Where Ideas, Experiences, and Lessons Learned Intersect

Lessons Learned from GTM Consulting

Posted on November 22, 2025 Updated on November 23, 2025

For the past two years, I have performed part-time, contract go-to-market consulting. My wife had a surgery that had gone wrong 18 months ago, so I needed something that would allow me to take care of her, stay sharp, earn money, and help companies grow.

Most of the work was with small to midsize companies, but the problems and needs mirrored what I have encountered at larger companies. The main difference is that large companies tend to look to software to address problems. In contrast, smaller companies lack the budget for what they view as an unproven solution that increases complexity.

Here are my Top 5 findings:

1. GTM plans are often developed at the highest levels, often in isolation, without market testing and validation.
2. Sales teams are pitted against one another, rather than working together to help everyone achieve more (i.e., “A rising tide lifts all boats.”)
3. Sales teams are focused on selling features rather than solving business problems.
4. CRMs are not consistently used and often reflect idealized fiction rather than reality.
5. Sales management and teams are not leveraging AI to help focus their efforts.

Here are the related Lessons Learned:

1. Identifying common business problems and describing how your product or service solves them should be the foundation of the plan. Perform market analysis. How do companies describe those problems? Their terminology, often found in job ads, can help create effective messaging that resonates. Work to become the natural fit for what your prospects are seeking.
2. Individual contributors get paid to win, but sales management needs to create incentives for collaborative efforts that lead to wins.
   • For one company, I convinced them to implement a 2% SPIV (like a SPIFF, but team-focused) for every team member who actively contributed to team improvement. SPIV payments were quarterly, and there was a running total so the team could see the fund growth. Initial indications of a positive impact are good.
   • Another benefit of collaboration is that it helps teams focus on approaches that work due to ongoing testing and refinement. Collaboration also helps teams focus on a more accurate ICP (ideal customer profile). Sales management can then feed their findings back to Marketing to improve and tailor their efforts.
3. Selling is a byproduct of problem-solving. You can’t solve problems if you don’t know what they are. Every interaction with a prospect should focus on gathering information, building trust and relationships, and leveraging prior interactions to demonstrate that your solution will solve their problem and ease their pain.
4. CRMs often either lack information or are full of wishful thinking. They focus on activities, and not progress and next steps. Using MEDDIC/MEDPICC as a foundation for reporting is a much better start. Sales managers need to independently validate the information to ensure their teams are being upfront and honest. Trust, coaching, and collaboration work together for the win.
5. AI is not a panacea, but it is very effective for research, market validation, prospecting, and meeting preparation. Going in prepared builds respect and credibility, saves time, and lets you quickly qualify prospects in or out. There may be a nurturing program for some of the prospects qualified out for immediate deals, but your time is valuable, and you will go hungry chasing deals you can’t close.

So, what are your thoughts? Have you seen some of these problems yourself? How did you handle them? Let me know in the comments below.

And if you are looking for a Consultant to help your business grow or someone who can add immediate value to your team, then contact me.