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Why do some companies soar while others barely stay afloat—even when their products are just as good, if not better?
If this sounds familiar, your go-to-market (GTM) strategy—or lack of one—might be the culprit.
A well-crafted GTM strategy doesn’t just get your product into the hands of customers—it builds momentum, aligns teams, and creates a blueprint for sustained growth.
But what separates an average GTM strategy from one that drives real results?
To find out, we teamed up with multiple partners and surveyed more than 50 companies.
We dug into the tactics, challenges, and successes behind GTM strategies that drive growth to find what works and what might be a waste of time.
This survey is also connected to the Benchmark Group Google Analytics 4, HubSpot Marketing, HubSpot CRM, and Stripe Benchmarks where you can check performance data from more than 740 companies.
Here’s what we found.
Let’s begin with the who – for this research, most of the companies we surveyed have 50 employees or less.
For these smaller companies, having a well-defined GTM strategy is critical to maximize limited resources and achieve growth in competitive markets.
This necessity for structure is also reflected in how these businesses approach funding—42% of respondents plan to raise capital from professional investors to support their growth efforts, while 30% have already secured external funding.
Many businesses also recognize how important early planning is. In fact, 43.75% of respondents formulated their GTM strategy before even launching their companies and 37.50% did so within six months of launching.
This early adoption demonstrates how proactive planning can lay the foundation for growth and help avoid common pitfalls later on.
Speaking of motivations, the reasons for adopting a GTM strategy are diverse:
For lead gen, inbound (SEO, content marketing, etc.) is currently the primary means of generating new sales leads for 45.83% (the largest portion of the respondents).
These methods also deliver the best results in terms of spend-to-revenue ratio, confirming that inbound-led GTM motions are among the most cost-effective growth strategies.
When it comes to challenges their businesses faced, the most frequent (selected by 42% of the respondents) was ‘difficulty gaining traction’.
At the same time, inbound-led GTM is the best-performing motion for half of the companies we talked to.
Measuring the success of a GTM strategy often comes down to tangible results. Revenue growth rate (43.75%), customer base growth rate (39.58%), and annual recurring revenue (35.42%) are the top metrics companies use to evaluate their efforts.
On a final note, 62.50% of the surveyed companies stated that their post-GTM adoption has been significantly better than their pre-GTM adoption – showing just how important a well-executed GTM strategy really is.
A strong go-to-market strategy doesn’t just define how to win customers—it shapes how teams work, collaborate, and stay motivated to achieve ambitious goals.
Let’s check out how it helped our research respondents:
With proper target market analysis, a GTM framework helps teams find the most profitable customer groups, their preferences, and behaviors. This makes it easier for marketing and sales teams to create messages and offers that feel personal and relevant to each group.
Instead of sending out generic campaigns, teams can deliver tailored experiences—like targeted ads, customized onboarding, or product suggestions that match customer needs.
Wayne Mills of Seven Seas Worldwide talked about how “one aspect of our GTM Strategy that has significantly impacted our team’s drive to meet company goals is the increased focus on customer segmentation and personalization.”
“Before, we adopted a more one-size-fits-all approach, which limited our ability to truly resonate with our diverse customer base. Now, our strategy emphasizes understanding the specific needs and motivations of our different customer segments, such as holidaymakers, expats, and students. This allows us to tailor our messaging, pricing, and services to each segment, resulting in a more targeted and impactful approach.”
For Andrew Johnson of Giveaways.org, a GTM strategy has also helped them “identify the target market, customer segments, and key value propositions.”
“This allows us to focus our efforts on reaching the right audience. When teams know exactly who they are targeting and why, it makes our efforts more impactful.”
A good GTM strategy makes it easier for teams to hit their goals by giving them a clear plan to follow.
With a GTM strategy in place, every team—whether it’s marketing, sales, or customer success—has a well-defined roadmap that outlines roles, responsibilities, and objectives.
This alignment eliminates confusion, reduces wasted effort, and ensures that everyone is working toward the same outcomes. Hitting targets becomes less of a struggle and more of a structured process.
Jonathan Rosenfeld of Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers is one of our respondents who talked about how big of a role a GTM strategy plays in helping their team meet company goals.
“It covered how our product stands out, who our ideal customers are, how we reach them, and how our team sells. A good GTM plan boosts market awareness, making sure we don’t waste time and money on a product people don’t want. It’s also useful for launching in a new market, changing our brand image, or improving existing product sales.”
Garrett Yamasaki of WeLoveDoodles also said how a GTM strategy has “significantly impacted our team’s drive to meet company goals.”
