Navigating GTM with Data & Instincts

Shownotes

In this episode of OnBase, Victoria Sakal explores effective go-to-market strategies and the delicate balance between data-driven insights and intuition in marketing. She discusses common challenges companies face, such as organizational disconnects and the struggle to be proactive in rapidly changing markets. Victoria emphasizes the importance of understanding customer needs, monitoring trends, and using an innovation pipeline framework to guide strategy development. She advocates for quality over quantity in marketing efforts, recommending targeted campaigns for specific audiences rather than broad, unfocused approaches. Sakal underscores the value of curiosity and asking better questions to drive growth and innovation in marketing and product development.

About the guest

With a passion for turning complex inputs on customers, market dynamics, and competitors into smart strategies that drive growth, Victoria has spent the last decade helping companies ask better questions to get better data, source more powerful insights, and stay on top of important dynamics that matter. Previously at Morning Consult and Kantar, Victoria now focuses on all things demand gen, product marketing, market research, and growth strategies to deliver more value for Wonder users.

Connect with Victoria Sakal

Key takeaways

• Balance data-driven insights with intuition for effective marketing decisions
• Focus on customer needs and problems when developing go-to-market strategies
• Use an innovation pipeline framework to guide strategy from problem identification to launch
• Prioritize quality over quantity in marketing by targeting specific audiences with tailored messages
• Stay informed through industry newsletters, podcasts, and thought leaders
• Embrace curiosity and ask better questions to drive growth and innovation
• Align different parts of the organization for cohesive go-to-market execution
• Adapt agile approaches to market research for speed and relevance

Quotes

“Being a degree off at your starting point can leave you a mile off down the road.”

-Victoria Sakal

Highlights from this episode

What are some of the biggest challenges companies face when developing go-to-market strategies? How can they be more proactive?

Victoria Sakal identified several key challenges companies face when developing go-to-market strategies:

• Disconnected organizational parts: Different teams involved in product development, marketing, and sales often work in silos, leading to misalignment.
• Information overload: There’s an overwhelming amount of data and stakeholder input to consider.
• Balancing proactive and reactive approaches: Companies struggle to stay ahead of market trends while also responding to immediate needs.
• Time and resource constraints: Especially for lean teams and companies with tight budgets.

To be more proactive, Victoria suggests:

• Focus on the fundamentals: First, understand the customer, their problems, and needs (the “five C’s” approach).
• Improve internal communication: Ensure product development rationale reaches marketing and sales teams early.
• Continuous monitoring: Stay attuned to audience needs, market trends, and competitor activities.
• Ask small questions regularly: Constantly gather insights to inform strategy, rather than relying solely on large, infrequent research efforts.
• Balance different research cadences: Combine quick, reactive research with more comprehensive, proactive studies.

How can companies balance data-driven insights with intuition to inform key decisions in marketing and sales strategies?

Victoria Sakal emphasizes the importance of balancing data-driven insights with intuition:

• Avoid extremes: Pure intuition can lead you off course, while over-reliance on data can waste resources.
• Use data as a foundation: Leverage existing knowledge and information as inputs for decision-making.
• Apply context: Combine data with your understanding of your business, capabilities, and market opportunities.
• Trust experience: Use your intuition to interpret data and identify potential blind spots.
• Have a vision: Allow room for bets or mission-driven decisions that may not be fully supported by data.
• Start with research: Use data to validate assumptions and close knowledge gaps.
• Be aware of biases: Recognize that intuition can be influenced by personal biases or limited perspectives.
• Iterate and learn: Use a combination of data and intuition to make decisions, then analyze results to refine your approach.
• Consider speed vs. accuracy: Sometimes a quick, intuitive decision is necessary; other times, deeper data analysis is crucial.
• Cultivate informed intuition: Continuously expose yourself to relevant information to develop better instincts over time.

The key is finding the right balance that moves you beyond pure guesswork but doesn’t paralyze decision-making with endless data analysis.

