Looking to actually get something useful out of your Letsdive templates instead of just checking boxes? This guide is for folks in sales, marketing, or product who want their go-to-market (GTM) plans to actually work—not just look pretty in a slide deck. Whether you’re launching a new product, targeting a niche market, or just want to get your team on the same page, I’ll show you how to bend those templates to your will.
Let’s get straight into it.
Step 1: Figure Out What "Go To Market" Actually Means for You
“Go to market” is one of those phrases that people love to throw around. In reality, your GTM strategy is just how you plan to get your product or service in front of the right people and convince them to buy.
Before you start messing with templates, ask yourself: - What’s the real goal? New customer signups, expansion, upsells, awareness, etc. - Who are you actually targeting? Be specific—“mid-market SaaS companies” is better than “businesses.” - What’s unique about your approach? Are you inbound-heavy? Do you rely on channel partners? Is product-led growth your thing?
Pro tip: If you can’t answer these questions in a sentence or two, no template will save you. Get clarity first.
Step 2: Pick the Right Letsdive Template (Don’t Overthink It)
Letsdive offers a bunch of templates for sales playbooks, marketing campaigns, product launches, and team syncs. Here’s the honest truth: the “perfect” template doesn’t exist. Pick one that’s close enough to your needs and accept that you’ll have to tweak it.
Some template types you’ll see: - Sales Playbooks: Good for mapping out steps, objections, and key messaging. - Marketing Campaigns: Useful for planning, channels, deliverables, and timelines. - Product Launches: Ideal for aligning teams on who’s doing what, when, and why. - Retros & Team Syncs: For keeping everyone honest about what’s working.
Ignore: Templates crammed with buzzwords, or ones that look like a consultant’s résumé exploded. If it’s confusing now, it’ll be worse when your team tries to use it.
Step 3: Strip Out the Fluff
Here’s where most people mess up: they try to fill in every field “because it’s there.” Don’t. Get rid of template sections that aren’t relevant to your GTM motion.
How to do it: - Delete or hide sections that don’t apply. If you’re not running paid ads, don’t include a “Paid Media Plan.” - Rename fields to match your language. “Target Personas” might become “Decision Makers” if you’re in B2B. - Keep only what you’ll actually use in meetings or execution.
What works: Ruthless editing. Your future self will thank you.
What doesn’t: Copy-pasting your old Google Docs. If your team never looked at them before, they won’t start now.
Step 4: Customize for Your GTM Motion
This is where you adapt the template to your real-world process.
If You’re Sales-Led:
- Focus on sections like ICP (Ideal Customer Profile), sales stages, common objections, and win stories.
- Add a section for competitor quick-takes if your deals get bogged down in comparison wars.
- Make space for “deal blockers” and “must-win accounts” to keep priorities sharp.
If You’re Marketing-Led:
- Beef up campaign planning, messaging, and lead source tracking.
- Include timelines for launches, review cycles, and creative assets.
- Add a section for post-launch analysis—what worked, what flopped, and why.
If You’re Product-Led:
- Highlight onboarding flows, product milestones, and activation metrics.
- Swap out “sales messaging” for “product triggers” (the moments that get users to the next step).
- Leave room for feedback loops from support and customer success.
Pro tip: Don’t try to cover everything. The best templates are living documents that get updated as you learn what works.
Step 5: Plug in Actual Data (Not Hopes and Dreams)
Templates filled with guesses or vague plans are useless. Drop in real numbers, deadlines, and owners.
How to make it real: - Assign clear owners for each section or deliverable. - Add deadlines—you’ll miss some, but at least you’ll know. - Use real customer quotes or data in messaging sections. - Track progress: Use checklists or status fields, not just open text boxes.
What works: Brutal honesty. If a channel didn’t work last time, call it out. If you’re missing data, flag it and move on.
What to ignore: Vanity metrics or “aspirational” numbers that only look good in a board meeting. They’re a waste of everyone’s time.
Step 6: Share, Test, and Iterate—Don’t Set It and Forget It
Once your template is customized, get it in front of the people who’ll actually use it. Walk through it in a real meeting. Does it help, or does it just add more steps?
- Ask for feedback: “What’s missing? What’s pointless?”
- Tweak as you go. GTM strategies change—your template should too.
- If people start ignoring sections, that’s a clue to cut them or rethink.
Pro tip: The best templates start simple. Add complexity only if you really need it.
Pro Tips for Making Letsdive Templates Actually Work
- Embed links and docs: Don’t duplicate info. Link out to deeper resources (pricing sheets, persona docs, etc.).
- Use comments: Letsdive supports comments—use them for clarifications and quick feedback.
- Automate what you can: If you’re always updating the same fields, look into automations or integrations.
- Don’t over-template: If your team spends more time updating the template than doing actual work, you’ve gone too far.
What to Ignore (And What to Watch Out For)
- Ignore perfection: A “perfect” GTM template is a moving target. Good enough is better than not shipped.
- Ignore template FOMO: If another team swears by some fancy template, good for them. If it doesn’t fit your process, skip it.
- Watch out for bloat: Templates that try to please everyone end up pleasing no one.
Keep It Simple, Ship, and Iterate
That’s really the heart of it. Your Letsdive template should make your GTM strategy easier to execute—not harder. Start with the basics, cut what you don’t use, and tweak as you learn. Don’t wait for the “perfect” setup; just get started and let reality steer you. Simple beats fancy, every time.