4 Classic Go-to-Market Mistakes B2B Companies Must Avoid In 2024

Your holistic plan doesn't need these holes

Retailers say it's almost Christmas, so...

Welcome back! I’m switching up the format of the newsletter to be shorter. Would ya let me know if you like this change?

Delivering value to an audience begins with a go-to-market strategy. In B2B, a GTM strategy contains the “instructions” on how to roll out a new feature or product to buyers. Without this strategic plan, reaching target audiences takes longer than it should.

In my time as a go-to-market communications and PR consultant, I've seen nearly every error in the B2B GTM book, but here are the four most common that I've seen.

Mistake #1
Not putting the barriers of decision-makers on paper. Sure, you have their pain points written down, but do you know where online they do not consume info? Is your buying committee not into podcasts? Okay, don’t waste time creating one. All of this is learned through customer and stakeholder interviews.

Mistake #2
Not having a narrative. A compelling story attracts the right people, unifies teams, and gives staff one thing to tell everyone. Your audience needs to see the world through your eyes.

Mistake #3
Not considering partners. Think about who outside your company's doors should be involved in your launch or relaunch phase. And don’t forget the materials they’ll need will be slightly different than what Sales needs.

Mistake #4
Not presenting a clear value prop. Buyer insights will tell you why your offering matters to people and why they should pay you for it. Be as specific as possible, use your customer’s words, don’t toss out new category names nobody understands, and avoid jargon.

A conclusion paragraph is not needed. Yep, let’s skip that! Happy November 2.