At this stage, “go-to-market” doesn’t mean glossy decks or big ad buys — it means showing how you’re actually moving people through a real funnel. Seed investors don’t care about a 40-slide marketing plan. They care about proof that your early GTM motion works — even if it’s scrappy, founder-led, and duct-taped together.
“If you can’t sell it small, you’ll never sell it big.”
Purpose
- Demonstrate a functioning lead generation system — not theory.
- Map the real funnel from awareness → activation → retention.
- Show you know your best-performing channel and are doubling down.
- Prove pipeline ownership: who moves leads, how, and with what system.
When to Complete
- Once you have consistent inbound or outbound activity producing leads.
- Before scaling marketing spend or hiring sales.
- After at least one channel shows repeatable conversions, even if founder-driven.
Proof Sections
Lead Generation System
- What methods are bringing leads now?
- Which are working, and how are you amplifying them?
- B2B SaaS – “50% of leads from founder LinkedIn posts; testing cold email with video demos.”
- B2C CPG – “30% of orders from farmers’ market booths; partnered with 2 local retailers.”
- Services – “Referrals drive 80% of leads; launched monthly webinar to add top-of-funnel.”
Funnel Stages & Conversion Points
- What’s the user path from awareness to activation?
- Where’s friction, and how is it being tracked?
- B2B SaaS – “Sign-up → onboarding → activation → paid. 60% drop-off at trial → added countdown banner.”
- B2C CPG – “Sample pack → reorder → subscription. Drop-off at reorder → added discount codes.”
- Services – “Intro call → proposal → pilot. Losing 30% at proposal stage → added case study deck.”
Channel Prioritization
- What’s your top channel and why?
- Where are time/budget investments going next?
- B2B SaaS – “Founder’s network converting best; partner program in pilot.”
- B2C CPG – “Instagram drives most repeat orders; testing TikTok ads.”
- Services – “LinkedIn + referrals working; testing industry conference sponsorship.”
CRM & Pipeline Ownership
- Who owns pipeline movement?
- What system or tool manages it?
- B2B SaaS – “Using Pipedrive; founder runs demos + follow-ups via Zapier alerts.”
- B2C CPG – “Shopify + Klaviyo manage customer flow; ops lead owns abandoned-cart outreach.”
- Services – “HubSpot pipeline managed by COO; weekly pipeline review calls.”
Retention Strategy
- How do you keep users/customers coming back?
- What’s in place to re-engage dormant accounts or buyers?
- B2B SaaS – “Weekly tips email + triggered tooltips for inactivity.”
- B2C CPG – “Subscription option with bonus samples in every third box.”
- Services – “Quarterly business reviews scheduled upfront; early renewal incentives.”
Execution Requirements
- Clear funnel map with stage definitions.
- At least one channel with proven conversion evidence.
- Named CRM or lead tracker in active use.
- Defined ownership of pipeline and follow-up.
- Retention touchpoints in place (email, content, upsell, or renewal).
Domain Adaptability – Moderate
Universal Goal: Show your funnel works and you know where to focus. Execution varies by domain.
Quick How-to by Domain:
- B2B SaaS / Software – Build founder-led outbound (LinkedIn/email), track with CRM, show activation-to-paid flow.
- B2C CPG – Lean on early grassroots channels (farmers markets, DTC, Instagram), prove reorder + channel test.
- Services / Ops-Heavy Models – Founder sells pilots, manage in CRM, show renewals/referrals as traction.
Expected Output
- GTM funnel map or written narrative.
- Conversion rate snapshots at each stage.
- Optional: CRM screenshot, demo flow, or retention tactic list.
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Optional Enhancements (Pro-Level Execution)
- Funnel Math Model — Early-stage LTV/CAC draft with sensitivity testing.
- Playbook Draft — Document founder-led scripts or demo flow for future sales hires.
- Channel Expansion Test — Budgeted micro-tests across 2–3 secondary channels.
- Lifecycle Automation — Basic email/SMS re-engagement workflows.
- Attribution Snapshot — Track what actually generates paying customers (not just traffic).