The Rise of Services as a Software: How GTM Is Changing Forever

The new GTM model: software + on-demand expertise

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This week’s research note includes:

• GTM Research: The Rise of Services as a Software: Why GTM Is Changing Forever
• Spotlight: The GTMarketplace
• Event: Pavilion CMO Summit

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RESEARCH: The Rise of Services as a Software: Why GTM Is Changing Forever

A few years ago, if a company wanted to scale its go-to-market (GTM) strategy, the process was painfully predictable:

1. Buy a six-figure software license that promised to solve their problems.
2. Spend another six to twelve months trying to implement it.
3. Realize they needed to hire expensive consultants just to make it usable.
4. Sink even more money into training, onboarding, and troubleshooting.

And after all that?

🚨 The business hasn’t moved forward at all.

🚨 Revenue hasn’t grown.

🚨 The pipeline is still a mess.

What went wrong?

They bought software when what they really needed was execution.

This isn’t just an ops issue. This is a GTM problem at scale.

Why Software Alone No Longer Works

Last week, Sangram had an inspiring conversation with Godard Abel, CEO of G2, about this exact shift. Godard asked Sangram:

“Why is services-as-software becoming such a big deal?”

Sangram’s response?

Because the old way of buying and implementing software is broken.

For years, businesses have been spending:

💸 $100K+ on software

💸 $200K+ on implementation, training, and ads

💸 $300K+ before they ever see results

Locked into annual contracts with vendors who can’t keep up while GTM moves at the speed of AI.

That model is dead.

Sobering Statistics on Implementing B2B Software

• Depending on project size and data complexity, CRM implementations can range from 6 weeks to 4 months.
• Approximately 36% of marketers report that implementing a marketing automation platform takes about 6 months.
• To implement an ERP, SMBs typically range from 3 to 9 months and large enterprises often take 6 to 18 months to complete. (source: ERP Research)

Yet G2 research says that more companies expect to see ROI in 3 months or less!

And GTM Partners predicts that with the increasing use of AI, most companies will start to expect ROI within 30 days by the end of this year.

The BIG Shift: Services Are Becoming the New Software

Businesses no longer have the luxury of waiting months—or years—to get results. The companies that win today are the ones that can:

✅ Deploy GTM strategies in weeks, not months

✅ Adjust in real-time based on market shifts

✅ Move fast with experts who know what works

That’s why execution is now the differentiator.

The companies that scale the fastest aren’t just buying software.

They’re buying outcomes.

I’ve seen this happen firsthand.

A while back, I worked with a startup that had invested in a well-known revenue intelligence platform. On paper, it was perfect—AI-driven insights, seamless CRM integration, and a dashboard for sales and marketing alignment.

But six months in, they still weren’t using it.

Why?

Because no one on the team had the bandwidth, expertise, or focus to actually operationalize it.

• The sales team didn’t trust the data.
• The marketing team wasn’t getting the insights they needed.
• The RevOps team was drowning in other priorities.

So, what did they do?

They brought in a fractional RevOps leader.

In 60 days, that expert:

✅ Cleaned up the CRM and data hygiene issues

✅ Built an adoption strategy for sales and marketing

✅ Rolled out key automations that finally made the software useful

That single hire made all the difference.

Not because the software changed—but because they had the right execution in place.

Case Study: GTM Execution at Lightning Speed

I recently spoke with a company that had spent nearly six figures on ABM software. They had big goals:

🔹 Increase engagement with key accounts

🔹 Align sales and marketing around a shared target list

🔹 Build a scalable, repeatable playbook

But after six months, they had nothing to show for it. No pipeline impact. No visibility into ROI.

So, they turned to an on-demand execution partner.

Through a GTM-certified agency, they were able to:

🚀 Stand up a fully operational ABM program in just eight weeks

🚀 3x their engagement from target accounts

🚀 Get clear attribution on which efforts were driving revenue

Without on-demand services, that rollout could have taken another six months—or never happened at all.

This is the future of GTM.

The Future: Buying Execution, Not Just Software

Go-to-market is no longer just about the tools you buy—it’s about how quickly and effectively you can use them.

The companies that win won’t just:

❌ Buy ABM software

❌ Buy a sales engagement platform

❌ Buy a marketing automation tool

They’ll invest in the people, agencies, and experts who can turn those tools into revenue.

Final Thoughts

🚀 Software alone won’t fix your GTM. Services will. 🚀 The best companies won’t just buy software—they’ll buy execution. 🚀 If you’re tired of slow implementation, GoToMarketplace is for you. Read on!

Spotlight: GTMarketplace

Everything we’re touching on in today’s research note is precisely why we built GoToMarketplace—where companies can find certified GTM agencies, fractional leaders, and implementation experts who can solve GTM challenges now.

When you need ABM strategy, revenue operations, or full GTM execution, you’ll find GTM O.S.-certified agencies like:

• Convertiv
• Measure Marketing
• SIX Marketing
• Infinityn International
• Intelligent Demand
• Inverta
• Khronos (acquired by Punch!)
• Scrappy ABM
• Revenue Reimagined
• Carabiner Group (part of SBI Growth)
• Arcadia

🤝 and top fractional leaders like

• Entry Point 1 with Tim Hillison
• SAS Advisory Group with Sarah Allen-Short
• SaaS Lumen with Tracy Hernandez
• Sandy Yu

At GTM Partners, we aren’t an implementation company—we work with CEOs and GTM leadership teams to transform their strategy through the GTM Operating System, courses, and workshops.

But when it’s time to execute?

That’s where these certified partners come in.

Wan to become a GTM O.S. certified fractional or agency? Lets talk

Event: Pavilion CMO Summit

Join Sangram at Pavilion’s CMO Summit, where he’ll give a keynote on the 7 non-negotiables we covered in today’s research note.

Use our link to register with 15% off, the code will be automatically applied.

WHEN: April 17, 2025

WHERE: in-person in Atlanta, GA, or attend virtually

Join leaders from companies like Meltwater, Gong, Zuora, and Vimeo at Pavilion's 2025 CMO Summit for high-impact sessions designed to fast-track your go-to-market success.

Immerse yourself in expert-led workshops with a community that cares, and explore the fresh strategies you need to stay ahead. GTM Now readers receive an exclusive 15% discount on general admission using code GTMPARTNERS at checkout.

Meet Sangram April 17 at the Ritz Carlton Atlanta. Seats are going fast, so secure your spot now!

Register with 15% off

Thanks as always for reading, and happy SPRING!

Love,

Bryan and Sangram

P.S. A few weeks ago, we offered a new 14-day GTM course for CEOs and GTM executives, regularly priced at $499, available to GTMonday readers at no cost using code gtmonday100.

Register with code gtmonday100