Best of LinkedIn: Go-to-Market CW 36/ 37

00:00:00: This episode is provided by Thomas Allgeier and Franis based on the most relevant LinkedIn posts about go-to-market in calendar weeks thirty-six and thirty-seven.

00:00:08: Franis is a B to B market research company helping enterprises gain the customer competitive and positioning insights needed to drive GTM success.

00:00:17: Welcome to the deep dive.

00:00:19: Today we're diving headfirst into the most talked about Go to Market Trends.

00:00:24: These are straight from LinkedIn over the past couple of weeks.

00:00:26: Yeah, we've sifted through a lot of posts.

00:00:28: We really have.

00:00:29: We've tried to pull out what's truly shifting in the B to B GTM landscape for

00:00:32: you.

00:00:32: That's right.

00:00:33: Our goal today is pretty simple.

00:00:35: cut through all the noise and just deliver the most critical insights.

00:00:39: You know, whether it's AI, which is huge right now, or maybe rethinking GTM strategy itself.

00:00:44: Or the data foundations, which are always crucial.

00:00:46: Always.

00:00:47: And how we actually empower sales teams effectively.

00:00:49: So we're looking at, you know, solid frameworks, actionable stuff, not just passing fads.

00:00:53: All

00:00:54: right, let's jump right in.

00:00:55: Because the big one, the thing at the top of almost everyone's feed, seems to be AI's game changing impact on GTM.

00:01:02: And it's moved beyond just tools, hasn't it?

00:01:04: Oh, definitely.

00:01:05: It's not just, hey, let's plug in an AI tool.

00:01:07: Teams are really starting to see AI as a more of a core operating model.

00:01:12: Right.

00:01:12: And the expectations, they're massive.

00:01:14: People are looking for serious conversion, uplift, cost cuts, and those, you know, compounding returns from feedback loops.

00:01:21: Dale Swazinski mentioned some.

00:01:22: Pretty staggering numbers.

00:01:24: Yeah, he did like advanced AI stages potentially unlocking seven X conversion boosts and an eight to twelve X ROI.

00:01:32: That's well, that's not just tweaking things.

00:01:34: It's transformation.

00:01:35: It really is.

00:01:35: So how does that change the actual journey for the buyer?

00:01:38: Well, that's the fascinating part is shifting the whole buyer journey concept.

00:01:42: We're moving away from those like static funnel stages towards something much more dynamic context aware driven by continuous inference in micro personalization.

00:01:53: Yarn, Hawkman and Sangram Vajra both pointed out that really traditional GTM is already kind of outdated.

00:01:59: Oh, so?

00:02:00: Because buyers, they're already interacting with LLM's large language models way before they even think about visiting your website.

00:02:06: So

00:02:07: they're getting answers, forming ideas.

00:02:09: Exactly.

00:02:10: Doing deep research before you even know they're in the market.

00:02:12: That just fundamentally changes the whole game, doesn't it?

00:02:15: How you even start the conversation.

00:02:17: It really

00:02:17: does.

00:02:18: So if they're already that far along.

00:02:20: How do we make sure our AI or outreach is actually adding value, building trust, not just more spam?

00:02:27: That's the key question.

00:02:28: And leaders are definitely cautioning that the big AI benefits.

00:02:31: They really track with maturity.

00:02:33: You need the foundations.

00:02:34: So less about shiny pilots, more about data readiness, prompt standards.

00:02:39: Precisely.

00:02:40: And CyrinR made a great point too, reminding us AI can't and probably shouldn't fully replace the human element.

00:02:47: He's advocating for human-guided AI.

00:02:50: Especially

00:02:50: for those critical moments, right?

00:02:52: Building trust, closing deals.

00:02:53: It's about making humans better, not replacing them.

00:02:56: Spot

00:02:56: on.

00:02:57: Augmentation, not replacement.

00:02:58: And that brings up another point.

00:03:00: How do you get that crucial human feedback?

00:03:02: How do you iterate effectively when AI is doing so much?

