What is a go-to-market strategy and why every Microsoft partner should have one

There are four essential elements of a GTM strategy: the where, what, who and how of your method for finding more buyers and selling more software or services. Completing each defines your buyer profile and provides a holistic framework to shape your GTM proposition:

1. Where are you selling? – Pinpointing your segment of the market is vital. Without doing detailed research – market analysis involving competitive research and data-driven insights about your customer – your GTM strategy would be scattergun from the start. Consider your positioning in the market relevant to your competitors, and who in particular will benefit from you services the most. And, if you haven’t already done so, now is the time to ask yourself a key question – whether you have paid enough attention to the AI-centric market disruptors, and the speed with which AI-related innovation is transforming the markets. If you haven’t yet thought how your company is going to position itself in this future-oriented, AI-first landscape, now is the time to act and adjust your value proposition to incorporate emerging technology-related factors.

2. What are you selling? – So if you already know your place in the digital innovation ecosystem based on the above, the next stage is to develop your value proposition and product messaging accordingly. What’s the expertise that marks you out from your rivals, and how do you show up for your potential buyers? And, once again, looking at the AI-fueled tech revolution, it might be a good idea to ask yourself a question: is your value proposition built around innovative, future-proof solutions that ready for the emerging technology takeover? Is your product messaging demonstrating that AI-based features are at the forefront of your offering and available to your buyers today? Think about whether your prospective customer, after having browsed your website or listened to your pitch, can rest assured that your digital solutions will empower them to thrive in the digital-first world.

3. Who are you selling to? – If you have been in sales or marketing for some time, you’ll know that defining an ideal buyer profile is an excellent way to ensure your sales and marketing efforts aren’t wasted. You have probably already considered aspects such as the size of buyer budget you want to tap into, who within those businesses is best to contact, how they like to receive communications from vendors. After this base work, more granular insights into your prospects’ buying behaviors, needs and aspirations are needed.

What do you think is top of mind of a modern company that wants to reap the benefits of digital transformation with all the efficiencies, savings and improvements it brings? You guessed right: more than likely, AI. Like it or not, AI is here to stay and your buyers hear more about it every day. As a result, their buying behaviors and needs for AI-centric, feature-rich products(such as Microsoft’s Copilot) are moving to the top of the requirement lists, so make sure you’ve got those covered.

4. How will they buy from you? – Target market in view, proposition at the ready, laser-focus on budget holders: much of the work is already done. But honing your message and guaranteeing (as far as is possible) it lands well requires a smart sales and marketing plan, and it’s essential you secure time and resources to craft and execute this. In B2B, buying cycles can be long – we feel you. It’s important to stay on that journey and activate all marketing and sales channels in physical and digital spaces where buying decisions are being made. Your prospect may be ready to buy today, or could only be researching their options for the future. Both of these scenarios, however, need to be nurtured by your marketing and sales strategy in order to build the future-proof, scalable GTM model that will help your company grow.