A chessboard with a dark blue knight wearing an orange ring

PropositionGo-to-market

Where will you win, and with which offering?

Growth means making choices. The Next Organization helps you decide which markets to focus on, with which offering and which service model. We do that for the next one to two years.

Sound familiar?

Every opportunity seems equally important
You explore new markets and countries ad hoc
Sales and marketing work to different priorities
A new product goes to market without a clear target group
Growth comes mainly from customers you already have
Your growth target is a single revenue figure, with no route to get there

What is a go-to-market strategy?

A go-to-market strategy sets out which markets and customers you focus on, and with what offering. You may also know it as a market approach plan. It always starts with the same choice: where do you want to win?

The product, service and market combination

We make that choice using the product, service and market combination. The classic product-market combination links an offering to a market. We add the service model, because you sell the same product differently to a large customer than to a small one.

Element 1

Market or target group

Where do we focus, as specifically as possible?
Element 2

Offering

Which products and services do we offer there?
Element 3

Service model

How do we serve those customers: directly, through partners or online?

One combination

Value

Why does this combination win, for the customer and for us?

Priority

High, medium or low, and why?

Example: the same combination gets a different priority in each region

Combination	One market	Europe	Several continents
Combination A	High	High	Medium
Combination B	High	Medium	Low
Combination C	Medium	Low	Low

The set-up follows your geographic scope. The further from home, the narrower the offering that works.

You break a growth target down into levers you can pull, such as more customers, more products per customer or a longer relationship.

What you get

You get an overview of where you want to win and with what offering, with a clear priority. For each combination you know the customer value, strategic fit, attractiveness and feasibility. That gives sales and marketing a shared foundation, broken down by region, channel and price positioning.

Frequently asked questions

How do you choose which market comes first?

Weigh up three things for each market: does it fit your strategy, is the market attractive and can you deliver? Start where all three score high. An attractive market you cannot serve is a risk.

How far ahead does a go-to-market strategy look?

One to two years. That is long enough to follow choices through and short enough to adjust as you go. Your long-term direction is set out in your vision, mission and ambition.

What is the difference between a go-to-market strategy and a marketing plan?

The go-to-market strategy chooses where you win, with what offering and which service model. A marketing plan works out how you reach those customers, with campaigns, budget and planning. So the marketing plan follows from the go-to-market strategy.

What do you need to expand into a new country?

Knowledge of the local customer, the competition and the rules in that country. Also consider cultural distance and the requirements for your product, such as certification. Start small with one customer group and expand once it works.

How do you break down a growth target?

Look at three sources of growth: new customers, more sales per customer and keeping customers longer. For each source, choose the activities that go with it. That turns a single revenue figure into a plan you can carry out.