00:03:05: Yeah,

00:03:06: how do you test things?

00:03:07: Well,

00:03:07: Mikhail Reister talked about this really cool concept, AI digital twins.

00:03:11: Digital

00:03:11: twins?

00:03:12: Like, of customers?

00:03:13: Exactly.

00:03:14: Imagine hyper realistic AI versions of your key customers, your stakeholders.

00:03:20: You can use them to like pressure test campaigns, generate ideas, find blind spots before you launch.

00:03:26: Wow.

00:03:27: So you could potentially avoid a lot of wasted effort?

00:03:30: That's

00:03:30: the idea.

00:03:31: Michelle says it dramatically cuts iteration cycles, eliminates campaign waste, but you're simulating real responses.

00:03:38: She also mentioned Ryan Staley's multibrain system, getting simultaneous expert analysis from like five different viewpoints, finds blind spots fast.

00:03:47: Okay, that sounds incredibly useful, almost like a virtual focus group on demand.

00:03:51: And we're seeing practical tools emerge too, right?

00:03:53: Definitely.

00:03:54: Kelly Ward and Divyanshi Sharma shared news about Apollo's GTM AI assistant, automating prospecting, research, list building, even writing messages.

00:04:02: And Sarah McNamara introduced Claygint Navigator.

00:04:06: That's the one that interacts with websites like a human for deeper research.

00:04:09: Yeah, the level of autonomy is getting pretty impressive, which leads to AI agents.

00:04:13: Right, Sophie Bonacici, Xander Pease, Ankit Singh, we're talking about those, agents that can engage, qualify, maybe even convert leads.

00:04:22: Yeah.

00:04:22: autonomously, taking a lot off the plates of sales teams.

00:04:25: But there's the counterpoint.

00:04:27: Ahmed Tattoo raised what he called a controversial opinion.

00:04:30: Oh, what's that?

00:04:31: He's questioning if some of these GTM tools, the ones needing specialized GTM engineers just to get value, are they actually over complicating things?

00:04:41: Interesting point.

00:04:42: Like, are we creating new bottlenecks?

00:04:44: Potentially.

00:04:46: He argues marketers should focus on campaigns, creativity, not debugging APIs or complex setups.

00:04:52: He's pushing for simplicity.

00:04:53: That tension complexity versus simplicity, especially with roles like the GTM engineer, it really gets to the heart of how we adapt, doesn't it?

00:05:01: It

00:05:01: does.

00:05:01: Are we just bolting new tech onto old broken processes?

00:05:05: Or truly rethinking the whole approach?

00:05:07: Which actually is a perfect lead-in to our next theme.

00:05:10: Re-evaluating GTM strategy and execution for the modern era.

00:05:13: Because it seems clear, Those traditional playbooks, they're struggling.

00:05:17: They really are.

00:05:18: Sangram Vajray and Bernardo Modrado both hammered this point.

00:05:21: Agility over static cycles.

00:05:23: Sangram said something like ninety percent of companies still use the old GTM playbook.

00:05:28: Six month planning cycles.

00:05:29: Which feels ancient in this AI era.

00:05:32: Agility wins.

00:05:33: Absolutely.

00:05:34: And connecting that to strategy, Charles or Chip Royce argued that trying to be everything to everyone, that horizontal GTM is often just incredibly costly.

00:05:43: Burns through cash fast.

00:05:45: Right.

00:05:45: He makes a strong case for focusing hard on a specific niche.

00:05:49: Command premium pricing, laser focus your marketing, build something indispensable for that group.

00:05:54: Makes sense.

00:05:55: Solve one problem really well instead of many problems poorly, especially when budgets are tight.

00:05:59: Heidi Hatendorf had some practical advice too on pipeline velocity.

00:06:03: Yeah, standardizing GTM plays, adjusting them, tracking metrics closely to stop deals stalling.

00:06:08: Because stalled deals are dead deals, basically.

