Liam Bateman, The Think Tank
In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, how crucial is a robust go-to-market (GTM) strategy? Do B2B marketers truly grasp the fundamentals of GTM? And what does an effective GTM approach actually look like in practice?
These questions form the foundation of our latest research, “Unlocking B2B Growth: How a Winning Go-to-Market Strategy Drives Commercial Success.”
The Think Tank collaborated with Censuswide to gather insights from over 500 B2B marketers across the US and UK. Developed in partnership with B2B Marketing, our comprehensive report features expert analysis from GTM leaders at Propolis, BP and Palo Alto Networks.
The research reveals what’s working, what’s falling short and what companies need to change to ensure their GTM strategies deliver tangible business outcomes.
Structural Weaknesses in Current GTM Approaches
Among the most striking findings are:
- Concerning friction between sales and marketing teams during GTM execution
- Widespread misunderstanding of GTM fundamentals
- A significant technological shift in GTM deployment
- A positive trend of increasing GTM budgets
Step back from these insights and a clear disconnect emerges: while investment is rising, understanding and execution often aren’t keeping pace.
The Structural Importance of Effective GTM
In successful businesses, GTM strategies serve as a shared commercial blueprint, aligning marketing, sales, product and customer success teams to deliver sustainable growth.
However, many brands continue approaching GTM as they would a standard launch campaign. As our research demonstrates, misalignment and misunderstanding translate directly into missed opportunities, negatively impacting revenue, retention and reputation.
David van Schaick, a GTM expert at Propolis and contributor to the report, notes: “The best GTM teams unify around common commercial outcomes. If marketing talks in MQLs and sales talks in deals, you’ve already lost.“
Reinforcing Your GTM Framework
This report doesn’t merely highlight challenges in the current GTM landscape; it outlines what effective GTM strategies look like in practice. It includes practical advice on customer-first planning and why understanding pain-points should precede product specifications—especially relevant in B2B sectors where solutions must address specific business challenges.
Cross-functional collaboration emerges as an area requiring significant improvement. GTM teams in high-growth businesses operate with shared KPIs, tight feedback loops and clear ownership structures.
Another critical insight is the importance of commercial clarity. Marketers often focus on metrics that appear impressive—such as MQLs, impressions or clicks—but fail to measure factors that genuinely advance their businesses.
Chris Wade, CMO at Gamma, emphasises: “You can’t build credibility in the boardroom on leads alone. You need to show how marketing moves revenue, retention and upsell. Those are the real commercial indicators.” In essence, GTM success isn’t demonstrated by tracking activities but by measuring concrete deliverables.
Blueprint for Success: Get Your Free Copy
Featuring case studies showing GTM in action, original insights based on fresh research and practical tips from leading GTM experts, this report is essential reading for B2B marketers.
Download your copy now and discover:
- How to position marketing at the strategic centre of your brand’s GTM approach
- Methods to strengthen the direct link between marketing activities and revenue outcomes
- Strategies to measure growth-driving metrics that genuinely advance your business
- Proven techniques to enhance cross-functional collaboration
- How leading GTM practitioners are leveraging AI across various sectors
Download our free report now and master what’s driving GTM success in today’s challenging business environment.