“This strategy has provided a clear roadmap for launching new products and entering new markets, aligning all departments around a cohesive plan. This clarity and direction have greatly enhanced team motivation and focus, as each member understands their role in the broader context of the company’s objectives.”
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A GTM strategy ensures teams focus on metrics that directly tie to revenue – like customer acquisition cost (CAC), customer lifetime value (CLV), win rates, and average deal size.
Instead of chasing surface-level numbers, such as website traffic or social media impressions, the focus is on metrics that show real business impact.
For example, by analyzing CAC, teams can figure out where marketing or sales spend isn’t efficient and adjust campaigns to lower costs while still driving high-quality leads. Similarly, tracking CLV alongside acquisition efforts helps determine whether resources are being directed toward customers who deliver the highest long-term value.
“I don’t really create GTM Strategies for companies, but as a channel expert in SEO and Paid Search, companies work with me when they want these channels to be a part of their GTM.
When it comes to achieving goals, the reality is that companies don’t measure marketers based on how much traffic comes from Google, whether paid or organic. They measure marketers based on pipeline generated from search.
It always looks cool to show screenshots of traffic going up, but this only creates superficial excitement. What matters most is overall channel performance, and if pipeline/revenue numbers are steadily increasing over time.”
Gaetano DiNardi
Growth Advisor at Gaetano DiNardi Hands-On Growth Consultancy
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When teams understand their audience, they can create offers, campaigns, and touchpoints that feel more relevant to customers. This makes your customers feel seen and valued, and keeps them coming back.
When you engage customers in ways that speak to their needs—like sending tailored product suggestions, creating interesting content, or following up at the right time—they’re more likely to engage and interact with your brand.
Aysem Zorlu of UKCV said that “one area where we noticed a considerable change was in customer engagement.”
“Our targeted approach, informed by data analytics and strategic planning, allowed us to engage more effectively with our audience, resulting in higher customer satisfaction and loyalty. This, in turn, translated into a more motivated team, as they could see the tangible results of their efforts.”
A go-to-market strategy also helps align marketing and sales teams so they can work better together to achieve shared objectives.
Instead of working in silos, both teams share the same goals and use the same framework to guide their efforts.
Marketing focuses on bringing in leads that match the ideal customer profile, while sales uses that information to close deals more effectively. When both teams understand each other, it leads to better results and smoother collaboration.
Natasha Rai of Explainerd says that their GTM strategy is “fostering clarity in roles and responsibilities, enhancing collaboration, and creating a seamless customer journey.”
“The alignment of marketing and sales efforts has notably improved lead generation and conversion rates, contributing to successful client acquisitions.”
Debbie Moran of RecurPost also mentioned how “one significant impact has been the enhanced coordination among different departments, like having a roadmap that helps us all move in the same direction.”
“One big change we’ve seen is in getting more customers. The way we talk about RecurPost and the special things it can do has made more people notice us. When new users start using RecurPost, they find it easy to get started because our messages clearly show what makes RecurPost special.”
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A GTM strategy lays out specific goals and actionable steps, and focuses on what’s truly important, so teams don’t waste time or energy on things that don’t move the needle.
Whether it’s finding the right customers, choosing the best platforms, or creating tailored messages, every action has a purpose and aligns with the company’s big-picture goals. It also makes it easier to track progress and tweak strategies when needed.
Amy Bos of Mediumchat Group explained how “our GTM has given my team the clarity and deep understanding they lacked before.”
“They really hit the floor running when we roll out new services, knowing exactly what is required and how to achieve the results we’re looking for. The biggest change has been in the monitoring. Following specific metrics have allowed us to pivot where we are not getting the results we expected.”
Starting with a go-to-market strategy early can mean the difference between reactive problem-solving and proactive success.
Here’s how early adoption sets businesses up for long-term gains:
Whether it’s dealing with tough competitors, understanding customer needs, or figuring out the best way to get noticed, a GTM strategy provides a clear plan to navigate these obstacles when entering a new market.
With early planning, companies can use market research to find gaps in the market or underserved customer groups. This helps them position their product or service in a way that stands out, even in crowded industries.
“We would have adopted a GTM strategy even earlier because it has proven to be a pivotal factor in overcoming market penetration challenges.
With its structured approach, we believe that an earlier adoption would have accelerated our initial traction and provided a more streamlined path to success. The hindsight of its impact makes it clear that the strategy is not just a necessity but a catalyst for sustained growth.”