00:06:11: And Todd Busslin mentioned Tony Holbein's great pipeline starvation.

00:06:15: That phrase really stuck with me.

00:06:16: Me too.

00:06:17: It highlights the broken math and BDB sales right now.

00:06:19: Todd's point was, we need to spend money completely differently.

00:06:23: So how do we spend differently?

00:06:25: Where do we focus?

00:06:26: That brings us to the age of signals.

00:06:28: Mach of OJ, Florenta Tullia.

00:06:32: Elon evens that they're all talking about this.

00:06:34: Focusing on the buyers who are actually ready, right?

00:06:37: That mythical three percent.

00:06:39: Exactly.

00:06:40: By reading the signals.

00:06:41: Not just generic stuff, but specifics.

00:06:44: Funding rounds, new exec hires, even competitor uninstalls.

00:06:48: Things that indicate real intent.

00:06:50: Precisely.

00:06:51: Florentatrally even talked about buying signal velocity.

00:06:55: Five signals this week means way more than fifty spread over six months.

00:06:58: Ah,

00:06:58: the momentum matters.

00:06:59: That's smart.

00:07:00: Yeah.

00:07:01: And Alon even added that combining signals tells a much stronger story.

00:07:06: Helps you make strategic decisions, not just react to single alerts.

00:07:10: Build a narrative around the intent.

00:07:12: Okay, so we're using signals to focus.

00:07:14: What about the GTM motions themselves?

00:07:17: Doaster had thoughts on that.

00:07:18: He did.

00:07:19: Re-evaluating no touch, low touch, high touch, etc.

00:07:22: But crucially against today's economics.

00:07:24: not last years.

00:07:25: Because what worked before might just be too expensive now.

00:07:28: Exactly.

00:07:28: You might need to adapt pricing or even downgrade motions to make the math work.

00:07:32: The old assumptions just don't hold.

00:07:34: And where are deals actually happening?

00:07:36: Kyle Edmond Hayes had a strong take on marketplaces.

00:07:39: Yeah, a marketplace for his GTM.

00:07:41: His point is enterprise buyers.

00:07:43: They're already using hyperscaler marketplaces like AWS or Azure a lot.

00:07:48: So it's not just another channel, it's becoming a primary engine.

00:07:51: That's his argument.

00:07:52: Pricing.

00:07:53: deal flow, revops, sales comp, it all needs to align with that marketplace reality, not treat it as an add-on.

00:08:02: That's a big shift.

00:08:02: And speaking of shifts, that GTM engineer role we mentioned, it seems to be popping up more.

00:08:07: It

00:08:07: does.

00:08:07: Esim Sleiman, Matthew Iovani, Alex Lindel, Austin Myers, they're seeing it grow in LinkedIn data, the people building the scalable systems.

00:08:16: The architects making the signals in AI actually work.

00:08:19: Right.

00:08:19: But Kyle Poyer offered a bit of caution.

00:08:21: Despite the buzz, maybe it's not as widespread in-house as we think.

00:08:25: A lot are still in agencies or consulting.

00:08:27: Good distinction, something to consider if you're thinking about building that capability internally.

00:08:31: Definitely.

00:08:32: So, okay, AI is changing what's possible, strategy needs rethinking, but none of it works without solid foundations, right?

00:08:40: Which brings us to the critical role of data and RevOps foundations.

00:08:43: Absolutely non-negotiable.

00:08:44: You see platforms like HubSpot, Salesforce mentioned constantly, but the key isn't just having the platform.

00:08:50: It's the process quality, expert setup.

00:08:52: Exactly.

00:08:53: Process quality trumps feature count, doing the basics brilliantly, and it connects directly to growth.

00:08:59: Forecast credibility, for example.

00:09:01: Of

00:09:01: so.

00:09:02: It's seen as a growth enabler.

00:09:03: built on a single source of truth in CRM, regular inspections, objective stage definitions.

00:09:09: Leaders are choosing instrumentation over intuition.

