| name | gtm-strategy |
| description | Develops complete go-to-market strategies for startup founders. Incorporates Pressure Profile ICP system, C.A.R.E. framework, Offer Testing Matrix, Distribution Triangle, 4-Stage Growth Sequencing, and LinkedIn GTM systems. Use proactively when a founder mentions GTM planning, customer acquisition, ICP, messaging, channel strategy, pricing, outbound, content strategy, LinkedIn, co-marketing, distribution, or any question about how to get customers. This is the CEO growth hat — trigger it whenever the conversation shifts from building to growing. Also trigger for "who should I target", "how do I message", "which channels", or "why isn't my outreach working". |
| used_by | ["gtm-strategist","market-analyst","ceo-thinking-partner"] |
GTM Strategy — Founder OS
This skill covers the complete GTM stack from ICP definition through channel execution.
Quick Diagnostic: Which Framework Do You Need?
| Question | Jump To |
|---|
| "Who should I target?" | Pressure Profile ICP System |
| "How do I message them?" | Offer Testing Matrix + C.A.R.E. Activate |
| "Which channels should I use?" | 4-Stage Growth Sequencing |
| "Why isn't my outbound working?" | Offer Testing Matrix |
| "How do I build organic distribution?" | Distribution Triangle |
| "Which growth tactics fit my stage?" | 4-Stage Growth Sequencing |
| "How do I time my market entry?" | See market-research/SKILL.md T-Score |
Framework 1: The Pressure Profile ICP System
The problem with typical ICPs: "VP of Sales, B2B SaaS, 50-200 employees, Series A-B, North America" matches ~11,500 LinkedIn profiles. Every competitor targets the same list with the same opener. No wonder response rates are below 5%.
The same person at the same company will ignore your email in January and reply in March. Their title didn't change. Their pressure changed.
The 4-Layer Pressure Profile
Build this — not a persona. A persona tells you who. A pressure profile tells you why they'd act right now.
Layer 1: Organizational Pressure
What is the company going through?
- Missed revenue targets? Hiring freeze?
- Competitors launched new features?
- New regulatory requirements?
- Recent acquisition or leadership change?
Layer 2: Role Pressure
What is their function dealing with?
- Increased quota with smaller team?
- New initiative they've been given ownership of?
- Process that's breaking at scale?
- Metrics they're personally accountable for?
Layer 3: Personal Pressure
What is this individual stressed about?
- New to the role (proving themselves)?
- Up for promotion this cycle?
- Behind on a project that leadership watches?
- Recently lost a team member?
Layer 4: Temporal Pressure
Why would they act this month specifically?
- New budget cycle just opened?
- Key event (conference, board meeting, QBR) approaching?
- Trigger event happened (funding, launch, restructure)?
- Contract with existing vendor up for renewal?
Pressure Profile Template
## Pressure Profile: [Segment Name]
### Who They Are (Firmographic Layer — just the foundation)
- Title: [specific]
- Company type: [specific]
- Stage/size: [specific]
### Organizational Pressure
[What's happening at company level that creates urgency?]
### Role Pressure
[What's their function struggling with?]
### Personal Pressure
[What is this person personally stressed about?]
### Temporal Triggers (Buying Moments)
- [Trigger event 1] → [why it creates urgency for your solution]
- [Trigger event 2] → [why it creates urgency for your solution]
### The Message That Works
Hook: [Reference their specific situation]
Pain: [State the pressure in their language]
Bridge: [Hint at relief without selling]
CTA: [Lowest-friction next step possible]
### Anti-Profile (Who NOT to target)
[Signs this person won't buy regardless of pressure]
Framework 2: The Offer Testing Matrix
Most teams optimize subject lines, copy, timing. But the single biggest driver of cold outreach conversion is what you're offering — not how you say it.
The 2×2: Value vs. Effort
High Value
│
│ [Deep Audit] [Personalized
│ High effort, Case Study]
│ high value High value,
│ medium effort ⭐
│
│ [Free Report] [Tool/Template]
│ Low effort, Low effort,
│ medium value high value ⭐
│
Low Value ──────────────────────────────────
High Effort Low Effort
Sweet spot: High value, low-to-medium effort for the prospect.
The 6 Offer Types
| Offer | Value | Prospect Effort | Best For | Conversion |
|---|
| Demo Request | Low (for them) | Medium | Warm leads only | Low cold |
| Free Audit | High | Low | Cold B2B, Q1 pipeline | Strong |
| Personalized Case Study | Very High | Very Low | ICP-matched accounts | Best (~50% better) |
| Tool/Template Gift | High | Zero | Trigger reciprocity | Strong |
| Industry Report | High | Low | Problem-aware segment | Strong |
| Warm Introduction | Variable | Low | Context-dependent | Context-dependent |
Offer-to-Stage Matching
| Company Stage | Best Offer |
|---|
| Pre-Series A (need first customers) | Personalized case study + free audit |
| Series A (scaling outbound) | Tool/template + industry report |
| Growth stage (enterprise) | Audit + warm intro strategy |
The Offer Ladder Sequence (6.3% cold-to-demo)
Touch 1: Tool/template gift (no ask)
Touch 2: Industry insight relevant to their role (no ask)
Touch 3: Reference T1 + T2, ask for reaction (soft engagement)
Touch 4: Personalized case study for their segment
Touch 5: Light CTA — "15 min to see if relevant?"
