GTM Stack · Discovery → Purchase

GTM Stack: how a whole go-to-market works, on one page

Most go-to-market plans are a pile of disconnected tactics. This is the opposite: a single connected diagram that shows how every channel flows together to move a stranger from discovery to sign up to purchase, and then loops customers back into new demand. Five stages, five systems, one compounding loop, with the full 300-tactic stack underneath, mapped to exactly where each piece fits.

Built from a real B2B SaaS GTM strategy · The whole funnel and every tactic laid out on one page · Nothing to sign up for

Full funnel

Whole go-to-market, top to bottom

Every stranger who becomes a customer travels the same five stages. Here they are as one connected funnel, widest at Discovery, narrowing to Purchase, with the systems that power each stage and all 430 tactics mapped to exactly where they belong. The Expand stage loops the whole thing back to the top.

01Discovery
02Trust
03Sign Up
04Purchase
05Expand

↺Expand loops back into Discovery, and the whole funnel compounds

01

Discovery

Become findable wherever buyers already look.

215 tactics

“Does a tool for this even exist?”

Powered by

1Owned demand2Community trust4Borrowed credibility

Headline channels

SEO landing, use-case & comparison pagesAEO / GEO: cited inside ChatGPT, Perplexity, GeminiReddit, Indie Hackers & communitiesFounder-led LinkedIn, X & YouTubeProduct Hunt, directories & review sitesPR, earned media & paid retargeting

All 215 tactics at this stage

Owned Channelsalso Trustalso Sign Up

Website, SEO, AEO & GEO

Website blogSEO landing pagesUse-case pagesComparison pagesIntegration pagesPlatform-specific pagesProduct education guidesBest-practice guidesOriginal researchIndustry reportsStatistics pagesFree toolsROI calculatorCampaign & outreach templatesInternal linkingGuest postingOff-page SEOBacklinksBrand citationsAI citation tracking

Email Marketing

Email newsletterSignup educationOnboarding emailsDrip campaignsProduct updatesRe-engagement remindersTrial conversion emailsSales follow-upsCustomer expansion emailsWin-back campaignsReferral campaignsLifecycle automations

Owned Publications

LinkedIn newsletterSubstackBeehiivWebsite research hubCommunity newsletter

Social Platforms

Professional / B2B Social

LinkedInXLinkedIn company pageFounder LinkedIn accountGrowth lead LinkedIn accountFounder X account

Community-Driven Social

RedditIndie HackersHacker NewsPeerlistDiscordProduct Hunt discussions

Visual / Creator-First Social

YouTubeYouTube ShortsInstagramInstagram ReelsTikTokFacebook

Content Platforms

MediumLinkedIn ArticlesLinkedIn PulseX ArticlesYouTubeSpotify PodcastsYouTube PodcastsHackerNoondev.toQuora

Personal Brand / Thought Leadershipalso Trust

Founder-led LinkedIn contentFounder-led X contentFounder-led YouTube contentGrowth lead LinkedIn contentGrowth lead X contentGrowth lead YouTube contentBuild-in-public contentProduct-building updatesCustomer win storiesProduct teardownsIndustry commentaryOriginal research postsContrarian postsMeme marketingRage-bait postsDemo videosOutcome-led postsComment-to-get-resource posts

Partnership-Driven Channelsalso Trust

Influencer Marketing

Customer Success influencersProduct Marketing influencersRevOps influencersSaaS foundersB2B creatorsSoftware reviewersLinkedIn influencersX influencersYouTube software reviewersNewsletter creatorsPodcast hosts

Affiliate Marketing

Customer Success consultantsProduct Marketing consultantsRevOps consultantsSaaS growth agenciesSoftware review creatorsB2B newsletter operatorsSaaS communitiesCreator commission programmesRevenue-share promotions

Brand Partnerships

CRM platformsCustomer Success platformsNPS toolsSurvey platformsHelpdesk toolsEmail platformsSales engagement toolsProduct analytics toolsSaaS acceleratorsFounder communitiesSoftware directoriesCo-marketingCo-sellingIntegration partnershipsRevenue-sharing alliances

Sponsorships

Newsletter sponsorshipsYouTube sponsorshipsPodcast sponsorshipsWebinar sponsorshipsCommunity sponsorshipsEvent sponsorships

