GTM Confessions
Welcome to GTM Confessions. The show where we share what it takes to be a go-to-market (GTM) professional today…because it’s freaking hard and it’s far from the glamorous picture that social media often paints.
Each week, we’ll have a go-to-market professional on the show to share real examples of what’s worked and what’s failed spectacularly…the extreme highs of this career, the lowest of lows, and everything in between. Think of it as your weekly go-to-market therapy session…where you realize you’re not alone in trying to figure it all out.
GTM Confessions
GTM Advice with Jillian Hoefer
In this GTM Advice episode, Jillian Hoefer, Senior Content Marketing Manager of UserEvidence, answers a fast round of questions and shares his go-to-market advice with you.
In this GTM Advice episode, Jillian Hoefer, Senior Content Marketing Manager of UserEvidence, answers a fast round of questions and shares his go-to-market advice with you.
Stephanie Cox: What is the biggest go-to-market challenge that exists today and how would you tackle it?
Jillian Hoefer: I think ICP alignment among different stakeholders in the go-to-market team. Gosh, how would I even begin to tackle it? I mean, I think there is a world in which teams at early stage companies have to agree that you literally just have to go hard after one for a certain amount of time. I don't know that I would prescribe a time, but you have to choose one and go hard and then determine if it's working or not.
Every team that I've been a part of is like, let's try these five all at the same time. You can't do that. You can't do that. So pick one. Go at it hard and unified for six months, even if you're mad about it. And then pivot if it's not working and try a different one.
Stephanie Cox: Where would you focus your efforts if you have limited resources on how to drive immediate results?
Jillian Hoefer: From a content marketing perspective, original research. Literally, we have gotten nine plus months of content out of just our one report and survey that we did for the evidence gap. It is, I mean, I've said it this whole episode, like it is the automatic way for content marketers to make an impact and earn a seat at the table if you do it right.
Stephanie Cox: How do you ensure there is alignment across all go-to-market functional areas, sales, marketing, product, and CX?
Jillian Hoefer: I think making sure that point of view, problem that you're solving, and then how you're positioning the product are being spoken about in the same way among all those leaders. Then the teams have to do that. An exercise that I've never done but I've heard is really impactful is that every single person in the company, no matter what level they are or what kind of contribution they're making, should be able to rattle off the problem that you're solving.
And if everyone in the company can rattle off the problem, I think that you would be 90 percent more aligned than most startups are.
Stephanie Cox: What is the one dirty little secret and go to market that nobody talks about, but everyone needs to know?
Jillian Hoefer: 90 percent of the job when you're at a small company is just managing personalities that you work with and making sure that you are approaching conversations and teams with empathy, but also are moving things forward. It's a tough balance.
Stephanie Cox: What do you think is the biggest misconception about having a career and go-to-market?
Jillian Hoefer: When you say a career and go to market, do you mean like on one of those teams or do you mean like at a startup or like, what do mean by that?
Stephanie Cox: Anything on sales, marketing, CX product. It can be a company of any size.
Jillian Hoefer: Okay, what's the biggest misconception?
Stephanie Cox: Yep.
Jillian Hoefer: That it's straightforward. I don't think any of those roles are straightforward. You think that like sellers just need to sell, marketers just need to market, whatever. If you're on a true aligned go-to-market team, you're gonna be doing a lot more cross-functional collaboration and thinking than you think you would. So like if you just think you're a content marketer you're coming in just to do content, you're not gonna make an impact. Same way that if a SDR is coming in thinking they're just doing the work of an SDR.
You have to be able to work cross-functionally in order to make an impact. You can't just stay in your lane.
Stephanie Cox: What is one skill that all go-to-market professionals need to have mastered to be successful?
Jillian Hoefer: Communication.
Stephanie Cox: What is one thing you wish you knew sooner?
Jillian Hoefer: That I'm better than I think I am.
Stephanie Cox: What is one piece of advice you would give to someone looking to grow their career and go-to-market?
Jillian Hoefer: Start in a startup.