# Gtm Advisor

> |

- **Type:** Skill
- **Install:** `agentstack add skill-qingxuantang-lennys-to-sop-and-skills-gtm-advisor`
- **Verified:** Yes — security-reviewed for prompt injection and unsafe behavior
- **Seller:** [qingxuantang](https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/qingxuantang)
- **Installs:** 0
- **Category:** [Agent Skills](https://agentstack.voostack.com/c/agent-skills)
- **Latest version:** 0.1.0
- **License:** MIT
- **Upstream author:** [qingxuantang](https://github.com/qingxuantang)
- **Source:** https://github.com/qingxuantang/Lennys-to-sop-and-skills/tree/master/skills/gtm-advisor

## Install

```sh
agentstack add skill-qingxuantang-lennys-to-sop-and-skills-gtm-advisor
```

Requires the [AgentStack CLI](https://agentstack.voostack.com/docs/cli). Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible agent.

## About

# GTM Advisor Skill

Help users with go-to-market strategy, positioning, pricing, and customer research.

## When This Skill Activates
- "How do we position this?"
- "Pricing strategy"
- "Customer research"
- "Jobs to be done"
- "Product launch"
- "Who is our target customer?"
- "Why aren't customers buying?"
- "Competitive positioning"

## Framework Selection Guide

| Situation | Use This Framework |
|-----------|-------------------|
| B2B: Identifying who sells internally | Champion Persona |
| Market positioning | Five Component Positioning |
| Understanding why customers switch | JTBD Interviews |
| Analyzing buying psychology | Four Forces |
| Setting prices | Willingness to Pay Research |

---

## Framework 1: Champion Persona (B2B)

**Source**: April Dunford - Lenny's Podcast
**Key Insight**: In B2B, your champion (internal seller) is as important as the end user. Understand who sells your product when you're not in the room.

### Who is the Champion?
- The person inside the company who advocates for your solution
- May or may not be the end user
- Definitely not always the decision-maker
- The one who does the internal selling

### Champion Characteristics to Identify

**Demographics:**
- Title/Role
- Department
- Seniority level
- Reporting structure

**Motivations:**
- What do they get if this succeeds?
- Career implications
- Pain they personally feel
- Recognition they'll receive

**Constraints:**
- Budget authority
- Political capital
- Technical knowledge
- Time availability

### Building Champion Persona

**Step 1: Identify Champion Patterns**
Look at won deals:
- Who brought you in?
- Who pushed internally?
- What was their role?

**Step 2: Understand Champion's Wins**
- What does success look like for them?
- How does your product make them a hero?
- What recognition do they get?

**Step 3: Map Champion's Selling Journey**
- Who do they need to convince?
- What objections do they face?
- What proof do they need from you?

**Step 4: Arm the Champion**
Create materials that help them sell:
- ROI calculators
- Comparison charts
- Success stories from similar companies
- Executive summaries

### Champion vs. User vs. Buyer

| Role | Description | What They Care About |
|------|-------------|---------------------|
| Champion | Internal advocate | Looking good, solving their problem |
| User | Uses the product daily | Ease of use, features |
| Buyer | Signs the check | ROI, risk, vendor reputation |

Sometimes one person, often different people.

### Pitfalls to Avoid
- Selling only to buyers (neglecting champion)
- Assuming user = champion
- Not giving champion ammunition
- Ignoring champion's personal motivations

---

## Framework 2: Five Component Positioning

**Source**: April Dunford - Lenny's Podcast
**Key Insight**: Positioning is not messaging—it's the context that makes your value obvious.

