| name | prd-v09-gtm-strategy |
| description | Define go-to-market strategy including launch plan, messaging, channels, and timing during PRD v0.9 Go-to-Market. Triggers on requests to plan launch, define GTM strategy, or when user asks "how do we launch?", "go-to-market", "launch plan", "marketing strategy", "messaging", "launch channels", "GTM". Outputs GTM- entries with launch plan components.
|
GTM Strategy
Position in workflow: v0.8 Monitoring Setup → v0.9 GTM Strategy → v0.9 Launch Metrics
Purpose
Define how the product reaches its target users—the channels, messaging, timing, and coordination required for a successful launch.
Core Concept: Launch as Campaign
A launch is not "making the product available." It is a coordinated campaign that creates awareness, drives activation, and captures feedback. Every touchpoint should move users toward value.
GTM Components
| Component | Purpose | Output |
|---|
| Messaging | What we say | GTM- (value props, headlines) |
| Channels | Where we say it | GTM- (channel strategy) |
| Timing | When we launch | GTM- (timeline, phases) |
| Coordination | Who does what | GTM- (RACI, tasks) |
Execution
-
Review target personas
- Pull PER- from v0.4
- Understand where they spend time
- Know what messages resonate
-
Define core messaging
- Value proposition (from CFD- value hypotheses)
- Positioning (from BR- product type)
- Key differentiators (from v0.2 competitive landscape)
-
Select launch channels
- Match channels to personas
- Prioritize by reach and conversion potential
- Consider owned, earned, and paid media
-
Plan launch timeline
- Pre-launch: Build anticipation
- Launch day: Maximum impact
- Post-launch: Sustain momentum
-
Assign ownership
- Who creates content?
- Who monitors channels?
- Who handles support surge?
-
Create GTM- entries with full traceability
GTM- Output Template
GTM-XXX: [GTM Item Title]
Type: [Messaging | Channel | Timeline | Task | Asset]
Owner: [Person or team responsible]
Status: [Planned | In Progress | Ready | Live]
For Messaging Type:
Audience: [PER-XXX targeted]
Format: [Headline | Value Prop | Tagline | Elevator Pitch]
Message: [The actual copy]
Supporting Evidence: [CFD-XXX value hypothesis it's based on]
Where Used: [GTM-YYY channels, assets]
For Channel Type:
Channel: [Specific platform or medium]
Audience Fit: [Why this channel reaches PER-XXX]
Strategy: [How we'll use this channel]
Content Plan: [What content goes here]
Success Metric: [How we measure effectiveness]
Linked Assets: [GTM-YYY assets for this channel]
For Timeline Type:
Phase: [Pre-launch | Launch Day | Week 1 | Month 1]
Date: [Specific date or relative timing]
Activities: [What happens in this phase]
Dependencies: [What must be ready]
Milestones: [Key checkpoints]
For Task Type:
Task: [What needs to be done]
Owner: [Who is responsible]
Due: [When it's due]
Dependency: [What it depends on]
Deliverable: [What's produced]
For Asset Type:
Asset: [What this is — landing page, email, video]
Purpose: [What it accomplishes]
Channel: [GTM-YYY where it's used]
Copy: [GTM-YYY messaging used]
Status: [Draft | Review | Approved | Live]
Linked IDs: [PER-XXX, CFD-XXX, KPI-XXX related]
Example GTM- entries:
GTM-001: Primary Value Proposition
Type: Messaging
Owner: Product Marketing
Status: Ready
Audience: PER-001 (Startup Founder)
Format: Value Prop
Message: "Ship faster with AI that understands your codebase.
Context-aware coding assistance that reduces debugging
time by 40%."
