GTM Strategy
Position in workflow: v0.8 Monitoring Setup → v0.9 GTM Strategy → v0.9 Launch Metrics
Consumes
This skill requires prior work from v0.2-v0.8:
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PER-* persona entries (from v0.4 Persona Definition) — Target audience definition; messaging and channel selection must match persona behaviors and preferences
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CFD-* customer feedback entries (from v0.1-v0.2 value hypotheses and competitive analysis) — Evidence-based value propositions; messaging must anchor in validated CFD- evidence, not speculation
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BR-* business rules and product type (from v0.2-v0.3 Commercial Model) — Product type (Clone/Unbundle/Undercut/Slice/Innovation) determines channel strategy and positioning narrative
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DEP-* deployment criteria (from v0.8 Release Planning) — Release readiness gates inform launch timing and go/no-go decision window
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MON-* monitoring setup (from v0.8 Monitoring Setup) — Baseline metrics and dashboards to track during launch; MON- thresholds inform launch day response triggers
This skill assumes v0.8 Monitoring Setup is complete and DEP- release criteria are met.
Produces
This skill creates/updates:
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GTM-* entries (launch campaign specifications, type-based) — Messaging, channel strategy, launch timeline, task assignments, creative assets with explicit links to personas, evidence, and product positioning
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Launch campaign roadmap — Pre-launch, launch day, and post-launch phases with dependencies and milestones
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Channel-to-persona matrix — Validation showing each channel reaches target PER- personas and messaging matches PER- values
All GTM- entries are campaign specifications, not confidence-based. They are:
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Evidence-grounded (messaging anchors in CFD- value hypotheses)
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Persona-targeted (channel selection based on PER- behaviors)
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Executable (every GTM- has owner, timeline, deliverable)
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Measurable (GTM- channels trace to KPI- metrics for launch)
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Coordinated (timeline shows dependencies; tasks assigned)
Example GTM- entries:
GTM-001: Primary Value Proposition Type: Messaging Owner: Product Marketing Status: Ready
Audience: PER-001 (Startup Founder), PER-002 (Team Lead) Format: Value Prop Message: "Ship faster with AI that understands your codebase. Context-aware coding assistance that reduces debugging time by 40%." Supporting Evidence: CFD-010 (40% time savings validated in 5 user interviews), CFD-025 (competitive analysis shows context awareness as key differentiator) Where Used: GTM-005 (Landing Page Hero), GTM-010 (Product Hunt), GTM-002 (Email Campaign)
Linked IDs: PER-001, PER-002, CFD-010, CFD-025, KPI-101/102/103
GTM-002: Product Hunt Launch Type: Channel Owner: Growth Team Status: Planned
Channel: Product Hunt Audience Fit: PER-001 (Startup Founder) + PER-002 (Team Lead) — both frequent PH for tools; developer-focused community Strategy:
- Launch on Tuesday 12:01 AM PT (optimal PH timing)
- Engage with comments first 24 hours
- Share founder story (GTM-003)
- Demo video showing AI in action Content Plan:
- Tagline: GTM-001 (Primary Value Prop)
- Maker comment: GTM-003 (Founder Story)
- Demo video: GTM-006 (Product Demo) Success Metric: Top 5 product of the day, 500+ upvotes, 100+ engaged comments
Linked IDs: PER-001, PER-002, GTM-001, GTM-003, GTM-006, KPI-101 (traffic), KPI-102 (conversions)
GTM-003: Launch Week Timeline Type: Timeline Owner: Launch Coordinator Status: Planned
Phase: Launch Week
Day -7 (Pre-launch):
- Email list teaser (GTM-004)
- Social media hints across GTM channels
- PR outreach to tech media
- Staging environment verification
Day -1 (Final):
- All GTM assets approved
- MON- dashboards live and verified
- Team roles + escalation paths confirmed
- Support team briefed (CFD- processing workflow ready)
Day 0 (Launch):
- Product Hunt live at 12:01 AM PT (GTM-002)
- Social media posts scheduled (GTM channels)
- Email to waitlist with GTM-001 messaging
- Monitor KPI-101 (reach), KPI-102 (acquisition), MON- dashboards
Day 1-3:
- Respond to all PH comments and support tickets
- Share early wins (feedback testimonials)
- Watch KPI-103 (activation) — adjust onboarding if needed
Day 4-7:
- Analyze KPI- metrics vs targets
- Publish case study from early adopter (CFD-)
- Plan rapid iteration based on KPI- signals
Dependencies: DEP-002 (release criteria met), MON-005 (dashboards ready), GTM-assets ready Milestones: 1000 signups (Day 3), 40%+ activation (Day 7), First paying customer (Day 14)
Linked IDs: DEP-001/002/003, MON-005, KPI-101/102/103, GTM-001/002/004/005/006
Core Concept: Launch as Campaign
A launch is not "making the product available." It is a coordinated campaign that creates awareness, drives activation, and captures feedback. Every touchpoint should move users toward value.