Pascal Culverhouse
Founder & Managing Director at Electric Tobacconist UK
Pascal Culverhouse of Electric Tobacconist UK said that they would have adopted a GTM strategy even earlier because it has “proven to be a pivotal factor in overcoming market penetration challenges.”
“With its structured approach, we believe that an earlier adoption would have accelerated our initial traction and provided a more streamlined path to success. The hindsight of its impact makes it clear that the strategy is not just a necessity but a catalyst for sustained growth.”
Creating a GTM strategy early helps businesses avoid wasting money on marketing activities that don’t work. With a clear plan in place, teams can focus on strategies and channels that actually deliver results, rather than guessing or spreading resources too thin.
A GTM strategy uses data and customer insights to figure out where your audience is most active and what campaigns drive the best outcomes.
Plus, with regular tracking and analysis, it’s easier to spot underperforming campaigns and adjust quickly.
Billy Lee of Billy Aircon says that a “meticulous plan that needs to be developed in order to bring a product to market successfully is dubbed a go-to-market strategy.”
“If your business doesn’t have one, you run the danger of spending money on subpar marketing that frustrates you and doesn’t draw in your potential clients. Customers that don’t use your goods will purchase from you, and you’ll be chasing your tail nonstop.”
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With a clear plan, it’s easier to align efforts across teams and focus on actions that drive long-term success and achieve sustainable growth. It’s easier to understand the target audience, choose the best channels, and deliver the right messaging.
Starting early also makes it easier to build processes that can scale. For example, if a certain customer segment responds well to specific campaigns, you can apply those same strategies in new markets or regions.
Michael Branover of Branover Contractors explains how they “adopted our GTM strategy after noticing a lack of growth. We have been able to achieve a higher growth rate. Our social media pages see a lot more engagement. Adopting this strategy earlier would have helped us achieve sustainable growth earlier.”
A GTM strategy makes sure that the tools and systems teams use—like CRMs, marketing platforms, or analytics software—are chosen because they directly support key objectives, not just because they’re popular or trendy.
For example, a GTM strategy might show you that your team needs a robust CRM to manage customer relationships and a marketing automation platform to streamline campaigns. These technologies, chosen with commercial priorities in mind, ensure that every team has the right resources to deliver results.
Simon Ryan of Firstwave says that, for their team, “the decision to adopt a go-to-market strategy sooner would be based on the alignment of technological capabilities with commercial objectives.”
“If, in retrospect, the technology team had a solid set of creative solutions that could have been strategically leveraged in the market, implementing a go-to-market strategy early could have hastened the monetization of these intellectual assets.
A CTO must analyze if the company’s technology stack, development processes, and overall innovation readiness are at a place where they can effectively support and strengthen the company’s market positioning. Early adoption may result in faster realization of technological advantages, market leadership, and expanded revenue streams.”
Building a successful go-to-market strategy isn’t just about choosing the right tactics—it’s about aligning your team, targeting the right market, and consistently measuring the impact of your efforts.
But how do you know if your strategy is actually driving growth or holding you back?
Databox can help.
Databox offers a comprehensive Google Analytics 4, HubSpot Marketing, HubSpot CRM, and Stripe Benchmark Group that covers key GTM performance metrics from all of these tools.
You can join this group and get instant access to industry-specific benchmarks, so you can compare your performance against similar companies. This comparative analysis helps you see what your strengths are, spot areas that need improvement, and refine your GTM strategy accordingly.
That’s just one small fraction of our Benchmark Group product – there are 50+ groups you can join for free, all based on some of the most popular tools today in areas from marketing to accounting.
And that’s just the beginning. With Databox Dashboards, you can consolidate all your critical metrics into one centralized view, making it easier than ever to track your progress in real-time.
We have 100+ integrations – all you have to do is select the key metrics you want to track and generate one-click visuals that will make the data start working for you.
So, why guess when you can know?
Sign up for a free trial and finally get the insights you need to develop a GTM strategy that works and delivers results.
Are you maximizing your business potential? Stop guessing and start comparing with companies like yours.
At Databox, we’re obsessed with helping companies more easily monitor, analyze, and report their results. Whether it’s the resources we put into building and maintaining integrations with 100+ popular marketing tools, enabling customizability of charts, dashboards, and reports, or building functionality to make analysis, benchmarking, and forecasting easier, we’re constantly trying to find ways to help our customers save time and deliver better results.
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Filip Stojanovic is a content writer who studies Business and Political Sciences. Also, I am a huge tennis enthusiast. Although my dream is to win a Grand Slam, working as a content writer is also interesting.
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