Supporting Evidence: CFD-010 (time savings validated in interviews)
Where Used: GTM-005 (Landing Page), GTM-010 (Product Hunt)
Linked IDs: PER-001, CFD-010, KPI-001
GTM-002: Product Hunt Launch
Type: Channel
Owner: Growth Team
Status: Planned
Channel: Product Hunt
Audience Fit: PER-001 (Startup Founder) frequents PH for tools
Strategy:
- Launch on Tuesday 12:01 AM PT
- Engage with comments first 24 hours
- Share maker story
- Prepare demo video
Content Plan:
- Tagline: GTM-001 (Primary Value Prop)
- Maker comment: GTM-003 (Founder Story)
- Demo video: GTM-006 (Product Demo)
Success Metric: Top 5 product of the day, 500+ upvotes
Linked IDs: PER-001, GTM-001, GTM-003, GTM-006, KPI-005
GTM-003: Launch Week Timeline
Type: Timeline
Owner: Launch Coordinator
Status: Planned
Phase: Launch Week
Day -7 (Pre-launch):
- [ ] Email list teaser
- [ ] Social media hints
- [ ] Press outreach
Day -1:
- [ ] Final staging verification
- [ ] Launch assets approved
- [ ] Team roles confirmed
Day 0 (Launch):
- [ ] Product Hunt live at 12:01 AM PT
- [ ] Social media posts scheduled
- [ ] Email to waitlist
- [ ] Monitor and engage
Day 1-3:
- [ ] Respond to all feedback
- [ ] Fix any critical issues
- [ ] Share early wins
Day 4-7:
- [ ] Publish case study
- [ ] Analyze metrics
- [ ] Plan iteration
Dependencies: DEP- release criteria met, MON- monitoring active
Milestones: 1000 signups (Day 3), First paying customer (Day 7)
Linked IDs: DEP-002, MON-005, KPI-001
GTM-004: Landing Page Hero Section
Type: Asset
Owner: Design + Marketing
Status: In Progress
Asset: Landing page hero section
Purpose: Convert visitors to signups
Channel: GTM-007 (Website), GTM-002 (Product Hunt referrals)
Copy: GTM-001 (Primary Value Prop)
Status: Review
Components:
- Headline: "Ship faster with AI that understands your codebase"
- Subhead: "Context-aware coding assistance that reduces
debugging time by 40%"
- CTA: "Start Free Trial" → /signup
- Social proof: "Trusted by 500+ developers"
- Demo video thumbnail: GTM-006
Linked IDs: GTM-001, GTM-006, SCR-001
Channel Selection Framework
Match channels to product type (from v0.2 BR-):
| Product Type | Primary Channels | Strategy |
|---|
| Fast Follow | SEO, Paid, Aggregators | "We're the better [competitor]" |
| Slice | Community, Integrations, Partnerships | "Best [thing] for [ecosystem]" |
| Innovation | Content, PR, Events | "Here's why this matters" |
Channel Categories
| Category | Examples | Best For |
|---|
| Owned | Website, Blog, Email, Product | Control message, build audience |
| Earned | PR, Reviews, Word-of-mouth | Credibility, reach |
| Paid | Ads, Sponsorships, Influencers | Scale, targeting |
| Community | Forums, Discord, Twitter | Engagement, feedback |
Messaging Hierarchy
| Level | Purpose | Example |
|---|
| Mission | Why we exist | "Make developers 10x more productive" |
| Value Prop | What we offer | "AI that understands your codebase" |
| Differentiator | Why us vs others | "Context-aware, not just autocomplete" |
| Proof Point | Why believe us | "40% reduction in debugging time" |
| CTA | What to do next | "Start your free trial" |
Launch Phases
| Phase | Duration | Focus | Success Metric |
|---|
| Teaser | 2 weeks pre | Build anticipation | Waitlist signups |
| Launch | Day 0-3 | Maximum impact | Traffic, signups |
| Momentum | Week 1-4 | Sustain interest | Activation, feedback |
| Steady State | Month 2+ | Optimize funnel | Conversion, retention |
Anti-Patterns
| Pattern | Signal | Fix |
|---|
| Launch and leave | Big launch day, then silence | Plan 30 days of post-launch activity |
| Everything everywhere | All channels, no focus | Pick 2-3 channels, do them well |
| Features not benefits | "We have X, Y, Z" | "You can achieve X, Y, Z" |
| No measurement | "The launch went well (I think)" | Define KPI- before launch |
| Ignoring personas | Generic messaging for everyone | Tailor by PER- |
| Over-promising | "Revolutionary AI" without proof | Ground in CFD- evidence |
Quality Gates
Before proceeding to Launch Metrics:
Downstream Connections
| Consumer | What It Uses | Example |
|---|
| Launch Metrics | GTM- channels inform tracking | GTM-002 (PH) → KPI-005 (PH upvotes) |
| Feedback Loop Setup | GTM- channels become feedback sources | GTM-002 comments → CFD-100 |
| Content Creation | GTM- messaging guides content | GTM-001 → blog post theme |
| Sales | GTM- messaging for outreach | GTM-001 → sales email template |
Detailed References
- Messaging framework examples: See
references/messaging-examples.md
- GTM- entry template: See
assets/gtm-template.md
- Channel evaluation guide: See
references/channel-guide.md
- Launch timeline template: See
references/timeline-template.md
