go-to-market

Maak een lanceringsplan met FORCES per levenscyclusfase, messaging en kanaalstrategie voor beperkte resources.

Go-to-Market

Metadata

Activatietrigger: Je gaat iets lanceren (feature, product, markt) en wil een concreet plan: hoe win je aandacht, krijg je users, en zorg je dat ze blijven.

Doel: Realistisch lanceringsplan maken voor LIMITED RESOURCES met duidelijke messaging, kanaalstrategie en FORCES per lifecycle phase.

Input: Wat lanceer je? Wie zijn users? Wat is budget/team?

Output: Launch plan (pre-launch, launch day, post-launch) + messaging strategy + channel play + FORCES per phase.

Scope: Dit is 3-6 maand plan, niet 2-year full GTM strategie. Gericht op launch en eerste momentum.

Instructies

Fase 0: Context ophalen

Stap 1 — Check wat er al is Scan uploads, gedeelde mappen en workspace op relevante bestanden (eerdere outputs, research, data). Lees ze door.

Stap 2 — Slimme vragen stellen

  • Wel context gevonden → Bevestig kort wat je ziet ("Ik zie [X], klopt dat?"). Stel alleen vragen over wat je nog mist.
  • Geen context → Stel onderstaande vragen.

Fase 1: Duidelijkheid op WHAT & WHO

Doorvragen:

  1. What: Wat lanceer je? (Feature, product, markt, pricing tier, repositioning?)
  2. Who: Primaire doelgroep? (Rollen, bedrijfsgrootte, probleem)
  3. Why now: Wat maakt dit moment special? (Trend, competitor move, customer demand?)
  4. Resources: Wie zit erop? Team size? Budget (marketing, paid ads, content)?
  5. KPIs: Hoe meet je succes? (Signups, activations, revenue, retention?)

Voorbeeld:

  • Lancering: "AI Co-Pilot" (feature) voor product managers
  • Doelgroep: PMs bij 20-500 people bedrijven, B2B SaaS focus
  • Timing: Markt vraagt om AI, concurrent zit eraan vast
  • Resources: 1 PM, 1 designer, 1 content writer, $15k budget
  • KPI: 1000 activations in eerste maand

Fase 2: StoryBrand Messaging Framework

Het StoryBrand-framework van Donald Miller structureert je messaging als een verhaal waarin de klant de held is en jij de gids. Het principe: mensen kopen niet het beste product, ze kopen het product dat ze het snelst begrijpen. StoryBrand geeft je een 7-stappen structuur om je boodschap helder te maken.

De 7 stappen (Donald Miller StoryBrand):

1. The Customer Is the Hero (Not you)

  • User = main character
  • Ik ben gids (mentor), niet held
  • Focus op IHRE probleem, niet jouw feature

2. They Have a Problem (External + Internal)

  • External: Het concrete probleem (PM wil time besparen op interviews)
  • Internal: De emotionele pijn (Voelt zich incompetent? Inefficient? Overloaded?)
  • Philosophical: Waarom MOET dit opgelost? (Je bent geen goede PM als je geen inzicht hebt)

3. We're the Guide (Credible, empathetic)

  • Toon expertise: "We've seen 500+ PMs use this"
  • Toon empathie: "We know you're time-starved"
  • NIET: "Our AI is the best" → boring

4. Here's a Plan (Tangible steps)

  • Stap 1: Upload je feature idee
  • Stap 2: Co-Pilot generiert insights
  • Stap 3: Jij neemt besluiting
  • Clarity = action

5. What Will Happen if You Call to Action (Success vision)

  • Niet: "You'll use our product"
  • JA: "In 2 weeks, you'll have consensus on your top 5 features"
  • Painting the toekomst

6. Failure Scenario (What if they DON'T?)

  • "PMs keep guessing"
  • "Backlog keeps growing"
  • "Features ship nobody wanted"
  • Fear drives action (used cautiously)

7. Close the Loop (Clear CTA)**

  • Sign up
  • Try for free
  • Schedule a demo
  • ÉÉN actie, niet 5

Template je messaging:

"For [SEGMENT: Product Managers at scale-ups] who [PAIN: spend too much time on feature interviews, lack customer data], our [PRODUCT: AI Co-Pilot] is a [CATEGORY: interview assistant] that [BENEFIT: generates actionable insights in 2 weeks] unlike [ALTERNATIVE: expensive consultants or generic frameworks], because [REASON: we've analyzed 500+ product launches, so our model knows what converts]."

Fase 3: STEPPS for Virality (Is dit worth talking about?)

Niet alles gaat viraal. Berger's STEPPS model helpt je testen of jouw launch "purple cow" is.

