Annual GTM Strategy
Choosing where to play and how to win — for the year.
Workflow
Step 1Market Research
ObjectiveUnderstand market opportunity, competitive landscape, and trends to inform strategy
InputIndustry data, competitor information, market reports, customer feedback
OutputMarket analysis document with opportunity assessment
Key activities
Competitive research (feature comparison, pricing analysis, messaging study) TAM/SAM/SOM analysis (total addressable market, serviceable market, obtainable market) Industry trend identification (emerging technologies, buyer behavior shifts) Customer research (pain points, buying criteria, success metrics) Win/loss analysis from sales team
Decision points
Is the market opportunity large enough to pursue? What are the top 3-5 competitive threats? Where are market trends moving?
Tools: Competitive intelligence platforms, market research databases, industry reports, analyst firms, sales team interviewsRoles: GTM lead: coordination and synthesis · Product/sales: competitive and customer insights · Finance: market sizing
Success: Comprehensive market understanding documented with data sources cited
Go: Go if: Market TAM >$1B (or company-specific threshold), competitive landscape clear, trends identifiedLoop back: Loop back if: Incomplete data, conflicting sources, need primary research
Why it matters
- Strategy is a choice, not a plan. Without the annual call, every team optimizes locally and the company drifts. The year plan converts judgment into a shared direction.
Best practices
- Make 3-5 explicit strategic choices — and name what you are not doing.
- Anchor every initiative to a real market/segment decision.
- Allocate resources before you approve initiatives, not after.
- Schedule quarterly reviews before you need them.
Common mistakes
- A plan of everything — a strategy of nothing.
- Strategy set in a room, announced, then never revisited.
- No resource commitment behind the choices.
Key questions
- What are we choosing to NOT do this year?
- If only three things go right, which are they?
Agents that drive this
Market ResearchPlanning CycleDiagnostic
Tools we use · alternates in [ ]
Tavily[ Exa, Apify, Perplexity ]Exa[ Tavily, Apify, Brave Search ]Notion[ Confluence, Obsidian ]