00:09:12: Meaning

00:09:12: clear lead sources, clear conversion points, so you can act fast if something's off.

00:09:17: Precisely.

00:09:18: And Dr.

00:09:18: Nicole Weber and I put it bluntly.

00:09:20: AI is only as good as the data underneath it.

00:09:22: Without that trust, she said, even the smartest AI becomes just another unused tool.

00:09:28: Highlights that unsexy but vital data hygiene work.

00:09:31: Totally.

00:09:32: It's crucial, especially globally.

00:09:34: Everett Berry shared how Clay tackled global GTM data quality navigating regulations customs.

00:09:40: Complex stuff.

00:09:41: But there's a dark side too, right?

00:09:42: David Walker Dobson mentioned AI slop.

00:09:44: Yeah, the flood of low quality automated spam.

00:09:48: He argues GTM engineering, ironically contributed to it.

00:09:51: But the solution isn't just more automation, it's timing derived from good data, precision, not just volume.

00:09:58: Makes sense.

00:09:59: And that brings us back to the GTM engineer role, as SM Sliman described it.

00:10:03: Right.

00:10:03: They build that foundation, keep CRN clean, enrich customer data, design, and test campaigns.

00:10:10: It all hinges on robust data.

00:10:12: Sophie Buenasisi called data the new GTM operating system.

00:10:16: Nice.

00:10:16: OK, so foundations are solid.

00:10:18: Let's shift to the front line.

00:10:20: Sales enablement and deepening customer relationships.

00:10:23: What's changing here?

00:10:24: Well, playbooks are evolving.

00:10:26: Less generic scripting.

00:10:27: More

00:10:28: role-specific workflows.

00:10:29: Focused on discovery, qualification, actual pipeline moving.

00:10:32: Exactly.

00:10:33: Quality interactions, not just hitting activity numbers.

00:10:36: And think about warming up prospects.

00:10:37: Alan Rushtain talked about social warming.

00:10:39: Social warming?

00:10:40: What's that exactly?

00:10:41: It's like a repeatable routine before outreach.

00:10:44: Building familiarity so the prospect kind of knows who you are before your message even lands.

00:10:48: Increases reply rates.

00:10:49: Ah, so consistent, valuable engagement first.

00:10:53: Not just a cold email out of the blue.

00:10:54: Right.

00:10:55: Presence and perceived value first.

00:10:57: And managers are focusing less on just throwing tools at problems.

00:11:00: And

00:11:01: more on coaching.

00:11:02: Accountability.

00:11:03: Basic sales hygiene.

00:11:05: Yep.

00:11:05: Rigorous meeting prep.

00:11:07: diligent follow-up, fundamentals done well.

00:11:10: And really understanding the customer's perspective, right?

00:11:13: Roxana Khalid's survey findings were interesting.

00:11:15: Very.

00:11:16: The pricing paradox and privacy contradiction.

00:11:20: Deals stalling on price or privacy, even after initial tests showed willingness to pay.

00:11:25: So there's a gap between what people say and what they do when friction hits.

00:11:28: Exactly.

00:11:29: You need to understand the real trade-offs, the perceived value, not just abstract agreement.

00:11:34: Which circles back to Todd Bustler and Tony Holbein's pipeline starvation again.

00:11:38: We need genuinely new creative playbooks because the old outbound is just saturated.

00:11:44: Totally saturated.

00:11:44: We need different approaches.

00:11:46: Alex Abbott made a related point about team visibility and influence.

00:11:49: It's not just about generating more leads.

00:11:50: It's

00:11:51: about relevance.

00:11:52: Trust.

00:11:53: Familiarity built before the sales motion.

00:11:56: Precisely.

00:11:57: Which ties into that idea of permissionless value.

00:12:00: Sonkev and Jacob.

00:12:02: James Caikis on Jordan Crawford's ideas.

00:12:04: Deliver value consistently first.

00:12:06: Insights.

00:12:07: Education.

00:12:08: Then ask for the meeting.

