- Output: Demo script, testimonial clips, recap post draft
Day 13 — Sprint Retrospective
- Review all metrics vs. targets
- Decide top 3 growth experiments for next 30 days
- Publish internal retro + public "what's next" post
- Skill:
retrospective (or standalone retro)
- Output: GTM Sprint Report artifact
Sprint Duration Variants
7-Day Sprint (compressed):
- Days 0-1: ICP + Interviews (combine Prep + Pain Discovery)
- Day 2: Synthesize + Refine MVP
- Day 3: LOIs + Positioning
- Day 4: Landing Page + Lead Magnet
- Day 5: Distribution Blitz + Community
- Day 6: Demo Day + Retrospective
- Gate Check: Day 3 (mid-sprint)
21-Day Sprint (extended):
- Week 1: Days 0-6 (same as 14-day)
- Week 2: Days 7-13 (same as 14-day)
- Week 3: Days 14-20 — Optimize & Scale
- Day 14-15: A/B test landing page variants
- Day 16-17: Double down on best-performing channel
- Day 18: Pitch deck assembly
- Day 19: Investor/partner outreach
- Day 20: Sprint close + 30-day plan
- Gate Check: Day 6, Day 13, Day 18
-
Adapt for Existing Progress
Skip steps where artifacts already exist:
- ICP artifact exists and is approved -> skip Day 0 ICP work
- 10+ CONV- artifacts exist -> reduce Day 1-2 interview targets
- Positioning artifact exists -> skip Day 5 positioning (just do build-in-public)
- Landing page copy exists -> skip Day 7 copy work (focus on deployment)
Phase 2: Decision Gates
-
Define Quantified Gates
Each gate has a metric, threshold, and corrective action:
| Gate | Day | Metric | Threshold | If Below |
|---|
| Interview Volume | 2 | Completed interviews | >= 15 (of 20 target) | Extend Days 1-2 by 1-2 days, increase outreach volume |
| Pain Clarity | 3 | Distinct pain themes with $$ quantification | >= 3 themes | Broaden interview scope to adjacent ICP segments |
| LOI Commitment | 6 | Signed/verbal LOIs | >= 60% of target | Double interview volume in Week 2, revisit ICP criteria |
| Wait-list Traction | 10 | Wait-list sign-ups | >= 50% of target | Rerun positioning, test different channels, check landing page conversion |
| Distribution Reach | 12 | Directory submissions + community posts | >= 10 combined | Focus remaining days on single highest-ROI channel |
Gate Severity by Stage:
idea: All gates are advisory (warnings) — learning is the goalmvp: LOI and Wait-list gates are enforced — market signal is criticalgrowth/scale: All gates enforced — must hit thresholds to continue
-
Gate Check Procedure (Mode: gate-check)
When a gate is triggered:
- Count the relevant metric from artifacts (CONV- count, LOI count, etc.)
- Compare against threshold
- If PASS: congratulate, move to next phase
- If FAIL: present corrective action with specific steps
- Ask user: "Adjust the plan, override the gate, or pause the sprint?"
Phase 3: Sprint Artifacts
-
GTM Sprint Plan Artifact
Save to artifacts/growth/GTM-SPRINT-{date}.md:
---
id: GTM-SPRINT-{date}
type: launch-brief
title: "GTM Sprint Plan — {objective}"
status: draft
created: {date}
author: Growth Agent
sprint_duration: 14
sprint_start: {date}
sprint_end: {date+duration}
target_interviews: 20
target_lois: 5
target_waitlist: 50
---
Body contains the full daily task schedule with checkboxes.
-
GTM Sprint Report Artifact (end of sprint)
Save to artifacts/growth/GTM-SPRINT-REPORT-{date}.md:
---
id: GTM-SPRINT-REPORT-{date}
type: launch-brief
title: "GTM Sprint Report — {objective}"
status: review
created: {sprint_end_date}
author: Growth Agent
parent: GTM-SPRINT-{date}
---
Body contains:
- Metrics vs. Targets: interviews, LOIs, wait-list, directory submissions, community engagement
- Top Learnings: 3-5 key insights from interviews
- Pain Matrix Summary: top 3 validated pain points with $$ impact
- Positioning Validation: what resonated, what didn't
- Channel Performance: which channels drove most traction
- Next 30 Days: top 3 growth experiments recommended
- Decision: proceed to
/ship, pivot positioning, expand ICP, or pause
Phase 4: Status Tracking (Mode: status)
-
Progress Dashboard
When invoked with status:
- Find the most recent GTM-SPRINT- artifact in
artifacts/growth/
- Calculate current sprint day based on
sprint_start date
- Count completed metrics:
- CONV- artifacts created since sprint start
- LOI artifacts in
artifacts/product/
- Landing page / positioning artifacts created
- Channel playbook artifacts created
- Present progress:
## GTM Sprint Status — Day {N} of {duration}
### Metrics
| Metric | Target | Current | Status |
|--------|--------|---------|--------|
| Interviews | 20 | 12 | On track |
| LOIs | 5 | 2 | At risk |
| Wait-list | 50 | 8 | Behind |
### Today's Focus
- [Day N tasks from the plan]
### Upcoming Gate
- Gate: LOI Commitment (Day 6) — need 3 more LOIs in 2 days
LOI (Letter of Intent) Template
When creating LOI artifacts on Day 4, save to artifacts/product/LOI-{company}-{date}.md using this structure:
---
id: LOI-{company}-{date}
type: loi
title: "Letter of Intent — {Company Name}"
status: draft
created: {date}
author: {user}
parent: {icp-artifact-id}
---
LOI Body Template
## Letter of Intent
**From**: {Prospect Name}, {Role} at {Company}
**To**: {Your Company}
**Date**: {date}
### Problem Acknowledged
{1-2 sentences describing the pain point this prospect validated}
### Proposed Solution
{1-2 sentences describing what you plan to build/offer}
### Commitment Level
- [ ] Verbal interest
- [ ] Email confirmation
- [ ] Signed LOI
- [ ] Pilot agreement with timeline
### Terms (if applicable)
- **Pilot Duration**: {e.g., 30 days}
- **Pilot Scope**: {what they'll use}
- **Success Criteria**: {what "working" looks like for them}
- **Pricing Discussion**: {willingness-to-pay signal}
### Prospect Context
- **Company Size**: {employees / revenue range}
- **Current Workaround**: {how they solve this today}
- **$$ Impact**: {estimated cost of current pain per month/year}
- **ICP Fit**: Strong / Partial / Weak
- **Decision Timeline**: {when they need a solution}
### Next Steps
{Agreed follow-up actions}
Cross-References
- icp-positioning (S-PROD-01) — Day 0 ICP definition
- customer-conversations (S-PROD-08) — Days 1-2 interview prep/debrief, Mom-Test mode
- feedback-synthesizer (S-PROD-04) — Day 2 pain synthesis with Pain Matrix
- prd-writer (S-PROD-02) — Day 3 MVP refinement
- positioning-messaging (S-GRO-01) — Day 5 narrative and positioning
- landing-page-copy (S-GRO-02) — Day 7 launch page
- content-engine (S-GRO-07) — Day 8 lead magnet
- channel-playbook (S-GRO-04) — Days 9-11 distribution (directory blitz, community, competitor poaching)
- retrospective (S-ORG-14) — Day 13 sprint retro
- ship (S-ORG-08) — post-sprint graduation to full build flow
Quality Checklist
