go-to-market-planning

name	go-to-market-planning
description	Build a go-to-market plan for a launch — messaging, channels, enablement, timeline. Use when you're shipping something that needs coordinated market entry.

Go-to-Market Planning

Build a complete go-to-market plan in 1-2 days. Claude drafts messaging frameworks, enablement materials, and launch timelines. You provide the strategic channel decisions, audience judgment, and cross-functional coordination.

When to Use

• Launching a new product, major feature, or tier
• Entering a new market segment or geography
• Repositioning an existing product
• A launch is 4-8 weeks out and you need to coordinate cross-functionally
• Marketing, sales, or CS is asking "how do we talk about this?"

When NOT to Use

• You need product readiness (FAQs, help docs, training) — those templates exist in TEMPLATES.md and overlap with this skill but are distinct
• You're writing release notes for an incremental update — use the Release Communication template
• The product isn't ready to launch — use Discovery Process or finish building first

The AI-Native Approach

Step	Time	Claude Does	You Do
Define audience & positioning	1-2 hrs	Draft positioning variants, audience profiles	Choose positioning, validate against customer knowledge
Build messaging framework	2-3 hrs	Generate messaging hierarchy with proof points	Stress-test with sales/CS for accuracy
Select channels	1 hr	Analyze channel options with pros/cons	Decide channel mix based on budget and capacity
Create enablement	2-3 hrs	Draft sales one-pagers, CS talking points, demo scripts	Review with the teams who'll use them
Build launch timeline	1 hr	Structure timeline with dependencies and owners	Confirm commitments with cross-functional leads

Process

Step 1: Define Audience & Positioning (1-2 hours)

We're launching [product/feature/tier]:
- What it does: [description]
- Who it's for: [target users/buyers]
- The problem it solves: [evidence-backed problem statement]
- Current alternatives: [what users do today without this]
- Competitive context: [how competitors address this]

Draft 3 positioning variants using this structure:
For [target audience] who [need], [product] is a [category] that [key benefit].
Unlike [alternative], we [primary differentiator].

For each variant:
- Who it resonates with most
- What it de-emphasizes
- What proof points support it

Step 2: Build Messaging Framework (2-3 hours)

Based on our chosen positioning, build a messaging hierarchy:

1. Headline message (one sentence — the thing that goes on the landing page)
2. Supporting messages (3 pillars — the key reasons to believe)
3. For each pillar:
   - Claim (what we're saying)
   - Proof point (evidence — data, customer quote, demo)
   - Objection (what skeptics will say)
   - Response (how we address the objection)
4. Audience-specific angles:
   - For [buyer persona]: emphasize [what matters to them]
   - For [user persona]: emphasize [what matters to them]
   - For [technical evaluator]: emphasize [what matters to them]

Write in the customer's language, not product jargon.

Step 3: Select Channels (1 hour)

For this launch, evaluate these channel options:

For each channel [product-led, sales-led, content/SEO, paid acquisition,
email to existing base, partner channel, community/social, events]:
- Fit for our audience (how do they discover and evaluate products?)
- Expected reach and conversion
- Cost and effort to execute
- Timeline to impact
- What we'd need to create for this channel

Recommend a channel mix based on:
- Our budget: [range]
- Our team capacity: [what teams are available]
- Our timeline: [launch date]

Step 4: Create Enablement Materials (2-3 hours)

Generate enablement materials for launch:

For Sales:
- One-page overview (problem, solution, differentiation, pricing, competitive comparison)
- Objection handling guide (top 5 objections with responses)
- Discovery questions to identify fit

For Customer Success:
- Talking points for customer conversations
- FAQ for existing customer questions about the new offering
- Upgrade/migration guidance if applicable

For Marketing:
- Landing page copy (headline, subhead, 3 benefit sections, CTA)
- Email announcement (subject line, body, CTA)
- Social media posts (3-5 variants for different platforms)

All materials should use the messaging framework from Step 2.

Step 5: Build Launch Timeline (1 hour)

Create a launch timeline for [launch date]:

Work backward from launch day:
- T-4 weeks: [what needs to happen]
- T-2 weeks: [what needs to happen]
- T-1 week: [final preparations]
- Launch day: [sequence of events]
- T+1 week: [post-launch activities]
- T+2 weeks: [first review point]

For each milestone:
- Owner (which team/person)
- Deliverable
- Dependencies
- Readiness gate (what must be true before proceeding)

Include cross-functional coordination points: engineering freeze date,
design asset deadlines, marketing copy approvals, sales training dates.

Output

• Positioning statement (chosen from variants)
• Messaging framework with hierarchy, proof points, and audience angles
• Channel strategy with recommended mix
• Enablement package (sales, CS, marketing materials)
• Launch timeline with owners, dependencies, and readiness gates

Common Pitfalls

1. Building messaging without talking to customers. Your positioning should be informed by how customers describe the problem, not how your team describes the solution.
2. Launching without enablement. If sales can't articulate the value or CS can't answer questions, the launch creates problems, not growth.
3. Too many channels, too thin. Better to go deep on 2-3 channels than shallow on 7. Choose channels where your audience actually is.
4. Marketing-only GTM. Go-to-market is cross-functional. Product, sales, CS, support, and marketing all need coordinated execution.
5. No post-launch plan. Launch day is the beginning, not the end. Plan for the first 2 weeks of monitoring, feedback collection, and iteration.

Related Skills

• Product Strategy & Vision — when GTM needs to align with broader strategy
• Pricing & Packaging — when the launch includes pricing decisions
• Stakeholder Alignment — when cross-functional leads need to align on the plan
• Reference: TEMPLATES.md — Release Communication, Product Readiness Checklist, FAQ templates
• Reference: AI-NATIVE-WORKFLOW.md — Product Readiness section