GTM Components
Component Purpose Output
Messaging What we say GTM- (value props, headlines)
Channels Where we say it GTM- (channel strategy)
Timing When we launch GTM- (timeline, phases)
Coordination Who does what GTM- (RACI, tasks)
Execution
Review target personas
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Pull PER- from v0.4
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Understand where they spend time
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Know what messages resonate
Define core messaging
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Value proposition (from CFD- value hypotheses)
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Positioning (from BR- product type)
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Key differentiators (from v0.2 competitive landscape)
Select launch channels
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Match channels to personas
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Prioritize by reach and conversion potential
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Consider owned, earned, and paid media
Plan launch timeline
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Pre-launch: Build anticipation
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Launch day: Maximum impact
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Post-launch: Sustain momentum
Assign ownership
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Who creates content?
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Who monitors channels?
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Who handles support surge?
Create GTM- entries with full traceability
GTM- Output Template
GTM-XXX: [GTM Item Title] Type: [Messaging | Channel | Timeline | Task | Asset] Owner: [Person or team responsible] Status: [Planned | In Progress | Ready | Live]
For Messaging Type: Audience: [PER-XXX targeted] Format: [Headline | Value Prop | Tagline | Elevator Pitch] Message: [The actual copy] Supporting Evidence: [CFD-XXX value hypothesis it's based on] Where Used: [GTM-YYY channels, assets]
For Channel Type: Channel: [Specific platform or medium] Audience Fit: [Why this channel reaches PER-XXX] Strategy: [How we'll use this channel] Content Plan: [What content goes here] Success Metric: [How we measure effectiveness] Linked Assets: [GTM-YYY assets for this channel]
For Timeline Type: Phase: [Pre-launch | Launch Day | Week 1 | Month 1] Date: [Specific date or relative timing] Activities: [What happens in this phase] Dependencies: [What must be ready] Milestones: [Key checkpoints]
For Task Type: Task: [What needs to be done] Owner: [Who is responsible] Due: [When it's due] Dependency: [What it depends on] Deliverable: [What's produced]
For Asset Type: Asset: [What this is — landing page, email, video] Purpose: [What it accomplishes] Channel: [GTM-YYY where it's used] Copy: [GTM-YYY messaging used] Status: [Draft | Review | Approved | Live]
Linked IDs: [PER-XXX, CFD-XXX, KPI-XXX related]
Example GTM- entries:
GTM-001: Primary Value Proposition Type: Messaging Owner: Product Marketing Status: Ready
Audience: PER-001 (Startup Founder) Format: Value Prop Message: "Ship faster with AI that understands your codebase. Context-aware coding assistance that reduces debugging time by 40%." Supporting Evidence: CFD-010 (time savings validated in interviews) Where Used: GTM-005 (Landing Page), GTM-010 (Product Hunt)
Linked IDs: PER-001, CFD-010, KPI-001
GTM-002: Product Hunt Launch Type: Channel Owner: Growth Team Status: Planned
Channel: Product Hunt Audience Fit: PER-001 (Startup Founder) frequents PH for tools Strategy:
- Launch on Tuesday 12:01 AM PT
- Engage with comments first 24 hours
- Share maker story
- Prepare demo video Content Plan:
- Tagline: GTM-001 (Primary Value Prop)
- Maker comment: GTM-003 (Founder Story)
- Demo video: GTM-006 (Product Demo) Success Metric: Top 5 product of the day, 500+ upvotes
Linked IDs: PER-001, GTM-001, GTM-003, GTM-006, KPI-005
GTM-003: Launch Week Timeline Type: Timeline Owner: Launch Coordinator Status: Planned
Phase: Launch Week
Day -7 (Pre-launch):
- Email list teaser
- Social media hints
- Press outreach
Day -1:
- Final staging verification
- Launch assets approved