Product Launch & Directory Channelsalso Trust

Product Launch Platforms

Product HuntUneedTinyLaunchNoonLaunchPeerlistIndie HackersHacker NewsSaaS launch communities

Software Review Platforms

G2Gartner Peer InsightsCapterraSoftware AdviceTrustRadiusGetAppAlternativeToSourceForgeTrustpilotSaaSHubCrozdeskGoodFirmsPeerSpot

Directory Strategy

Weekly paid directory submissionWeekly free directory submissionProfile optimisationScreenshot updatesDemo video uploadsPricing updatesReview generationCategory optimisationBacklink tracking

Paid Channels

Measurement Setup

Google AnalyticsGoogle Search ConsoleGoogle Ads conversion trackingGoogle Ads Transparency CenterMeta PixelLinkedIn Insight TagReddit PixelProduct analyticsSession recordingsCRM attributionUTM tracking

Paid Advertising

Google Search AdsGoogle branded searchCompetitor search adsMeta AdsLinkedIn AdsX AdsReddit AdsYouTube AdsTikTok AdsRetargeting adsAccount-based advertising

Paid Distribution

Newsletter sponsorshipsYouTube sponsorshipsInfluencer sponsorshipsPodcast sponsorshipsCommunity sponsorshipsPaid directory listings

Ad Creative Types

Competitor-comparison adsProblem / pain-point adsOutcome / speed adsProduct demo adsWorkflow / how-it-works adsBefore-and-after adsCustomer-result adsTeardown / audit adsMeme adsFounder opinion adsFree-audit ads

AI Discovery Channels

AI Assistants & Search

ChatGPTGoogle GeminiMicrosoft CopilotMeta AIGoogle AI ModeGoogle AI OverviewsPerplexityClaudeGrokBing AI search

AI Visibility Activities

Brand mention trackingAI citation trackingThird-party mentionsOriginal researchComparison contentStructured product informationConsistent directory profilesExpert quotesPublic documentationHelp centre contentProduct glossaryReview platform presence

A stranger now knows you exist → next they check if you're credible.

02

Trust

Turn awareness into credibility.

97 tactics

“Can I actually trust this to work?”

Powered by

1Owned demand2Community trust4Borrowed credibility

Headline channels

Reviews & ratings on trusted platformsCase studies & measurable customer proofComparison & alternative pagesWebinars, workshops & eventsInfluencer, partner & brand credibilityEmail nurture & original research

All 97 tactics at this stage

Community-Led Channelsalso Expand

External Communities

Reddit communitiesIndie HackersHacker NewsProduct Marketing communitiesCustomer Success communitiesRevOps communitiesSaaS founder communitiesGrowth marketing communitiesProduct Hunt communityPeerlist communityX CommunitiesLinkedIn Groups

Owned / Semi-Owned Communities

Slack communityDiscord communityLinkedIn GroupX CommunityCustomer advisory group

Referral & Viral Loops

Customer referral programmePartner referral programmeAffiliate referralsViral loopsIn-product invite flowsShare-to-unlock rewardsMilestone sharing promptsFree product creditsBonus accessRevenue-share rewards

Video & Demo Marketingalso Sign Up

Product demoCore use-case demoSecondary use-case demoWorkflow demoAutomation demoIntegration demoWorkflow walkthroughAutomation walkthroughAccount audit walkthroughPrimary persona use caseSecondary persona use caseTechnical persona use caseExecutive / founder use caseIntegration tutorialsOnboarding tutorialsComparison videosCustomer case studiesYouTube ShortsLinkedIn demo videosX demo clipsInstagram ReelsTikTok videos

Webinar & Event Channels

Webinars

Core how-to masterclassAdvanced how-to masterclassTurning users into advocatesCategory strategy for B2B SaaSLive teardowns / auditsIndustry benchmark webinarHands-on workshopsPartner webinarsInfluencer webinarsGuest-expert webinars

Events

SaaS conferencesIndustry conferencesMarketing eventsOps & growth eventsFounder meetupsStartup eventsTrade showsWorkshopsCommunity eventsVirtual summits

PR & Earned Media

PR Platforms

HAROFeaturedConnectivelyPR NewswireJournalist request platformsPodcast guest platforms

Editorial Targets

ForbesBusiness InsiderTechRadarCNETSaaS publicationsIndustry trade publicationsMarketing publicationsOps & growth publicationsStartup publicationsB2B marketing publications

PR Angles

Industry benchmark studyOriginal data researchCategory trend reportB2B software buying behaviourAI search and software discoveryCategory risks & pitfallsCommon mistakes exposéProduct launchIntegration launchCustomer milestoneFunding milestoneFounder story

They believe you can solve it → now they're ready to try.

