A more effective mental model than PLG vs. SLG is analyzing which activities create new demand versus which ones harvest existing demand. Both sales and product can serve either function. Creating demand is always the harder, more critical challenge for any revenue engine.

Instead of a linear handoff, the "GTM Factory" model tracks sales and marketing as parallel processes. This provides end-to-end visibility, like a manufacturing line, exposing how marketing's ongoing influence throughout the sales cycle compounds with sales activities to accelerate pipeline and improve win rates.

Most businesses mistakenly focus their marketing strategy solely on growth (lead generation). A complete strategy must also encompass brand strategy (messaging, positioning) and customer experience strategy (retention, referrals) to create a sustainable system.

Go-to-market success isn't just about high-performing marketing, sales, and CS teams. The true differentiator is the 'connective tissue'—shared ICP definitions, terminology, and smooth handoffs. This alignment across functions, where one team's actions directly impact the next, is where most organizations break down.

Instead of a rigid plan, early-stage companies should establish core GTM "tent poles": a defined ICP, answers to the four essential questions of value, and an engagement model. These elements provide structure but can be flexibly adjusted based on market feedback without causing the entire strategy to collapse.

Many leaders view GTM systems as technological (e.g., Salesforce). Instead, think of it as a living ecosystem where changes in one part (e.g., sales) create cascading impacts on others (e.g., CS). This biological framing centers people and processes, not just tools, recognizing that the system is constantly evolving.

Before defining segments or campaigns, leadership must align on a "North Star": the desired market position, revenue goals, and any reputational gaps. This high-level agreement prevents downstream misalignment and ensures all functions are working toward the same concrete business outcomes.

Frame your go-to-market strategy as an engineering problem. Create a dedicated 'GTM engineering team,' including actual engineers, to build a programmatic stack and apply a rigorous test-and-learn mindset to every GTM motion, from outbound campaigns to event strategy.

Marketing plans often fail because they are created in a vacuum. A robust marketing strategy must be built upon the company's core business strategy, including its vision, values, and business model, to ensure it supports overall objectives like growth targets.