What are some ways that companies can adopt a more agile approach to market research while maintaining quality and relevance?

Victoria Sakal suggests several ways companies can adopt a more agile approach to market research while maintaining quality and relevance:

• Leverage new AI tools and solutions that make research faster and more cost-effective.
• Start with clear objectives: Identify what you need to know to make confident decisions.
• Break down research into known unknowns, things to verify, and potential blind spots.
• Use a mix of formal and informal research methods, including social media platforms like Reddit and LinkedIn for quick insights.
• Consider constraints like budget, time, and required accuracy when choosing research methods.
• Focus on answering key questions to close specific knowledge gaps rather than trying to cover everything.
• Embrace creative, low-cost research methods when appropriate, moving away from the “six figures and six months” mindset.
• Balance quick, directional insights with more comprehensive studies as needed.
• Continuously monitor and gather small insights rather than relying solely on large, infrequent research efforts.
• Adapt research methods based on the stage of the innovation pipeline, from initial problem identification to launch.

The key is to be flexible, use a variety of tools and methods, and focus on getting actionable insights efficiently rather than striving for perfect data.

How has your previous research helped uncover insights about the innovation pipeline and its relation to developing a strong go-to-market strategy?

Victoria Sakal’s previous research on the innovation pipeline revealed several key insights:

• The innovation pipeline spans from initial problem identification to solution launch, with distinct stages in between.
• Different roles and departments are responsible for various stages of the pipeline, but there’s often a lack of smooth handoffs between them.
• Each stage of the pipeline requires answering specific questions, from “who to serve” and “where to play” to “how to win.”
• The research identified which questions are most crucial and non-negotiable at each stage.
• It uncovered pain points in the research process, such as the “research tax” – the perception that proper research is too time-consuming or expensive.
• The study revealed opportunities to make research more accessible and efficient throughout the innovation pipeline.
• It highlighted the importance of involving researchers earlier in the process, rather than just before launch.
• The insights informed the development of research tools and solutions to address specific needs at each stage of the pipeline.
• It emphasized the need for a balance between quick, agile research and more in-depth studies throughout the innovation process.
• The research helped identify where companies wish they could do more research, informing priorities for tool development and strategy consulting.

These insights have helped shape a more integrated approach to research throughout the innovation pipeline, leading to stronger, more informed go-to-market strategies.

What mindset shifts do we need to make to improve our focus on quality over pure volume in marketing?

Victoria Sakal suggests several key mindset shifts to focus on quality over volume in marketing:

• Start with the customer: Understand your audience’s specific needs and problems deeply.
• Narrow your focus: Instead of trying to reach everyone, target a specific segment or “wedge” of your market.
• Prioritize relevance: Tailor messages to resonate strongly with your chosen audience.
• Think efficiency: Aim for higher conversion rates from a smaller, more targeted group rather than low conversions from a large audience.
• Consider ROI: Focus on the jobs to be done for your specific audience to maximize return on marketing efforts.
• Embrace personalization: Develop more tailored, personalized solutions and outreach for your target group.
• Be patient: Accept that you might reach fewer people initially, but trust that this approach will lead to stronger, more efficient growth.
• Quality of engagement: Value meaningful interactions over sheer numbers of impressions or reach.
• Long-term perspective: Focus on building a strong foundation with a core audience rather than chasing short-term volume metrics
• Continuous refinement: Constantly improve your understanding of your target audience to enhance relevance and effectiveness.

Resource recommendations

Newsletters

– Scott Clary’s newsletter on mental models and business inspiration

– James Clear’s newsletter on life frameworks and processes

– Seth Godin’s daily digestible content

Podcasts

– Lenny’s Podcast, which covers product strategy and related disciplines

Shout-outs

–Erik Jacobson, Founder and CEO at Hatch

–Talya Heller, Competitive Positioning Advisor and Founder, Down to a T