A lot of go-to-market strategies look good on paper but fall apart in practice. They focus too much on the launch moment and too little on what comes after. They speak in buzzwords but leave the team unclear on what to actually do next.

At Waymark, we’ve helped B2B teams move from product-ready to market-ready, and seen what makes a GTM plan stick. Whether you’re gearing up for your first launch or trying to get your offering into more hands, here’s what a real GTM strategy needs to cover.

Start with clarity on who it's for

Before you write a single email or open a CRM, you need to know who you're selling to. That means getting clear on:

• The specific roles you’re targeting

  
  

• What problems they care about solving

  
  

• How your product fits into their existing workflow

Generic personas won’t cut it. You need something your team can actually sell and market against. If you’re saying “anyone with a team” or “any company with a website,” you’re not ready.

Nail your message and positioning

If your message sounds like everyone else in your space, you’re already behind. Your positioning should answer three key questions:

1. What problem do you solve?

   
   

2. Why now?

   
   

3. Why you?

Skip the clever taglines. Focus on clarity. Your GTM plan needs messaging that’s strong enough to test and flexible enough to evolve based on what you learn in the field.

Build a channel plan that fits your stage

There’s no one-size-fits-all channel mix. Founders often default to paid ads or PR because they sound quick and scalable. But GTM is about traction, not vanity.

Think about:

• Where your audience already spends time

  
  

• What types of outreach or content will help you build trust

  
  

• How fast you need results vs how much you can invest

Sometimes it’s outbound. Sometimes it’s partnerships. Sometimes it’s just five great sales conversations a week. Match the channels to your reality.

Set up the systems to track and scale

You don’t need a full-stack revenue engine on day one. But you do need systems that give you signal:

• A CRM that actually gets used

  
  

• A simple dashboard to track what’s working

  
  

• Clear handoffs between sales and marketing

Many GTM efforts stall because teams are guessing. A working system keeps you from flying blind.

Align your team around weekly execution

A GTM strategy isn’t a doc you present. It’s a way of working. That means:

• Weekly check-ins across sales, marketing, and product

  
  

• Quick feedback loops from the field

  
  

• Prioritizing actions that drive learning and revenue

Even a simple GTM plan can win if it’s owned and executed consistently.

Final thoughts

A go-to-market plan should help you move forward with focus, not just look polished in a deck. The goal is not to “launch.” It’s to create the foundation for repeatable sales and real growth.

If you’re figuring this out and want hands-on support, we help founders build clear, actionable GTM strategies without the fluff. Reach out to talk through what makes sense for where you are.