Every founder hits this fork in the road.
You’ve launched your go-to-market (GTM) motion. You’ve done the campaigns, the outreach, the follow-ups.
But something’s off. Pipeline’s thin. CAC is high. Deals stall.
Now you’re stuck asking:
Do we pause, pivot, or double down?
This guide helps you make that call—based on real signal, not just gut feel or investor pressure.
Signal #1: You’re Getting Meetings—But No Progress
If outbound is landing, but nothing’s converting, it’s not a volume issue.
It’s likely a messaging or offer problem.
What to check:
- Are prospects confused about what you actually do?
- Are your calls full of education, not urgency?
- Are buyers agreeing, but not acting?
What to do:
- Pause to tighten your narrative
- Reframe your positioning based on objections and stalled deals
- Test a sharper, pain-first offer with your next batch of leads
Signal #2: You Have Interest—But Not From ICPs
You’re getting demos, sign-ups, engagement… but they’re the wrong people.
This is a segmentation failure—and your GTM is burning cycles on low-fit leads.
What to do:
- Pivot your targeting immediately
- Revisit your ICP definition: size, pain, urgency, budget
- Align your outreach and content to speak only to that audience
More activity isn’t better if it’s the wrong motion on the wrong accounts.
Signal #3: Your CAC Is Climbing Fast
If you’re spending more to acquire customers than they’re worth—or longer to close than expected—something’s broken.
But not necessarily fatally.
Ask:
- Are we choosing the wrong channels?
- Is our sales process bloated or unclear?
- Are we relying on manual touches that won’t scale?
What to do:
- Pause to fix the economics
- Optimize your funnel (cut friction, reduce touches, tighten lead qualification)
- Then persist if LTV and close rates show upside
Signal #4: There’s No Pattern in What’s Working
If every deal looks different—different use case, size, story, or path to close—you can’t build a scalable system yet.
This is a sign you haven’t hit early GTM repeatability.
What to do:
- Pause campaign sprawl
- Interview your last 3–5 customers for buying triggers
- Look for the “same 80%” and isolate that motion
- Double down there—persist only if you can template it
Signal #5: Buyers Are Engaging, Then Going Dark
This usually signals one of three things:
- Lack of urgency
- Lack of internal alignment
- Lack of trust
All of which can be addressed with better GTM mechanics—not a full pivot.
What to do:
- Persist, but with tighter enablement
- Add case studies, ROI calculators, objection content
- Arm your champion to sell internally
Final Thought
The hardest GTM decisions are not strategic—they’re emotional.
You’re deciding whether to keep pushing, to change direction, or to stop and reset.
Use signal, not sentiment:
- Pause when you need clarity
- Pivot when you see consistent misalignment
- Persist when you have directional proof but need refinement
Stay focused. Stay productive. Keep building.
