7 Pillars of Winning Cloud GTM

Starting your Cloud GTM journey? Here is how to lay the foundation 🎯 for your success.

This is a crucial stage from our series, in collaboration with Darren Sharpe, Microsoft Commercial Marketplace Lead.

To achieve growth via this new route to market, start by setting the groundwork and align your team. Key steps for software companies:

1️⃣ Leadership Buy-In

Success in the cloud marketplace starts at the top. Get your buy-in from leadership by presenting clear opportunities of cloud marketplace and how they can complement your current routes to market.

Securing leadership approvals from at least two top execs is essential to move forward.

To get a green light, top alliance leaders present a business case with key assumptions - time to marketplace ramp up, deal acceleration, cost to scale this RTM, etc.

2️⃣ ISV Success Signup

Begin your journey by officially engaging in hyperscaler programs. This shows your commitment to listing your solutions and building a GTM strategy that aligns with cloud marketplaces.

Microsoft is offering ISV Success via its AI Cloud Partner Program. It’s a 12-mo program for ISVs to build well-architected applications, publish to the Microsoft marketplace, and grow revenue. Other hyperscalers have similar programs.

3️⃣ CxO Level Owner(s)

Top down leadership for the business process change is super important or it gets stuck. Nominating a C-level owner will dramatically increase the adoption of your marketplace strategy across the company.

A sales-aligned CxO can be particularly effective.

4️⃣ Learn the Market

Learn what’s working (and not) for the top companies in cloud GTM. This will help you discover the quickest path to scale and address internal objections. You can learn from our insights/newsletter, follow Darren Sharpe, Jay McBain and others.

5️⃣ Get listings live

Your offering should be transactable on the marketplace - this will make it easy for customers to buy, and will allow hyperscalers to start co-selling. “Land and Expand'' is essential in Cloud GTM, and transactable listing is key to unlocking it.

While listing, make sure to clearly articulate how your product’s benefits are different and better.

6️⃣ Align Key Teams

Define who is responsible for what across your key company functions that will be involved.

Your teams to align should include Product, GTM/Commercial, Tech/Engineering, and your marketplace GTM leader - all working in concert.

Set a regular (weekly) standup to ensure accountability and rapid progress.

Cloud GTM isn't just about getting your products listed; it's about creating a robust system that ties to business objectives and drives growth through cloud marketplace engagement and co-sell.

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📈 Accelerate your Growth in Cloud Marketplaces

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