If you’re running go-to-market (GTM) campaigns and you’re tired of wrangling spreadsheets, chasing teammates for updates, or losing track of assets, you’re not alone. Custom workflows can help—but only if they actually fit the way you and your team work. This guide is for marketers, ops folks, and PMMs who want to use Extrovert to tame GTM campaign chaos, without wasting hours on overcomplicated setups you’ll never actually use.
Below, you’ll find real talk about what works, what’s worth skipping, and how to get a custom workflow in Extrovert that actually helps you ship campaigns on time.
1. Know What a “Custom Workflow” Really Means (and What It Doesn’t)
Let’s clear something up: a custom workflow in Extrovert isn’t magic. It’s just a series of steps, tasks, and rules you set up to organize your GTM process. The idea is to automate the boring parts and make handoffs smoother, not to create some perfect Rube Goldberg machine.
What it can do:
- Assign tasks and deadlines automatically
- Move assets and briefs between reviewers
- Trigger reminders or approvals when things are ready
- Help your team see what’s next and who’s up
What it won’t do:
- Make bad processes magically good
- Force people to communicate better
- Replace real project management (if your team needs that, use a dedicated tool)
Bottom line: The fancier your workflow, the more likely you’ll ignore it. Stick to what you really need.
2. Map the Workflow Before You Touch Extrovert
Resist the urge to dive in and start “setting things up.” Before even opening Extrovert, sketch your campaign flow on a whiteboard or a notepad. This saves you hours of rework.
How to do it:
- List the actual steps your team takes to launch a campaign (not the ones you wish they took).
- For each step, write down:
- Who’s involved?
- What triggers the step?
- What’s the deliverable?
- Identify where things usually get stuck—these are your pain points.
Pro tip: If you can’t explain your campaign process in five or six steps, it’s too complicated. Simplify it first.
3. Set Up Your Basic Workflow in Extrovert
Now you’re ready to open Extrovert and build the bones of your workflow. Don’t get fancy yet.
Step-by-step:
-
Create a new workflow template.
Name it something obvious (e.g., “Q3 GTM Launch”). -
Add stages that match your real process.
Typical stages might be: Brief → Asset Creation → Internal Review → Legal/Brand Review → Launch Prep → Live. -
Assign owners to each stage.
Don’t assign a team; assign a person. “Marketing” isn’t responsible—Jenny is. -
Set realistic deadlines.
Skip auto-calculating everything at first. People will change dates anyway. -
Attach key docs or checklists.
If legal always needs the same form, make it part of the stage.
What to ignore (for now):
- Custom fields for every possible scenario
- Complicated branching logic (“If A and B, but not C, then X…”)
- Automated Slack updates for every move (that’s just digital noise)
4. Use Automation Sparingly—But Use It
Automation’s great for reminders and repetitive stuff. It’s terrible when it spams your team or creates “ghost” tasks nobody sees.
Stick to these basics:
- Auto-assign reviewers when a stage is reached.
- Send reminders if a task is overdue by more than 2 days.
- Mark assets “ready for launch” when the last required approval is in.
What to skip:
- Auto-creating tasks just in case you might need them
- Automated status updates in multiple places (pick one)
- Overengineering approval chains (one required approval is enough for most teams)
5. Test Your Workflow with a Real (Small) Campaign
Don’t roll out your new workflow for the big product launch first. Use it on a low-stakes campaign—think a newsletter or social push.
- Walk through every stage as if you’re the campaign owner.
- Have someone else on your team try it and give honest feedback.
- Note where people get confused, where things break, and where it saves time.
Pro tip: If you have to explain the workflow more than once, it’s probably too complicated.
6. Fix Obvious Issues and Trim the Fat
After your test, you’ll spot things that don’t work. Fix them before you go live for real.
- Remove steps nobody uses. (If nobody fills out the “post-mortem” doc, don’t make it required.)
- Clarify unclear handoffs. (“Who’s supposed to upload final assets?” If nobody knows, spell it out.)
- Shorten deadlines to what’s realistic, not ideal.
What to ignore: - Requests for “just one more field” from every stakeholder. You’ll end up with a monster nobody uses. - Fancy dashboards before you have real data flowing in.
7. Roll Out to the Team (and Explain the “Why”)
When you launch the workflow, take 10 minutes to explain to your team:
- What the workflow covers—and what it doesn’t.
- How it’ll actually save time (be honest, don’t oversell).
- Where to give feedback if things aren’t working.
Don’t:
Force everyone to use every feature from day one. Let people ease in.
8. Set Up a Simple Feedback Loop
Your workflow won’t be perfect out of the gate. The best teams tweak as they go.
- Pick one place for feedback (Slack channel, email, whatever).
- Review feedback after a couple of campaigns.
- Make small tweaks—don’t overhaul unless something’s truly broken.
Warning: Don’t chase every minor complaint. Focus on bottlenecks or stuff that’s actually slowing people down.
9. What Actually Works (and What Doesn’t)
After seeing a lot of GTM teams wrestle with tools like Extrovert, here’s what consistently works:
Works: - Clear, simple workflows with obvious owners - Automation for reminders and handoffs (not for everything) - Templates tied to real, repeatable campaign types
Doesn’t Work: - Workflows with 12+ stages or multiple branching paths - Requiring approvals from people who aren’t directly involved - Tracking everything “just in case” (that’s what audit logs are for)
Ignore: - Eye-candy dashboards that don’t drive action - Plug-ins or integrations you don’t actually need for the campaign to ship
Keep It Simple—And Iterate
Most GTM campaign headaches come from overcomplicating things. The best custom workflow is the one your team actually uses. Start small with Extrovert, keep what works, toss what doesn’t, and don’t be afraid to tweak as you go. The goal isn’t a perfect system—it’s shipping campaigns with less pain and more speed.
If you’re spending more time setting up your workflow than running campaigns, you’re doing it wrong. Keep it practical, and good luck.