### The Five Components (In Order)

**1. Competitive Alternatives**
What would customers do if you didn't exist?
- Not just direct competitors
- Include status quo (spreadsheets, manual processes)
- Include indirect alternatives

**2. Unique Attributes**
What do you have that alternatives don't?
- Features
- Capabilities
- Business model differences
- Service differences

**3. Value**
What value do those attributes deliver?
- Connect features to benefits
- Quantify where possible
- Focus on differentiated value

**4. Target Customers**
Who cares a lot about that value?
- Best-fit customer characteristics
- Not everyone—the people who value your differentiation most

**5. Market Category**
What market frame makes your value obvious?
- Category sets expectations
- May need to create new category
- Or position in existing category differently

### Positioning Process

**Step 1: Start with Competitive Alternatives**
List everything customers would do instead:
- Direct competitors
- Indirect solutions
- Status quo / do nothing

**Step 2: Identify Your Unique Attributes**
For each alternative, what do you have that they don't?

**Step 3: Map Attributes to Value**
| Attribute | So What? (Value) |
|-----------|------------------|
| Real-time sync | Teams always aligned, no version confusion |
| AI-powered | 10x faster analysis |

**Step 4: Identify Best-Fit Customers**
Who values this differentiated value most?
- Company characteristics
- Situation characteristics
- Pain intensity

**Step 5: Choose Market Category**
What frame makes your value obvious?
Options:
- Existing category (if you win on known criteria)
- Sub-category (narrow the field)
- New category (if truly different)

### Positioning Statement Template

> For [target customers] who [have this problem], [product] is a [category] that [key benefit]. Unlike [alternatives], we [key differentiator].

### Pitfalls to Avoid
- Starting with category (should come last)
- Positioning for everyone (be specific)
- Feature focus without value translation
- Ignoring competitive alternatives
- Positioning on non-differentiated value

---

## Framework 3: Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) Interviews

**Source**: Bob Moesta - Lenny's Podcast
**Key Insight**: People don't buy products, they hire them to make progress in their lives.

### The JTBD Concept
- Customers have a "job" they need done
- They "hire" products to do that job
- Understanding the job reveals true competition and value

### The Timeline Interview

**The Goal**: Reconstruct the journey from first thought to purchase.

**Key Moments to Uncover:**

1. **First Thought**
"When did you first think you might need something different?"

2. **Passive Looking**
"What did you notice before actively searching?"

3. **Active Looking**
"When did you start actively looking? What triggered that?"

4. **Deciding**
"What made you choose this specific option?"

5. **Consuming**
"What happened after you bought it?"

### Interview Questions

**Opening:**
"Tell me about how you came to [buy/use] this product."

**Timeline probes:**
- "And then what happened?"
- "Tell me more about that"
- "What were you thinking at that moment?"
- "Who else was involved?"

**Energy probes:**
- "What pushed you to finally act?"
- "What were you worried about?"
- "What almost stopped you?"

### What You're Listening For

**Push of current situation** (what's wrong now)
**Pull of new solution** (what's attractive)
**Anxiety about new solution** (what's scary)
**Habit of current behavior** (what's comfortable)

### Conducting JTBD Interviews

**Who to interview:**
- Recent customers (bought in last 90 days)
- Churned customers
- Customers who almost bought but didn't

**Interview setup:**
- 45-60 minutes
- Record (with permission)
- Go deep on timeline
- Listen more than ask

### Pitfalls to Avoid
- Asking what they want (they don't know)
- Skipping emotional dimensions
- Not going deep enough on timeline
- Interviewing the wrong people (not recent)
- Leading the witness

---

## Framework 4: Four Forces of Demand

**Source**: Bob Moesta - Lenny's Podcast
**Key Insight**: Two forces push toward change (Push + Pull), two forces resist change (Anxiety + Habit).

### The Four Forces

**Forces Driving Change:**

**1. Push (of current situation)**
- What's wrong with what they have now?
- Pain, frustration, limitations
- "I can't keep doing it this way"

**2. Pull (of new solution)**
- What's attractive about the new thing?
- Vision of better future
- "That looks like it would solve my problem"

**Forces Resisting Change:**

**3. Anxiety (about new solution)**
- Fear of unknown
- Risk of switching
- "What if it doesn't work?"
- "What if I chose wrong?"

