What software GTM best practices correlate with success? From the 85 Insight Partners analyzed in 100+ companies, four stood out among top performers:

1. Partners: Actively managing partner channel conflicts with rules and tools.
2. Pipeline: Keeping the “top-of-funnel” topped off at a rigorously forecasted target.
3. People: Retaining sellers well below the 25% per year industry standard.

The fourth factor is the key to factors 1, 2, & 3. Process: specifically aligning Sales and Marketing (S&M) to a unified top-of-funnel strategy per segment.

When S&M is aligned:

1. They can better coordinate around Partners, which is often the domain of Marketing but a boon to Sellers.
2. S&M is better positioned to drive a higher pipeline.
3. Sellers are likely to stick around because they feel supported; not just in lead- and pipe-gen but also in enablement and empowerment.

In short, GTM teams will struggle at Partners, Pipeline, and People without Process. That’s why S&M (and CS) alignment remains my primary area of study and advisory this year.

That and GenAI, which was reported as being used more by top-performing respondents than lower performers, by the way.

You can see the detailed report on all 85 factors from Jeremey Donovan and team on Insight Partners’ blog. Hats off to them for this sharp analysis!