There are several factors that may prompt you to build out or re-evaluate your technology stack as a GTM (Go-To-Market) Leader: 

• Overly manual sales processes
• Ineffective lead generation results
• Disjointed cross-functional teams
• Blind spots in revenue & performance metrics

Whatever the reason may be, the ultimate challenge is evaluating whether you currently have the right tools in place and selecting new tools to grow your operational capabilities. In a world where new platforms seemingly crop up every day, it can be confusing to boil down your needs and put together an optimal GTM tech stack. Here are some simple steps to help you through the process.

Identify business needs & goals

Keep it simple by first aligning your tech stack goals with your long-term GTM strategy. Are you looking to drive growth through outbound sales? Are you investing in marketing initiatives? Or are you focused on repeat business with your existing customers?

Simply put, your tech stack design should directly correlate with your overall company goals; both in terms of priority and budget.

Conduct an audit of your existing tech stack

Once you’ve identified those business needs, you’re ready to start auditing your existing tech stack. The first step is to take inventory of your current tools and assess the value that each one brings across a broad range of criteria. Here are some criteria you can use when evaluating your existing tools & systems:

Analyze gaps for new tools

Like we talked about earlier, there are more tools than you know what to do with nowadays, and many will promise you everything under the sun. But do you need them all? Unless you have unlimited budget and resources, the answer is probably no. 

You can start by analyzing gaps against three key criteria:

• Functional Gaps – Are there missing functionalities that prevent you from achieving your Go-To-Market objectives? 
• Efficiency Gaps – Can you identify key processes that could be more efficient with a new tool?
• Scalability Gaps – Can your current stack scale with your business growth and future needs?

If you uncover any gaps in your tech stack when assessing against these criteria, go a layer deeper into these questions and evaluate new tools accordingly.

Select and implement your new tech stack

Now that you have reassessed your tech stack, it’s time to remove your redundant tools and onboard the new ones you have selected. If you are replacing with a comparable tool, make sure to align your off-boarding and implementation dates accordingly. 

For any new tool, assess how to best integrate with the rest of your stack and define the system of record and system of action for your users. When should reps be updating the CRM vs the new Sales Engagement tool you’re implementing? How should data be passing through each system?

Tip: To make sure you are setting up the tool in the best interest of your users, consider bringing in a “super-user” into implementation that can provide real-time feedback according to their workflows.

Train & Gather Feedback

Now it’s time to train your users on your new GTM tech stack and gather feedback to optimize the tools further. If possible, leverage users on your training to talk about previous challenges, and success they could envision with this new set-up. 

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my time in Rev Ops, it’s that feedback is key to ongoing tool success. Continue gathering feedback from the reps, leaders and admins that use the platforms, whether it’s using surveys with pointed questions, scheduling group feedback sessions or simply meeting 1:1.

Conclusion

Evaluating and fine-tuning your tech stack is pivotal for maintaining a competitive edge. If done thoughtfully, it will not only help you to cut long-term costs but ensure your operational processes are directly aligned with your overall GTM strategy. Use your tools & systems as the foundation of your Go-To-Market success.

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