Touch 6: Final value + breakup frame
Framework 3: C.A.R.E.
Collect → Activate → Remove Barriers → Eliminate Friction
C — Collect
Find prospects at the moment a pressure event occurs. Map their trigger events (see Pressure Profile Layer 4). Be there when the trigger fires.
Channel priority by CAC trend (2025-2026):
- B2B SaaS CAC payback has stretched to 18-30+ months for paid
- Cold outreach response rates: 8-9% → 3-5%
- Paid CPMs up 40-70% vs 2022
- Co-marketing and partner-anchored outreach converts at 30-40% vs 1-5% for cold
This changes channel prioritization. See Distribution Triangle below.
A — Activate
Message structure:
1. Hook: Reference their specific pressure layer (not generic "I noticed your company is growing")
2. Pain: State it in their language, not yours
3. Bridge: Hint at relief
4. CTA: Single, lowest-friction next step
Example (Layer 4 trigger):
"Noticed [Company] just closed Series A — most [role] at this stage
find [specific pain] becomes their #1 bottleneck in the next 90 days.
We helped [similar company] solve it in [timeframe]. Worth a 15-min call?"
R — Remove Barriers
| Barrier | Signal | Removal |
|---|
| Price | "Too expensive" | ROI calculator, pilot, outcome-based pricing |
| Risk | "What if it doesn't work?" | Guarantee, case studies, reference calls |
| Timing | "Not a priority" | Quantify cost of delay, trigger-based re-engage |
| Authority | "Need to check with..." | Champion kit, exec one-pager |
| Integration | "How does this fit?" | Technical validation, integration docs |
| Switching | "We use X" | Migration guide, competitor displacement playbook |
E — Eliminate Friction
Map every step from first contact to signed contract. Remove any step that isn't essential. Measure drop-off at each stage. The goal: reduce steps, reduce time-to-yes.
Framework 4: Distribution Triangle
Distribution is your product. Most startups don't die because the product is bad. They die because no one shows up. CAC has risen 300-400% in 3 years. Paid advertising is anti-early-stage: it masks weak positioning by letting you avoid hard conversations.
Three interconnected dimensions. Weakness in any one undermines the system.
Vertex 1: Audience-First (Trust Before Transactions)
The Depth Test: Can you name 50 people in your target market who know your name and would take your call? If not, you have width without depth.
Build owned audience, not rented:
- Email subscribers (yours, not the platform's)
- Community membership
- Waitlist subscribers
Target: 30%+ of traffic from owned channels. Email open rates >25% (industry avg: 15-20%).
Vertex 2: Channel-First (Owned Distribution)
| Channel Type | Example | Control | Compounds? |
|---|
| Owned | Email list, community | Full | Yes |
| Earned | Creator mentions, PR | Partial | Yes |
| Rented | LinkedIn followers, Twitter | None | No |
| Paid | Ads | Temporary | No |
Distribution-first playbook:
- Build audience before product launch
- Every piece of content captures into owned channel
- Community > followers
Vertex 3: Credibility-First (Insight Before Authority)
Earned Distribution: The Give-First Ladder
| Step | Action | Rule |
|---|
| 1. Silent Signal | Share insight assets with zero ask | No "let me know your thoughts" |
| 2. Value Remix | Offer deeper data when they engage | Still no ask |
| 3. Attribution Exchange | Amplify their content | Reciprocity without transaction |
| 4. Collaborative Creation | "Your perspective would strengthen our research" | Co-creation, not sponsorship |
| 5. Ongoing Partnership | Regular insight exchange | Skip steps = extraction signal |
What passes the Creator Decision Filter:
- Benchmark data answering questions their audience asks
- Frameworks that reorganize messy problems
- Research that contradicts what everyone assumes
- NOT: "Research" that's repackaged product marketing
Framework 5: 4-Stage Growth Sequencing
The right playbook at the wrong stage is worse than no playbook.
Stage Identification
| Stage | Stage Name | Revenue | Primary Goal |
|---|
| 1 | Foundation Builder | $0–$10K MRR | Validate problem + solution |
| 2 | PMF Seeker | $10K–$50K MRR | Find repeatable acquisition |
| 3 | Scale Prepper | $50K–$150K MRR | Build systems before scaling |
| 4 | Growth Optimizer | $150K+ MRR | Optimize and compound |
Stage 1: Foundation Builder — What Works
Works: Direct founder outreach (manual, personal, high signal) | Customer discovery conversations (10+ per week) | Waitlist building with specific promise | 1:1 community engagement in niche forums | Manual do-things-that-don't-scale tactics
Does NOT work: Paid advertising (no validated funnel) | SEO content (takes 6-12 months) | Complex automation | ABM campaigns
Constraint to solve: Finding the first 10 customers who love you.