**4. Habit (of current behavior)**
- Comfort with status quo
- Switching costs
- "I know how this works"
- "It's good enough"

### The Formula

**Change happens when:**
Push + Pull > Anxiety + Habit

**No change when:**
Anxiety + Habit > Push + Pull

### Using the Four Forces

**Step 1: Map Each Force**
For your product/market:

| Force | Specific Examples |
|-------|------------------|
| Push | [What's broken with status quo?] |
| Pull | [What's attractive about your solution?] |
| Anxiety | [What are they worried about?] |
| Habit | [What's keeping them with status quo?] |

**Step 2: Identify Weak Forces**
- If Push is weak: They don't feel enough pain
- If Pull is weak: Your value prop isn't compelling
- If Anxiety is high: You need to reduce risk
- If Habit is strong: You need to ease switching

**Step 3: Address Each Force**

**Increase Push:**
- Help them see the cost of status quo
- Quantify the pain
- Show competitive pressure

**Increase Pull:**
- Better articulate value
- Show outcomes, not features
- Use social proof

**Reduce Anxiety:**
- Money-back guarantees
- Free trials
- Customer references
- Clear implementation plan

**Reduce Habit:**
- Make switching easy
- Migration assistance
- Gradual transition options

### Pitfalls to Avoid
- Only focusing on Pull (ignoring Push)
- Ignoring Anxiety and Habit
- Assuming features overcome Habit
- Not reducing switching costs

---

## Framework 5: Willingness to Pay Research

**Source**: Madhavan Ramanujam - Lenny's Podcast
**Key Insight**: Ask about willingness to pay BEFORE building, not after.

### Why WTP Research Matters
- Price too high: No sales
- Price too low: Leave money on table
- Not knowing: Building wrong product

### Van Westendorp Price Sensitivity

Ask four questions about your product:

1. **Too cheap** (quality concern): "At what price would you begin to question quality?"
2. **Cheap** (bargain): "At what price would this be a bargain?"
3. **Expensive** (but would consider): "At what price does this start feeling expensive?"
4. **Too expensive** (won't buy): "At what price is this too expensive to consider?"

**Plot responses** to find optimal price range.

### Direct WTP Questions

**Approach 1: Direct**
"How much would you pay for [product with these features]?"

**Approach 2: Comparison**
"Compared to [alternative], would you pay more, less, or the same?"

**Approach 3: Trade-off**
"Would you rather have [Feature A at $X] or [Feature B at $Y]?"

### Feature-Value Mapping

**Step 1: List Features**
All potential features/capabilities

**Step 2: Categorize by Value**

| Category | Description | Pricing Implication |
|----------|-------------|---------------------|
| Table stakes | Must have, expected | Include in base price |
| Differentiators | Drive preference | Price for value |
| Nice-to-haves | Not essential | Bundle or upsell |
| Not needed | Low value | Don't build |

**Step 3: Price to Value**
- Price differentiators aggressively
- Don't over-invest in table stakes
- Bundle nice-to-haves for upgrades

### Running WTP Conversations

**Setup:**
- 30-45 minute conversations
- With target customers (not just anyone)
- Before building, not after

**What to show:**
- Concept or prototype
- Feature descriptions
- Value propositions

**What to ask:**
- WTP questions above
- What would make you pay more?
- What's not valuable?
- How does this compare to alternatives?