03

Sign Up

Convert interest into an account.

47 tactics

“Let me try it, without talking to sales.”

Powered by

1Owned demand5Conversion & retention

Headline channels

Free tools & calculatorsLead magnets: audits, templates, checklistsProduct & use-case demosFree trial / freemiumPricing & ROI pagesLifecycle onboarding emails

All 47 tactics at this stage

Lead Capture & Conversion Assetsalso Purchase

Lead Magnets

Free account auditSetup checklistBest-practice checklistOutreach templatesStrategy playbookCampaign templatesROI calculatorCompetitor benchmarkSelf-assessment scorecardWorkflow templateIndustry reportsIndustry benchmarksEmail swipe fileFree setup

Conversion Assets

Product demoUse-case demosCase studiesBefore-and-after examplesCustomer testimonialsPricing pageComparison pagesSecurity pageCompliance pageIntegration pagesROI calculatorPilot offerDesign-partner offer

Lifecycle Marketingalso Expand

Welcome sequenceSignup educationOnboarding sequenceIncomplete onboarding remindersFirst project setupFirst value milestoneActivation troubleshootingFirst win / aha momentAdditional use-case adoptionTeam invitationTestimonial collectionReferral requestUpgrade campaignTrial expiryWin-back campaignCancellation feedbackCustomer newsletterProduct educationFeature adoptionAccount expansion

They're inside the product → now prove value fast.

04

Purchase

Convert activated users into paying customers.

56 tactics

“Is this worth paying for right now?”

Powered by

3Direct pipeline5Conversion & retention

Headline channels

Founder-led outbound & DMsFree pilot / design-partner offerSales assets: audit, benchmark, ROITrial-conversion & sales follow-up emailsMarketplaces & integration partners

All 56 tactics at this stage

Sales-Led Distribution

Founder-Led Outbound

Cold emailLinkedIn outreachFounder DMsAccount-based outreachTrigger-based outreachCompetitor-switch outreachEvent / news-trigger outreachFree account audit outreachCompetitor comparison outreachValue-proof outreachFree setup offerDesign-partner outreachDream-customer outreach

Outbound Tools

SaleshandyApolloInstantlyLinkedIn Sales NavigatorCRMEmail enrichment toolsAccount research tools

Sales Assets

Free account auditGap analysisCompetitor benchmarkBenchmark reportHealth / ROI scoreROI calculatorProduct demoUse-case demoCase studyPilot proposalCampaign template

Marketplaces

SaaS marketplacesCRM marketplacesCustomer Success marketplacesIntegration marketplacesApp storesIndustry platforms

Partner & Ecosystem Distribution

Opportunities

Partner marketplace listingNative integrationCo-branded webinarPartner newsletter promotionIn-app announcementExplicit opt-in campaignCo-branded templatesJoint case studyJoint benchmark reportPartner landing pageCross-product educationPartner-owned promotionConsent-based cross-sell

Do Not Use

Customer-uploaded contact listsRecipient / prospect dataPrivate CRM dataCustomer prospect databasesUnapproved user exportsScraped or purchased lists

They pay → now make them successful and vocal.

↺

The compounding loop: customers don't exit at the bottom. The Expand stage turns their results into reviews, case studies and referrals that widen Discovery all over again.

05

Expand

Turn customers into your next growth channel.

15 tactics↺ Feeds the loop

“This worked, who else should know?”

Powered by

5Conversion & retention

Headline channels

Customer advocacy & testimonialsReferral, affiliate & partner programmesAccount expansion & upsellReviews & case studies → fresh proofCo-marketing with customers

All 15 tactics at this stage

Customer-Centred Marketing

Customer interviewsNew customer interviewsLost-deal interviewsChurn interviewsSales call analysisSupport ticket analysisOnboarding analysisObjection trackingCustomer language researchCustomer advisory groupDesign-partner programmeCustomer case studiesCustomer co-marketingCustomer referralsCustomer advocacy programme

Their results become case studies, reviews & referrals → new Discovery.

