Your GTM Playbook Is Broken—Here’s How to Fix It

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Hey there!

If you’ve ever tried assembling IKEA furniture without reading the instructions, congratulations—you now understand most B2B go-to-market strategies.

We’ve all been there. You’ve got a product, a sales team, some marketing campaigns, and maybe even a few SDRs dialing away. But something’s off. The pipeline is unpredictable. Deals are slipping. And your buyers? They’re ghosting you faster than a bad first date.

That’s because the old GTM playbook doesn’t work anymore. Buyers don’t want endless sales calls. They don’t trust vendor claims. And they sure as hell aren’t impressed by your cold emails.

Recently on GTM News Desk, we sat down with James Kaikis (TestBox) to talk about why traditional GTM motions are broken, how companies are adapting (or failing to), and what you actually need to do to fix it. Give it a listen, this is some don't miss stuff.?

So, if your funnel feels more like a leaky bucket and less like a revenue engine—keep reading. We’re breaking it all down.

Your GTM Playbook Is Broken—Here’s How to Fix It

Let’s cut to the chase: most GTM playbooks are outdated. What worked in the growth-at-all-costs era no longer applies, and if you’re still running the same motions, you’re already behind.

Buyers have changed. They expect frictionless, self-service experiences. They’re researching on their own before ever talking to sales. And if your team is still forcing them into outdated SDR-heavy processes, you’re losing deals before they even start.

So, what does a modern GTM playbook look like? Let’s break it down.

1. Your Funnel Is Backwards (Fix That First)

Buyers today don’t want to “book a demo” as their first step. They want to try before they buy—whether through an interactive demo, a free trial, or a product-led experience.

? Old way: Gated content → SDR spam → 3 discovery calls → Finally see the product

? New way: Open access to value → Let buyers educate themselves → Sales guides, not gatekeeps

?? What to do now:

?? Offer self-service experiences (interactive demos, ungated trials)

?? Rethink SDRs—turn them into buyer enablement specialists, not just lead qualifiers

?? Invest in community, word-of-mouth, and social proof (because trust > cold calls)

2. Sales & CS Need to Become One Team

The worst thing B2B companies do? Treat sales and customer success like separate worlds. The handoff between teams is broken, and that’s why churn happens.

James Kaikis’ team at TestBox does something bold:

? AEs own the full customer lifecycle (from sale to retention) ? Solutions architects stay involved post-sale to ensure success ? No handoffs. No "not my problem" mindset.

?? What to do now:

?? Stop separating pre- and post-sale teams—align them under shared goals

?? Incentivize sales reps based on adoption, not just closed-won

?? Have solutions & CS in the deal before signature, not after?

3. Positioning & Messaging Are Still Your Biggest Problem

You can’t scale bad positioning. Yet most companies:

?? Can’t clearly explain what they do in one sentence

?? Have different teams telling different stories to customers

?? Burn marketing $$$ trying to generate demand for a confusing offer?

Here's a great framework for you to consider.?

? Brand: The big narrative and POV you stand behind

? Solution: The core problems you solve and how

? Product: The exact things you offer to create value

?? What to do now:

?? Audit your messaging—would your ICP immediately "get it"?

?? Ensure sales, marketing, and CS are aligned on the same narrative

?? Find your red thread—the one idea that connects brand, solution, and product

The Bottom Line: Adapt or Get Left Behind

Most GTM teams are stuck in 2018, running outdated motions that no longer match how buyers actually buy.

The fix?

? Rethink your funnel—self-service first, sales as a guide

? Break down silos—sales & CS should operate as one motion

? Clarify your positioning—because if it’s confusing, it’s broken

?? Next step: Do a brutally honest audit of your GTM motion. Where is the biggest leak? Fix that first.

Curated Content: Fixing your GTM Playbook

If you’re serious about diagnosing and fixing your broken GTM strategy, these must-read resources will help you take action:

1. “The SaaS GTM Playbook is Broken. Here’s How to Fix It.” – Kathiravan Rajendran

This article examines why traditional SaaS GTM strategies are failing and how to shift from a linear buyer journey to a more network-driven approach. ?? Read more

2. “How to Fix Your Go-To-Market (GTM) Playbooks” – Playbuilt

Outlines six critical issues in most GTM playbooks and provides a roadmap for improving execution, alignment, and efficiency. ?? Read more

3. “How To Figure Out If Your GTM Process Is Broken” – Predictable Revenue

Sangram Vajre introduces the MOVE framework (Market, Operations, Velocity, Expansion) to help diagnose and fix failing GTM motions. ?? Read more

4. “5 Brutal GTM Mistakes Killing Your 2024 Growth” – Fuego Systems

Explores common GTM mistakes (like over-relying on cold outbound) and how to pivot toward relationship-driven growth strategies. ?? Read more

5. “Your GTM is Failing. It’s on You to Figure Out Why.” – GTM Alliance

A no-BS breakdown of why GTM strategies fail—from unclear ICPs to weak positioning—and how to conduct a GTM audit to fix them. ?? Read more

6. “5 Go-To-Market Issues to Avoid” – Edwin Abl

Avoid these GTM pitfalls, like misaligned teams and one-size-fits-all plays, to build a more scalable and effective GTM motion. ?? Read more

?? Your move: Pick one of these articles, read it, and audit your GTM motion based on what you learn. Fix the leaks before they sink your growth.