### Pitfalls to Avoid
- Asking after building (too late to change)
- Taking answers literally (directional, not exact)
- Not segmenting responses (different WTP by segment)
- Pricing on cost, not value

---

## How to Apply This Skill

1. **Identify the GTM challenge**
   - Who to target → Champion Persona
   - How to position → Five Component Positioning
   - Why customers switch → JTBD Interviews
   - Why customers don't buy → Four Forces
   - How to price → Willingness to Pay

2. **Walk through the relevant framework**

3. **Help create specific outputs**
   - Champion persona document
   - Positioning statement
   - Interview guide
   - Four forces analysis
   - Pricing research plan

4. **Connect to related frameworks** when appropriate

## Related Skills
- `/strategy-advisor` - For product strategy
- `/growth-advisor` - For growth tactics
- `/decision-maker` - For GTM decisions

## Full SOPs (Deep Dives)

### Positioning & Customer Research
- [Champion Persona](../../../sops/go-to-market/champion-persona-framework-001.md)
- [Five Component Positioning](../../../sops/positioning/five-component-positioning-framework-001.md)
- [JTBD Interviews](../../../sops/customer-research/jobs-to-be-done-interview-framework-001.md)
- [Four Forces](../../../sops/customer-research/four-forces-demand-analysis-001.md)

### Pricing
- [Willingness to Pay](../../../sops/pricing/willingness-to-pay-research-001.md)
- [SaaS Pricing Optimization](../../../sops/pricing/saas-pricing-optimization-framework-001.md)
- [Value Metrics Identification](../../../sops/pricing/value-metrics-identification-001.md)
- [Pricing Page Best Practices](../../../sops/pricing/pricing-page-best-practices-001.md)
- [Churn Reduction Tactics](../../../sops/pricing/churn-reduction-tactical-retention-001.md)

### Sales
- [Founder-Led Sales](../../../sops/sales/founder-led-sales-methodology-001.md)
- [B2B Sales Playbook](../../../sops/sales/b2b-sales-playbook-creation-001.md)
- [First 10 Customers](../../../sops/sales/first-ten-customers-acquisition-001.md)
- [Sales Motion Discovery](../../../sops/sales/sales-motion-discovery-001.md)
- [Founder to Sales Team](../../../sops/sales/founder-to-sales-team-transition-001.md)
- [Enterprise Sales for Startups](../../../sops/sales/enterprise-sales-for-startups-001.md)
- [First Sales Hire](../../../sops/sales/first-sales-hire-process-001.md)
- [Sales Team Scaling](../../../sops/sales/sales-team-scaling-framework-001.md)

### Developer Tools
- [Developer Experience Design](../../../sops/go-to-market/developer-experience-design-principles-001.md)
- [Developer Tool Company Building](../../../sops/go-to-market/developer-tool-company-building-001.md)
- [Open Source to Enterprise](../../../sops/go-to-market/open-source-to-enterprise-strategy-001.md)
- [Technical Product Marketing](../../../sops/go-to-market/technical-product-marketing-framework-001.md)

### Communication
- [Executive Communication](../../../sops/communication/executive-communication-framework-001.md)
- [Presentation Structure](../../../sops/communication/presentation-structure-what-is-what-could-be-001.md)
- [Spontaneous Speaking](../../../sops/communication/spontaneous-speaking-framework-001.md)

## Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

- **Author:** [qingxuantang](https://github.com/qingxuantang)
- **Source:** [qingxuantang/Lennys-to-sop-and-skills](https://github.com/qingxuantang/Lennys-to-sop-and-skills)
- **License:** MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.

## Pricing

- **Free** — Free

## Security capabilities

Automated source analysis of v0.1.0 — what this tool can access:

- **Network access:** no
- **Filesystem access:** no
- **Shell / process execution:** no
- **Environment & secrets:** no
- **Dynamic code execution:** no

*"Yes" means the capability is present in the source — more access means more to trust, not that it is unsafe.*


## Versions

- **0.1.0** — security scan: passed — Imported from the upstream source.

## Links

- Listing page: https://agentstack.voostack.com/l/skill-qingxuantang-lennys-to-sop-and-skills-gtm-advisor
- Seller: https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/qingxuantang
- Browse the marketplace: https://agentstack.voostack.com/browse

---
Listed on AgentStack — the marketplace for AI agent skills and MCP servers. Every listing is security-reviewed. Creators keep 70%.