Pick your motion

Which GTM motion fits your product?

The full funnel is the map. Most winning startups don't run all of it at once. They pick one proven motion, prove it, then layer the rest. Here are the variations top startups actually use.

B2B SaaS · defined buyer · mid-to-high ACV

Founder-Led B2B SaaS

The founder sells the first 10-100 customers by hand while owned search demand compounds underneath.

The stack

Founder-led LinkedInFounder-led outbound & DMsSEOAEO / GEORedditCase studies

Why it works

  • Only the founder can sell an unfinished product with real conviction.
  • Owned search demand keeps compounding while outbound fills pipeline this week.
  • Reddit and LinkedIn build trust exactly where your buyers already research.

Where the effort goes

Founder-led outbound40%
SEO + AEO / GEO35%
Reddit + LinkedIn25%

Used by

The default motion for most early YC B2B startups.

Engine

Five systems power every stage

The channels aren't random tactics: they roll up into five systems. Each one drives specific stages of the funnel above.

1

Owned demand

Website, SEO, AEO, GEO, email

DiscoveryTrustSign Up
2

Community trust

Reddit, Indie Hackers, communities

DiscoveryTrust
3

Direct pipeline

Founder-led outbound

Purchase
4

Borrowed credibility

Partners, influencers, directories, PR

DiscoveryTrust
5

Conversion & retention

Product demos, lifecycle, customer advocacy

Sign UpPurchaseExpand

Loop

Core motion that compounds

Underneath the funnel runs a repeatable loop. Each turn produces public proof that fuels the next. This is what makes the whole stack compound instead of reset every month.

  1. 1Prospect research & gap audit
  2. 2Personalised outreach
  3. 3Free trial or pilot
  4. 4First activation / quick win
  5. 5Measurable customer result
  6. 6Case study & public proof
  7. 7SEO, Reddit & social distribution
  8. 8Referral & account expansion

↺Step 8 feeds step 1: referrals and expansion surface the next prospect audit, and the loop compounds.

Focus

Where to actually spend your time

A stack this big only works with ruthless prioritisation. Three bets carry the plan; everything else supports them.

Recommended allocation

Where the effort actually goes

SEO + AEO + GEO50%

Owned, compounding demand

Founder-led outbound30%

Direct pipeline, week one

Reddit20%

Community trust at the source

Supporting channels

Everything else amplifies the core three

The three primary bets carry 100% of the plan. These channels run in support. They compound the primary motion instead of splitting focus.

LinkedInXYouTubeEmailPartnershipsDirectoriesWebinarsInfluencersPRPaid retargeting
★ Pro tip
Don't spread yourself thin. Build real credibility in one place first, then move the needle with your single strongest, most authentic distribution channel.
10K+ followers on X10K+ YouTube subscribers1K+ Reddit karma10K+ newsletter subscribers10K+ visitors via SEO

One channel where you have genuine authority beats five you barely show up on. Depth compounds; scattered effort resets every month.

How to read this funnel

  1. Read top to bottom: the five stages are the journey a buyer travels, from Discovery down to Purchase.
  2. Each band shows the systems that power that stage, its headline channels, and every tactic mapped to it. Nothing hidden.
  3. The funnel narrows on purpose: Discovery carries the most channels, Purchase the fewest.
  4. The Expand band loops back to the top. Customer wins become the proof that widens Discovery again.

Why build GTM as one connected stack

  • Channels stop competing for budget once you can see the stage each one serves.
  • Gaps become obvious: a stage with no channels is where deals quietly leak.
  • The compounding loop turns one-off wins into proof that feeds the top of the funnel again.
  • Prioritisation gets honest: a few systems carry the plan, the rest amplify.

Keep Exploring

Related services and guides

GTM StrategyHire a strategist to build this engine for your startup.GTM FunnelThe full funnel across every channel.GTM ExecutionChannel-by-channel playbooks that run the stack.SEOThe compounding core of owned demand.Reddit MarketingCommunity trust at the source.OutboundFounder-led direct pipeline.

Want this stack built for your product?

This is the exact system I build and run for AI startups and B2B SaaS: one connected GTM engine across SEO, AEO/GEO, Reddit, outbound, and launches. Zero paid budget required.

Book a 30-min Call →See how I work →