I love this declaration!  It is that pivotal moment when a company takes their offer, their solution to the buyer. It is the time when aspirations meet reality. Good marketers understand ‘go to market’ and all the strategy that precedes it and the tactics that follow it. Like these giraffes, you need an unobstructed view of where you are going

Who is accountable for ‘go to market’?  To answer this question – let’s take a quick look at the relationship between product management and product marketing.

CMO’s sometimes manage both functions; minimally they ensure that product management and product marketing are aligned – speak with one voice.  I’ve been accountable for the full scope of the ‘go to market’ many times, holding many titles. Here is the model I like.

Product management defines a product that customers want to buy. They work with development to make sure that this is the product the company builds.  The GO TO MARKET documents target buyers, how the product will compete and recommends the channel for reaching the ideal buyer. Working with finance and legal, product management defines a pricing model that ensures the product competes effectively and that the price isn’t an obstacle to selling. Depending on the product this can be simple or complex.

Product marketing takes the GO TO MARKET and develops a MARKETING PLAN. The PLAN is strategic, it defines the message - the story of the product and how it will delight the customers. The PLAN defines how the company will engage and educate buyers; how the company will find the buyers who are acting like they want to buy a product like yours. Finally, marketing ensures that the product is CONSIDERED by the buyer and enables sales to sell more, faster. Marketing also executes the tactics of the PLAN using the infrastructure of marketing.

Successful GO TO MARKET – a beautiful thing to behold when product management and product marketing are aligned!!