- Team roles confirmed
Day 0 (Launch):
- Product Hunt live at 12:01 AM PT
- Social media posts scheduled
- Email to waitlist
- Monitor and engage
Day 1-3:
- Respond to all feedback
- Fix any critical issues
- Share early wins
Day 4-7:
- Publish case study
- Analyze metrics
- Plan iteration
Dependencies: DEP- release criteria met, MON- monitoring active Milestones: 1000 signups (Day 3), First paying customer (Day 7)
Linked IDs: DEP-002, MON-005, KPI-001
GTM-004: Landing Page Hero Section Type: Asset Owner: Design + Marketing Status: In Progress
Asset: Landing page hero section Purpose: Convert visitors to signups Channel: GTM-007 (Website), GTM-002 (Product Hunt referrals) Copy: GTM-001 (Primary Value Prop) Status: Review
Components:
- Headline: "Ship faster with AI that understands your codebase"
- Subhead: "Context-aware coding assistance that reduces debugging time by 40%"
- CTA: "Start Free Trial" → /signup
- Social proof: "Trusted by 500+ developers"
- Demo video thumbnail: GTM-006
Linked IDs: GTM-001, GTM-006, SCR-001
Channel Selection Framework
Match channels to product type (from v0.2 BR-):
Product Type Primary Channels Strategy
Fast Follow SEO, Paid, Aggregators "We're the better [competitor]"
Slice Community, Integrations, Partnerships "Best [thing] for [ecosystem]"
Innovation Content, PR, Events "Here's why this matters"
Channel Categories
Category Examples Best For
Owned Website, Blog, Email, Product Control message, build audience
Earned PR, Reviews, Word-of-mouth Credibility, reach
Paid Ads, Sponsorships, Influencers Scale, targeting
Community Forums, Discord, Twitter Engagement, feedback
Messaging Hierarchy
Level Purpose Example
Mission Why we exist "Make developers 10x more productive"
Value Prop What we offer "AI that understands your codebase"
Differentiator Why us vs others "Context-aware, not just autocomplete"
Proof Point Why believe us "40% reduction in debugging time"
CTA What to do next "Start your free trial"
Launch Phases
Phase Duration Focus Success Metric
Teaser 2 weeks pre Build anticipation Waitlist signups
Launch Day 0-3 Maximum impact Traffic, signups
Momentum Week 1-4 Sustain interest Activation, feedback
Steady State Month 2+ Optimize funnel Conversion, retention
Anti-Patterns
Pattern Signal Fix
Launch and leave Big launch day, then silence Plan 30 days of post-launch activity
Everything everywhere All channels, no focus Pick 2-3 channels, do them well
Features not benefits "We have X, Y, Z" "You can achieve X, Y, Z"
No measurement "The launch went well (I think)" Define KPI- before launch
Ignoring personas Generic messaging for everyone Tailor by PER-
Over-promising "Revolutionary AI" without proof Ground in CFD- evidence
Quality Gates
Before proceeding to Launch Metrics:
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Core messaging defined (GTM- Messaging type)
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Primary channels selected (GTM- Channel type)
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Launch timeline created (GTM- Timeline type)
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All tasks assigned owners (GTM- Task type)
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Key assets identified (GTM- Asset type)
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Messaging traces to CFD- evidence
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Channel selection matches PER- personas
Downstream Connections
Consumer What It Uses Example
Launch Metrics GTM- channels inform tracking GTM-002 (PH) → KPI-005 (PH upvotes)
Feedback Loop Setup GTM- channels become feedback sources GTM-002 comments → CFD-100
Content Creation GTM- messaging guides content GTM-001 → blog post theme
Sales GTM- messaging for outreach GTM-001 → sales email template
Detailed References
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Messaging framework examples: See references/messaging-examples.md
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GTM- entry template: See assets/gtm-template.md
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Channel evaluation guide: See references/channel-guide.md
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Launch timeline template: See references/timeline-template.md