How to Build a Smarter GTM Strategy for 2025

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Go-to-market strategies are shifting fast. What worked in 2020 doesn’t work today, and by 2025, the playbook will look even more different. The noise is louder, the inboxes are tighter, and attention is harder to win.

I've been rethinking our GTM strategy this year. It’s clear that the next wave of growth won't come from just doing more. It’ll come from doing better. Fewer, smarter, sharper moves.

Here’s what’s working (and what will matter most) in 2025.

The Private Equity Litmus Test

Many talk about the Ideal Customer Profile, but few explore it deeply. It’s not just about company size or industry anymore, it’s about ownership.

Targeting companies backed by private equity is a smart GTM filter to use. These companies have skilled management. They set clear KPIs and aim to boost efficiency. They’re also buying up smaller players and feeling the growing pains that your product can solve.

PE-backed companies make great customers. They need systems that can grow and adapt quickly. When they see value, they act fast.

Weaponize Your Pedigree

In a crowded market, your background is part of your moat.

A small, skilled team can beat flashy, VC-funded startups. They know how to build and scale big products effectively. Experience compounds.

Selling to executives? Your team's credibility packs as much punch as your product demo. Don’t just sell the software, sell the people behind it.

Buyers should know they’re not just getting a product. They’re teaming up with veterans who have experience and can help them succeed.

“Boring” Outbound Still Wins

Everyone loves automation until it stops working.

Spam filters are smarter. Tracking links are red flags. Overly long cadences feel robotic. The best-performing outbound in 2025 will look more like handwritten notes than marketing campaigns.

Founder-led emails often outshine all other types. A local lunch gift card can really stand out when other options fail.

Keep it human. Keep it small. Two emails max. No tracking. No gimmicks.

Authenticity is the new scalability.

Focus on the Fat Head, Not the Long Tail

Not all customers are created equal.

Focus on the top 10-20% of the market. These are the customers who truly feel the pain you solve. Avoid chasing thousands of low-value, high-churn deals. These businesses have multiple locations and divisions. They operate from a central point and manage real budgets.

The long tail of smaller accounts may look good, but it wears out your team and drains your energy. Go after the ones who can grow with you. The few big wins will fund the rest of your roadmap.

The GTM Principle That Still Works

Every few years, some say outbound is dead, inbound is too full, or content is overhyped. But the truth is simple: GTM has always been about understanding the buyer.

You win by knowing who they are, how they buy, and what urgency looks like in their world.

Technology changes, but empathy doesn’t.

5 Key Takeaways

Target private equity-owned companies. They move fast and value efficiency.
Sell your team’s experience. Credibility builds trust much faster than slides can.
Keep outbound simple. Two plain-text emails beat automated cadences.
Prioritize the top 20%. Focus on customers who can scale with you.
Understand the buyer. Tech evolves, but human behavior is timeless.

Final Thoughts

The 2025 GTM playbook won’t be about chasing every lead; it’ll be about precision. The winners will go narrow, move fast, and lead with credibility.

The founders who win in the next few years won’t be the loudest; they’ll be the clearest. They’ll know who they serve, why they matter, and how to reach the right people in the simplest way possible.

In a world where everyone’s shouting, calm, confident focus is the ultimate advantage.

See you on Friday,

-kevin

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Kevin Henrikson

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Founding a company teaches you more in one year
Than most jobs teach you in ten.
The lessons rarely come from wins.
They come from the trenches.

1:45 PM • Oct 14, 2025

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Kevin Henrikson

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