STEPPSWat?Jouw product?
Social CurrencyZeggen mensen erover omdat het hun slim/cool/insider maakt?"I use AI-powered insights to make PM decisions" — ja, klinkt smart
TriggersDenken mensen spontaan aan dit? Of moet je eraan herinnerd?"Every time I write a feature brief" → trigger aanwezig
EmotionMaakt het mensen blij/verbaasd/verrast?"Wow, het AI snapt onze customers?" → positive emotion
PublicKun je het zien dat iemand dit gebruikt?Minder (SaaS tool), maar "I got this insight from Co-Pilot" → mention
Practical ValueIs het useful om over te vertellen? ("Try this trick")Ja, "Use AI for interview synthesis" is shareable advice
StoriesKun je het verpakken als verhaal? ("Steve Jobs did this...")Ja: "How one PM used AI to cut feature discovery from 8 weeks to 2"

Verdict: Je hebt social currency + trigger + emotion + practical value = spreekwaardig.

Actions:

  • Maak het shareable: blog posts, templates, case studies
  • Stories: interview early users → publiceer hun success

Fase 4: FORCES per Lifecycle Phase

Dit is waar strategy echt zit. Je launch gaat door fases. FORCES zijn anders per fase.

PHASE 1: AWARENESS (Weken -4 t/m -1 voor launch)

  • Goal: "Er is iets nieuws, en het is voor jou"

  • FORCES:

    • Motivation: "AI is trending, PMs care about efficiency" → leverage buzz
    • Enablement: "Kunnen ze het begrijpen zonder tech background?" → jaja, laag barrier
    • Momentum: "Welke influencers/media spreken erover?" → LinkedIn thought-leaders, PM communities
    • Friction: "Hoe onderscheid je jezelf van 100 andere AI tools?" → specifieke waardepropositie
    • Fear: "Is dit nog een hype-tool?" → Show proof (early beta results, customer quotes)
    • Inertia: "Waarom zou ik nu aandacht geven?" → FOMO, competitive advantage angle

  • Kanaal-strategie:

    • Direct: LinkedIn posts, DM communities (Product School, Reforge forums)
    • Content: Blog post "The 5-Week Feature Interview Problem"
    • Partnerships: AI newsletter, PM newsletter (outreach)
    • Paid (small): LinkedIn Sponsored ads, targeted audiences
    • Organic: Ask beta users voor referrals, share stories

PHASE 2: ACQUISITION (Week 0: Launch week)

  • Goal: "Ik wil dit proberen"

  • FORCES:

    • Motivation: "Now it's live and credible" → momentum effect
    • Enablement: "Hoe easy is het om in te gaan?" → frictionless signup, immediate value
    • Momentum: "Anderen doen het ook" → "500 PMs already tried" badge
    • Friction: "Ik moet wat invullen/committen?" → Laag-friction entry (sign up, automatic onboarding demo)
    • Fear: "Zal dit werken voor mijn situatie?" → Money-back guarantee, live chat support
    • Inertia: "Veel werk om te switchen?" → Show "works in 10 minutes"

  • Kanaal-strategie:

    • Email: Early-access list, product followers
    • Product-led: Free tier, in-product onboarding (guided)
    • Content: Launch email sequence, LinkedIn carousel (step-by-step)
    • Community: Product Hunt (if applicable), maker communities
    • Paid: Retargeting (website visitors), lookalike audiences

PHASE 3: ACTIVATION (Week 1-2)

  • Goal: "Ik heb dat first aha-moment"

  • FORCES:

    • Motivation: "Dit bespaart me echt tijd" → show quick result
    • Enablement: "Hoe krijg ik dit aan het werk?" → templates, documentation, quick-start
    • Momentum: "Anderen hebben dit al gedaan" → case studies, user testimonies
    • Friction: "Ik snap niet hoe" → live onboarding, video tutorials, response support (< 2h)
    • Fear: "Wat als het output is garbage?" → human review option, feedback loop
    • Inertia: "Mijn workflow aanpassen is werk" → Show how it plugs into existing tools (Slack, Jira, etc.)

  • Kanaal-strategie:

    • Product: Onboarding flow, in-app guidance, tooltips
    • Email: "Getting started" sequence (day 1, 3, 5)
    • Community: Launch open Slack channel, daily Q&A
    • Content: Quickstart video, FAQ doc
    • Support: Live chat, responsive email

PHASE 4: ENGAGEMENT (Week 2-12)

  • Goal: "Dit is nu deel van mijn workflow"

  • FORCES:

    • Motivation: "Value loops are happening" → daily/weekly usage → new insights
    • Enablement: "Ik kan advanced features nu" → training, certifications
    • Momentum: "Communities forming around this" → user groups, expert badges
    • Friction: "Ik wil meer, maar..." → clear upgrade path, not blockers
    • Fear: "Zit ik vast?" → data export, portability, flexibility
    • Inertia: "Ik doe het gewoon anders" → nudges, notifications, integrations that matter

  • Kanaal-strategie:

    • In-product: Value notifications ("You saved 3 hours this week!"), recommendations
    • Community: User stories, expert highlights, monthly challenges
    • Email: Value highlights, tips-and-tricks, new features
    • Content: Deep-dive guides, advanced use cases
    • Paid: Retention ads (not acquisition), cross-sell

PHASE 5: RETENTION & EXPANSION (Week 12+)

  • Goal: "Dit is essentieel, ik kan het niet missen"

  • FORCES:

    • Motivation: "Dit voelt als iets in mij is gegroeid (identity)" → "I'm a data-driven PM now"
    • Enablement: "Ik ben expert" → certifications, expert roles
    • Momentum: "Iedereen in mijn team doet dit" → team plans, network effect
    • Friction: "I want to expand" → easy team onboarding, integrations
    • Fear: "What if you disappear?" → transparent roadmap, community buy-in
    • Inertia: "This is how we work now" → deeply embedded, switching cost high

  • Kanaal-strategie:

    • Product: Expansion features, team collaboration, integrations marketplace
    • Community: Customer advisory board, co-creation
    • Content: Thought leadership, research, benchmarks
    • Partnerships: Integrations, partnerships with complementary tools
    • Advocacy: Referral programs, testimonials, case studies

Fase 5: Concreet Kanaal-keuze (Limited Budget)

Je hebt $15k en 3 people. Kies realistisch.

HIGH LEVERAGE (Start here):

  • LinkedIn (organic): 3-4 posts per week (4h/week), DM communities, engage
  • Community presence: Product School, Reforge forums, Slack communities (2h/week)
  • Email: Leverage je bestaande users/list, automated sequences
  • Product-led: Free tier, fast onboarding, low friction signup
  • Content: 1 blog post per week (partner with customer, do interview) (6h/week)

MEDIUM LEVERAGE (If time/budget):

  • Partnerships: 2-3 key podcasts (PM-focused), newsletter sponsorships ($500-1000)
  • Paid LinkedIn: Target reachable audiences (mid-market PMs), $200-300/week
  • Product Hunt: 1 big launch event (1 month prep)
  • GitHub: If it's developer-relevant, repo + discussion board

LOW PRIORITY (Skip, high effort low ROI):

  • TikTok, Instagram: Not where PMs are
  • Press: Takes months, uncertain ROI
  • Speaking: Takes prep time, high effort

Realistisch budget allocation ($15k):

  • Paid ads: $3-4k (LinkedIn, retargeting)
  • Tools (analytics, email): $1.5k
  • Partnerships (sponsorships): $2-3k
  • Design assets, video production: $3-4k
  • Buffer: $2k

Fase 6: Pre-Launch Checklist

4 weeks BEFORE:

  • Messaging finalized (story brand, value prop locked)
  • Audience list built (early access, press, influencers)
  • Content calendar planned (blog, emails, social)
  • Product ready for sign-ups (frictionless)
  • Analytics tracked (GA, product events)

2 weeks BEFORE:

  • Email sequences written (onboarding, activation, engagement)
  • Landing page live (storyBrand messaging, clear CTA)
  • Partnerships outreached (podcasts, newsletters, communities)
  • Beta testers recruited (5-10 early users for launch day)
  • Team trained (support, messaging alignment)

1 week BEFORE:

  • Launch email sent to early access list
  • Social calendar scheduled (LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.)
  • Monitoring set up (analytics, support tickets, feedback)
  • Fallback plan if something breaks
  • Celebration planned (team morale!)

LAUNCH DAY:

  • Go live on all channels simultaneously (morning, best time)
  • Live chat staffed (first 24h)
  • Email send #1 (announcement + CTA)
  • Social posts (morning + afternoon push)
  • Community engagement (answer questions, celebrate)

POST-LAUNCH (Week 1):

  • Daily metrics review (signups, activation rate, feedback)
  • Content velocity (case studies, user stories)
  • Community momentum (respond to feedback fast)
  • Adjustments (messaging, landing page, product based on feedback)

Fase 7: Realistic Success Targets (First 30 Days)

Verwacht niet Slack growth curves.

Realistic, niet magical:

  • Awareness reach: 10-20k impressions (LinkedIn, email, partnerships)
  • Clickthroughs: 200-500 visits to landing page
  • Signups: 50-150 new users (depends on offer: free vs. paid)
  • Activation (aha moment in 7 days): 30-40% of signups
  • Retention (day 30): 20-30% still active
  • NPS/Satisfaction: 40+

These are BASELINE. You might beat them, you might not. Adjust plan based on real data.

Output

Je levert af:

  1. Launch Plan (Pre-launch, launch day, post-launch timeline)
  2. StoryBrand Messaging (Story arc, messaging angles)
  3. STEPPS Analysis (Is het spreekwaardig?)
  4. FORCES per Lifecycle Phase (What drives adoption at each stage?)
  5. Channel Strategy (Which channels, what content, timing)
  6. Budget Allocation (Where does the $$ go?)
  7. Success Metrics & Tracking (KPIs, monitoring, adjustments)
  8. Pre-Launch Checklist (30-day countdown)

Bronnen

  • Donald Miller — StoryBrand Framework & "Building a Story Brand"
  • Jonah Berger — Contagious: Why Things Catch On (STEPPS Model)
  • Seth Godin — This Is Marketing & Purple Cow (differentiation, virality)
  • Product Faculty — FORCES Framework (adoption strategy per lifecycle phase)
  • Reforge — GTM Strategy & Product-Led Growth courses
  • Geoffrey Moore — Crossing the Chasm (technology adoption lifecycle)