00:12:10: Earn the attention.

00:12:11: Okay, final theme.

00:12:12: Let's zoom out a bit to foundational GTM wisdom.

00:12:16: Even with all this change, some core principles hold true, maybe more than ever.

00:12:20: Definitely.

00:12:21: Like product stories focus on buyer outcomes, adoption paths, not just feature lists.

00:12:26: And campaigns shifting to iterative experiments validate the narrative before big spends, lean and fast.

00:12:32: Right.

00:12:32: And content proving its value when it actually sparks conversations with target accounts, relevance over sheer reach.

00:12:39: Brand building is pipeline groundwork too, warming things up for future outreach.

00:12:43: Exactly.

00:12:43: and Alexander Esner's ten most common sauce GTM myths.

00:12:47: These are gold.

00:12:47: Yeah, let's unpack a couple.

00:12:49: Myth hashtag one.

00:12:50: Broad ICPs like one hundred million revenue.

00:12:52: What's his take?

00:12:53: He says no.

00:12:54: Start super specific with early customers.

00:12:56: Let the ICP evolve organically.

00:12:58: Hyper focus.

00:12:58: And myth hashtag three.

00:13:00: Hiring a sales agency fixes everything.

00:13:02: Nope.

00:13:03: Founders have to build the initial playbook themselves.

00:13:05: And agency optimizes.

00:13:07: They don't invent market fit for you.

00:13:10: You need that core understanding first.

00:13:12: That really underscores the need for hands-on strategy.

00:13:15: What about losing deals on price?

00:13:17: Myth hashtag seven.

00:13:19: He argues it's almost always a value proposition issue.

00:13:22: If you're truly solving a critical pain, price becomes less of an obstacle, forces you to look inward.

00:13:28: Tough truths, but vital.

00:13:30: And Elena Zapp brought up partner journey mapping, making partnerships actually productive.

00:13:35: Yeah, moving beyond just the signature.

00:13:37: systematically defining when partners engage, what assets they use, how success is measured, operationalizing it for real impact.

00:13:44: Makes sense.

00:13:45: And if anyone's wondering if GTM strategy is still important for their career.

00:13:48: It absolutely is.

00:13:50: Nikon Wadialo and Dr.

00:13:51: Angelina Primova confirmed it's a top skill on the rise for twenty twenty five.

00:13:56: Critical for sustainable growth.

00:13:58: It's a core competency now.

00:13:59: And Lauren's knees summed it up nicely, I thought.

00:14:01: GTM engineering.

00:14:02: It's not really about the specific tools, is it?

00:14:04: Not fundamentally.

00:14:05: It's about solving GTM constraints, increasing the metrics that matter, driving revenue, the outcome, not just the tack.

00:14:14: So we've covered a lot.

00:14:15: AI reshaping GTM, dynamic journeys, digital twins, AI agents.

00:14:19: It's a huge shift.

00:14:21: But, you know, posts from Srinagar, Anjali Mullins, Liza Adams, Sam Jacobs.

00:14:27: They all kept coming back to the human element.

00:14:29: Yeah.

00:14:30: Things like context, empathy, critical thinking, authenticity.

00:14:33: AI can't replicate those.

00:14:35: Yeah.

00:14:35: Not really.

00:14:36: Which leads us to the provocative thought for you, the listener.

00:14:38: As you bring these powerful AI tools into your GTM, the big question is, how will you use AI not to replace but to amplify your uniquely human strengths?

00:14:48: Right.

00:14:49: Making your strategies more insightful, your customer interactions more empathetic, making your whole GTM more authentically impactful, something to think about.

00:14:56: If you enjoyed this deep dive, new episodes drop every two weeks.

00:14:59: Also check out our other editions on account-based marketing, field marketing, channel marketing, MarTech, social selling, and AI in B to B marketing.

00:15:06: Thanks for joining us.

00:15:07: Definitely subscribe so you don't miss our future.

00:15:09: deep dives.

00:15:10: We'll see you next time.