Your Positioning Is (Probably) Broken

Mark has talked to dozens of founders and CEOs this year, and nearly all of them struggle with one fundamental problem—their positioning isn’t clear.

If buyers don’t instantly understand what you do, how you do it, and why it matters, you’re already burning cash. Weak positioning leads to low conversion rates, confused prospects, and a broken funnel.

Here’s How to Fix It:

? Find the red thread – Your brand, solution, and product messaging should align seamlessly.

? Audit your funnel – If website visitors aren’t converting or sales calls feel like a struggle, your positioning is off.

? Make your content teach, not just talk – Stop producing surface-level content. Give buyers actionable insights they can use.

Want the full playbook? Join the conversation in Slack.

Featured Resource of the Week

Got a massive guide, a 40-minute podcast, or a long-form video but no clue how to pull out the best soundbites for social? Let AI do the heavy lifting.

?? Prompt: Finding Compelling Soundbites in Long-Form Content

Use this to quickly surface the most surprising, shareable quotes from any transcript, guide, or interview.?

?? Prompt: "Which statements in this content is the audience most likely to be surprised by? Which sound bites would make the best video clips for social media?"

Shoutout to Orbit Media for this one. Give it a try and let us know how it works for you!

?? Check it out in Slack: Link

Featured Question of the Week

Events are goldmines for leads—but only if you have the right system for grading, organizing, and following up.

Caitlin, a Field Marketing Manager, is looking for a better way to debrief event attendees and qualify leads before they hit Salesforce.

Here’s the Problem:

?? Friction in the process – Sales teams struggle to log details about who they met.

?? Lead grading is messy – Not all conversations = qualified leads, but how do you score them?

?? No standard debriefing format – Notes are scattered, making follow-up inconsistent.

How to Fix It:

? Standardize Your Post-Event Debrief: Create a simple form (Google Form, Slack thread, or Notion doc) for attendees to log:

• Who they met (Name, Company, Title)
• Type of interaction (Casual convo, deep product discussion, request for follow-up)
• Lead tier (Hot, Warm, Cold – based on engagement level)
• Next steps (Booked meeting? Send content? Connect later?)

? Automate Lead Processing in Salesforce:

• Assign a lead score based on event touchpoints.
• Set up a custom event campaign tag to track pipeline impact.
• Create a pre-set cadence for follow-up (e.g., Hot leads = follow-up in 24 hours).

? Run a Structured Debrief:

• Block 30 minutes post-event for sales & marketing to review lead lists together.
• Discuss key conversations, prioritize leads, and assign next steps immediately.

Have a killer post-event lead process? Share your framework with Caitlin!?

?? Jump into the conversation here: Link

Feb Webinar Recap?

This week, we went deep on Interactive Demo Centers—why they work, how to build them, and how they turn passive website visitors into high-intent buyers.

Key takeaways from the session:

?? Structuring Your Demo Center – Organizing by persona, use case, or feature to drive engagement

?? Writing Demo Copy That Converts – Moving from feature-focused tours to story-driven experiences

?? Turning Demo Views into Pipeline – CTA placement, gating strategies, and tracking buyer intent

?? Empowering Sales with Buyer Insights – Using demo engagement data for more personalized outreach

If you missed it, you can watch the full session on-demand.

?? Watch the webinar here

And stay tuned—our March webinar is dropping next week with to sign up with Amanda from Share Your Genius and it's going to be electric!?

What's Happening in Slack

??? #webinars-and-events – Tyler’s heading to SXSW! If you’ll be there too, let’s connect: LinkedIn Post

?? #general – Sales & marketing misalignment is real. How does your team fix it? Drop your thoughts in today’s discussion.

?? #general – We made it to Friday! Who in this community has helped you recently? Shout them out in today’s member connect post!

?? Jump into the conversations in Slack!

Until Next Week

If your GTM playbook is broken, now’s the time to fix it. Buyers don’t want outdated sales motions, misaligned teams, or vague messaging—they want clarity, value, and a frictionless buying experience.

Here’s your challenge for the week:

? Audit your positioning – Can your ICP instantly understand what you do? ? Fix your post-event lead flow – Standardize your debrief process. ? Engage in Slack – Share your GTM insights and connect with others.

?? Want more? Catch the full conversation with James Kaikis on fixing your GTM motion → Listen here

Until next week,

Nick