The most effective go-to-market (GTM) plans do not begin with brainstorming sessions or big ideas but with a clear understanding of what already exists.
Before you build anything new, you need to know what has been done. What assets are in place? What systems are active? What gaps are slowing you down?
The most overlooked part of GTM execution is inventory. And it is often the step that separates fast traction from wasted motion.
Want help creating a 90-day GTM plan that builds on your strengths and fills the right gaps? Schedule a Discovery Call, and we will help you map out a GTM planning template.
Skip the Guesswork. Start With What You Already Have.
If you are stepping into a new marketing leadership role, launching a product, or building GTM from zero, it is tempting to start from scratch. But that almost always leads to duplication, blind spots, and missed opportunities.
Start by conducting a B2B marketing audit of everything:
- Campaigns that have run in the past
- Messaging that has been tested (successfully or not)
- Existing customer feedback and objections
- Tools already in place across marketing and sales
- CRM workflows, lead quality reports, and funnel performance
- One-off tactics that generated results but never scaled
- Sales assets that are being used—even if informally
A B2B marketing audit is not just about documentation. It is about insight. It helps you avoid rebuilding what already works and zero in on what actually needs to be improved.
Talk to Teams Outside of Marketing
A full inventory is not something you do alone in your silo. You need to go cross-functional and have real conversations with people in other departments.
Start with:
- Product: Learn what they believe the true value of the solution is. What do customers love? What is being built next? What is misunderstood?
- Sales: Find out what is helping deals move forward and what is missing. Ask what types of leads are easy to convert and which ones stall.
- Operations: Understand the systems that support execution. Where do breakdowns happen? Where do delays occur?
- Customer Success or Support: Identify pain points that new customers have post-sale. This strategy often reveals gaps in positioning or messaging up front.
These conversations help you map the business from multiple angles. You begin to see how your GTM work can support and connect everything together.
Leave Your Ego Out of the Process
This step can challenge new marketing leaders. You want to add value quickly, and you may feel pressure to prove yourself. But starting with an inventory is not a delay but a shortcut to relevance.
Resist the urge to show up with solutions right away.
Start by asking:
- What campaigns have worked well in the past?
- What have we tried before that did not work, and why?
- Are there any reports or performance metrics we can review?
- What feedback have we heard from customers, directly or indirectly?
The more questions you ask, the faster you will understand the true picture—and the better your 90-day GTM plan will be.
Learn From People Who Have Seen Success Elsewhere
Your colleagues across the organization are valuable sources of insight—especially those who have worked in other companies and seen what strong marketing looks like.
Ask them:
- What kinds of campaigns or strategies worked well in your last role?
- Have you seen marketing support sales in a way that really stood out?
- What types of assets or programs helped you close more deals?
- What kinds of content or outreach made your job easier?
These perspectives can reveal blind spots and inspire better starting points than what you may build alone.
Read More: How to Build Long-Term Success in B2B Marketing
Use the Inventory to Spot Patterns, Not Just Assets
As you gather input, don’t just create a checklist of what exists. Look for themes.
You might notice:
- Campaigns that performed well but were never scaled
- Content that works in sales conversations but is not part of marketing
- Tools that were purchased but are underused
- Gaps between the buyer’s expectations and the sales process
- Repeatable feedback that shows up across departments
This type of go-to-market strategy checklist helps you prioritize. It reveals where small improvements can lead to fast wins and helps you avoid surface-level decisions that ignore the business’s real needs.
Inventory First, Execution Second
When your 90-day GTM plan starts with a go-to-market strategy checklist, every move becomes more precise.
You are not guessing. You are building with context. You are aligning with real needs and real data. And you are giving yourself the best possible foundation to drive results, without wasting time, effort, or budget.
The best GTM leaders do not show up with all the answers. They start with better questions.
They learn from what has already been tried, understand the business, and gather insight from every corner of the team. Then, they take everything they have learned and build a sensible GTM planning template.
That is how you lead with confidence, build momentum, and deliver real value fast with your 90-day plan.
Additional Resources
→ My Lead Generation Reading List
$100M Offers by Alex Hormozi
$100M Leads by Alex Hormozi
Expert Secrets by Russell Brunson
The Art and Business of Writing by Nicolas Cole
Founder Brand by Dave Gerhardt
Predictable Revenue by Aaron Ross & Marylou Tyler
The Challenger Sale by Matthew Dixon & Brent Adamson
→ My Sales & Marketing Stack
