Why Your GTM Strategy is Failing (It's Not What You Think) + GTM Cross-Functional Buyer Journey Mapping Exercise
đź“Š 85% of SaaS companies miss their revenue targets in Year 1.
The culprit isn't your product, pricing, or positioning.
It's the handoff.
Most GTM strategies are built in silos:
→ Marketing generates "MQLs"
→ Sales Development "qualifies" them
→ AEs "close" them
→ CS "retains" them
But buyers don't think in funnels. They think in problems.
The shift needed: From funnel optimization to buyer journey orchestration.
Elite teams are breaking down these walls:
Marketing creates content for AEs to share in deals
SDRs stay involved through contract signature
CS provides win/loss insights back to product marketing
Your move: Map your buyer's actual journey (not your internal process) and align resources accordingly.
GTM Cross-Functional Buyer Journey
Mapping Exercise
Objective
Map your actual buyer's journey (not your internal funnel) to identify handoff gaps and create seamless cross-functional alignment for better revenue outcomes.
Pre-Work
(20 minutes)
Participants: Marketing, Sales Development, Sales, Customer Success, Product Marketing Materials: Whiteboard/digital canvas, sticky notes, recent win/loss data
Step 1: Define Your Buyer Personas
(15 minutes)
Instructions: Identify 1-2 primary buyer personas for this exercise
Primary Decision Maker: (Title, department, key concerns)
Key Influencers: (Who else has an impact on the final decision?)
End Users: (Who is actually using your solution?)
Example:
Primary: VP of Sales (growth pressure, team efficiency)
Influencer: CFO (budget approval, ROI validation)
End User: Sales Reps (ease of use, daily workflow impact)
Step 2: Map Buyer Stages vs. Buyer Emotions
(20 minutes)
For each stage below, capture:
What is the buyer thinking/feeling?
What questions are they asking?
What could potentially derail the process?
Step 3: Identify Current Touchpoints by Department
(15 minutes)
Map who from your team typically interacts with at each stage:
Step 4: Spot the Gaps and Overlaps
(15 minutes)
Review your mapping and identify:
đźš© Gap Analysis:
Where does the buyer experience "dead air"?
Which stages have no clear owner?
Where do handoffs typically break down?
⚠️ Overlap Issues:
Where do multiple departments interact without coordination?
Which messages might conflict or confuse?
Where are we duplicating our efforts?
âś… Optimization Opportunities:
Where could we provide more value?
Where could we potentially consolidate efforts and maximize the client’s time?
Which departments should collaborate more closely?
What information needs to flow better between teams?
Step 5: Design Cross-Functional Solutions
(20 minutes)
For each gap/overlap identified, create specific solutions:
Example Solutions:
Gap: Buyers go dark between demo and proposal
Solution: SDR schedules "technical validation" call while AE prepares proposal
Overlap: Both Marketing and Sales are sending follow-up emails
Solution: Marketing pauses email sequences once Sales engagement begins
Opportunity: CS insights not reaching early-stage prospects
Solution: CS provides win/loss feedback to help SDRs better qualify
Your Solutions:
Gap/Issue: ________________________________
Solution: _________________________________
Owner: ___________________________________
Timeline: __________________________________Gap/Issue: ________________________________
Solution: _________________________________
Owner: ___________________________________
Timeline: __________________________________Gap/Issue: ________________________________
Solution: _________________________________
Owner: ___________________________________
Timeline: __________________________________
Step 6: Define Success Metrics
(10 minutes)
How will you measure whether this buyer journey optimization is effective?
Leading Indicators:
Faster progression between stages
Higher engagement rates at each touchpoint
Improved handoff completion rates
Better cross-functional communication scores
Lagging Indicators:
Shorter sales cycles
Higher win rates
Increased deal sizes
Better customer satisfaction scores
Next Steps & Accountability
30-Day Action Items:
Week 1: Implement the top 3 solutions identified
Week 2: Train teams on new handoff processes
Week 3: Monitor metrics and gather feedback
Week 4: Refine processes based on learnings
Monthly Review: Schedule recurring sessions to assess buyer journey performance and identify new opportunities for optimization.
Key Insight: Remember, your internal process should serve the buyer's journey, not the other way around. When in doubt, ask: "What would make this easier for our buyer?"