Stage 2: PMF Seeker — What Works
Works: Systematized outbound (Pressure Profile-based) | Founder-led content (personal brand, LinkedIn) | Community content seeding | Cold outreach with Offer Testing Matrix | 1 primary channel test at a time
Constraint to solve: Finding the message + channel combination that repeats.
Stage 3: Scale Prepper — What Works
Works: Systematized content operations | Co-marketing partnerships | LinkedIn GTM systems | First hire(s) to extend what's working | SEO + AEO/GEO content strategy
Constraint to solve: Making acquisition repeatable without founder's constant attention.
Stage 4: Growth Optimizer — What Works
Works: PLG overlays on sales-led motion | ABM for enterprise segment | Paid acquisition on validated CAC/LTV | Community flywheel | Partner ecosystem
Constraint to solve: Compounding what works + expanding to adjacent segments.
Framework 6: LinkedIn GTM System
The 5 Virality Archetypes (8-12% engagement vs. 2-3% average)
| Archetype | Mechanism | Use For |
|---|
| Relatability Loop | "This happened to me too" → share → trust | Building audience |
| Controversy Catalyst | Challenges conventional wisdom | Rapid reach |
| Education Engine | Teaches something genuinely useful | Authority building |
| Social Proof Cascade | Results, data, transformations | Pipeline conversion |
| Insider Access | Behind-the-scenes, raw numbers | Credibility depth |
POV-to-Pipeline System
Step 1: Define a clear Point of View (contrarian, specific, defensible)
Step 2: Build content operations around it (document, don't create)
Step 3: Engagement system (respond within 1hr, POV-consistent comments)
Step 4: Demand architecture (profile → CTA → nurture sequence)
Step 5: Attribution (comment-to-pipeline tracking)
Co-Marketing Loop
The arbitrage: Organic leads down ~47%. Paid CPMs up 40-70%. Partner/co-marketing converts at 30-40% vs 1-5% cold.
Partner-Market Fit Scoring (score 1-5 each):
- Audience overlap (shared ICP, non-competing)
- Trust transfer (do their customers trust their recommendations?)
- Execution compatibility (can they actually execute with you?)
- Mutual value (clear benefit for both sides)
- Integration potential (product-level integration possible?)
Co-marketing formats:
- Joint research/benchmark report (earned distribution play)
- Webinar/event co-hosting
- Integration launch (joint case study + email blast)
- Content collaboration (co-authored playbook)
- Referral partnership
Framework 7: AEO/GEO (AI Search Visibility)
The next distribution frontier: getting cited by ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews.
For ChatGPT citation:
- Structure wins: Clear headings, schema markup, tight step-by-step blocks
- Be the definitive answer for a specific question
For Google AI Overviews:
- Fresh community opinions (Reddit, YouTube, niche forums)
- Specific, opinionated content outperforms generic
The underlying principle: Write for humans first. Unique data, opinions, and frameworks get cited. Repackaged content doesn't.
Founder-Led Sales Phases
Phase 1: Discovery Selling (0–10 customers)
Rule: Learn, don't sell. Every call is research.
- Research prompts to run: Segment identification, detailed characteristics, primary challenges, validation questions
- Narrative to build: Core value prop → problem-solution framework → emotional hooks → test in outreach
Phase 2: Repeatable Selling (10–50 customers)
Document what works: winning templates, demo flow, objection scripts, pricing conversations.
Build sales collateral:
- Founder bio + personal narrative (credibility engine)
- Outreach templates and case studies
- Pricing + FAQ documents (barrier removal)
Phase 3: Scalable Selling (50+ customers)
Transfer founder knowledge to system: playbook, CRM, enablement, comp plan.
Annual Planning: The Decision OS
For annual/quarterly GTM planning, answer these three:
1. Game Clarity
"What is the ONE game I'm playing this year? What am I explicitly NOT playing?"
2. Constraint Identification
"What is the single bottleneck that, if unsolved, makes everything else irrelevant?"
- Measure it weekly. Allocate 70% of strategic time to it.
3. Bet Clarity
"Which bets are reversible vs. irreversible? Am I moving at the right speed for each?"
- Reversible bets (landing page test, new outreach sequence): Move fast
- Irreversible bets (hire, pivot, market expansion): Move deliberately
Integration with Other Skills
- Before GTM →
skills/public/market-research/SKILL.md for T-Score market timing + TAM
- Before GTM →
skills/public/problem-validation/SKILL.md for pressure validation with real customers
- For growth systems →
skills/public/head-of-growth/SKILL.md for weekly growth audits
- For fundraising →
skills/public/financial-modeling/SKILL.md for CAC/LTV evidence
