The Go-To-Market Self Assessment Reberic

My firm, Ramp Equity Partners, is hired to create transformative growth. We work with strong leaders and bright minds in innovative companies. They aim to create disruptive and industry-changing products.

Even the best executives in the world can benefit from sober self-assessment. We created a go-to-market assessment rubric comprised of 24 questions in five key areas where execution is key to creating transformative growth. We do this at the start of our engagement.

Start by asking each team member to independently score the company through this rubric. Compare your scores. Does your team feel the same about your strengths and weaknesses? Average your scores in each of the five subjects. We suggest that scores under four would require a plan of action.

Beyond highlighting your strengths and weaknesses, this may also shine a light on areas where the executive team is disconnected from each other – areas where the team’s plans can be better developed and communicated.

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Product Analysis:

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1. How complete is the product's development? Score 5 for little work required and 1 for much work required.

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How do the costs associated with needed product development impact the launch strategy? Score 5 if the impact will be small and 1 if they will be high.

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2. How well do you know your targeted user? Score 5 when you have detailed personas and 1 if user traits are now clearly defined.

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3. Is the value to the user clearly defined? Score 5 if the value is clear and 1 if it is not.

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4. Is the market clearly defined? Score 5 if you have a detailed definition and target segments and 1 if you do not.

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Product Messaging

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5. How clear is the product position statement? Does it give a clear unique value, defined market, and competitive position in that market? Score 5 if the position statement is clear to everybody and 1 if it does not exist.

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6. How well defined is the competition? Score 5 if you know the strengths and weaknesses of your competition and 1 if they are not clearly identified.

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7. How does the product impact the status quo? Score 5 if it is a radical improvement on the status quo and 1 if the impact is small.

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8. How well defined are the buyer personas [are the needs/limits of buyers considered]? Score 5 if you have a detailed understanding of your buyer and 1 if you do not.

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9. How well defined is the product value? What is it worth? Score 5 if the value is clear and 1 if it is not.

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Sales Proposition

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10. Is the buyer’s business case clearly defined? Score 5 if the business case is clearly defined and 1 if it is not.

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11. Is the case against the competition well defined? Score 5 if the case is strong and 1 if it is weak.

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12. Is the case for working with your company as the provider of the product made in a convincing fashion? Score 5 if your business service and reputation are strong and 1 if it is weak or not established.

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13. What is the quality of your strategic account management? Score 5 if you have detailed quarterly plans for each account with a capacity to execute the plans and 1 if you do not.

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14. How does the pricing line up with the value and the competition? Score 5 if you are priced appropriately against the competition and 1 if you are not.

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 15. Does the pricing support the financial forecast? Score 5 if your pricing is supported in your forecasts or 1 if the forecasts assume an outdated pricing model.

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Market Strategy

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16. Does the marketing plan create a clear audience of target buyers? Score 5 if your audience and target market are clearly reached with the planned advertising and 1 if they are not.

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17. Does the plan define how the audience is to be engaged to create buyers? Score 5 if you understand how you will generate leads and convert leads to sales. Score 1 if that process is not defined.

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18. Do the budgets and timelines for advertising line up with the needed audience engagement? Score 5 if your roadmap details how you will generate the needed leads in the time they are needed and 1 if the timeline is not clear.

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19. How carefully is the marketing budget being administered? Score 5 if you have clearly defined costs per action at each stage of the pipeline and well-established lifetime values. Score 1 if these are not clearly defined.

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Sales Strategy

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20. Does the current sales pipeline forecast future sales? Score 5 if you can predict next quarter’s revenue with the needed level of accuracy and 1 if you cannot.

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21. How strong is your partner strategy (partner being a second company that will co-market the product)? Score 5 if you have partners excited to share marketing costs as you go after the same buyers.

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22. How strong is channel sales strategy (companies under contract to resell the product)? Score 5 if you have partners that see reselling your service to be a strategic priority in their business plans.

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23. How clear is your revenue roadmap? Score 5 if your pipeline and forecasts are accurate over the next year and meet/exceed the executive team’s expectations.

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24. How mature is the sales team (do they have the skills to execute the sales strategy)? Score 5 if you have the right team in place to meet your objectives.

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