Go-to-market strategy for growth in 2025: Navigating the new e-commerce landscape

Launching a new product? Or looking to enter a new market with an existing product? Then, you’ll need a thorough go-to-market plan to help you succeed. It encompasses your business’s strategy to identify and attract target customers, which sales channels you’ll leverage, and how you’ll accelerate customer adoption of your product.

As international e-commerce becomes a way of life, businesses increasingly look beyond their borders to tap into new markets and expand their reach. According to the International Trade Administration, global B2C e-commerce revenue is projected to grow to US$5.5 trillion by 2027 at a 14.4% compound annual growth rate¹. 

These figures highlight the growing global demand for international goods and services, which is good news if you want to expand internationally. However, before you begin, a go-to-market plan will be crucial to help you identify markets with the greatest demand for your products and create marketing campaigns tailored to local customers.

In this article, we will explore what a go-to-market (GTM) strategy is and its main components, guiding you toward developing one.

Go-to-market strategy vs. marketing strategy

While the two strategies may seem similar, their scope and focus differ. A go-to-market strategy focuses on how a business will introduce a specific product or service to the market and reach target customers. It encompasses aspects from product development to sales and distribution, focusing on immediate revenue and customer success.

Meanwhile, a broader marketing strategy involves a longer-term, ongoing plan for the wider business. It covers the touchpoints that make the brand memorable in a competitive market, such as messaging, content creation and campaigns.

That said, it’s important to integrate and align both strategies to achieve a cohesive and effective market entry.

When do you need a go-to-market strategy?

There are three main scenarios when a business may need a go-to-market strategy:

• New product launches: A go-to-market strategy is essential to successfully launch new products or services, regardless of whether it’s a new or existing market for the brand. Example: an established wellness brand adding a candle range to its product portfolio
• Entering a new market: When expanding into new markets, especially international ones, a go-to-market strategy will help you to navigate cultural differences and regulatory complexities. Example: a furniture business looking to sell to China for the first time.
• Responding to market changes: Amidst evolving market trends, such as shifts in consumer behavior, technological advancements, and competitive pressures, a go-to-market strategy enables you to adapt and create customer value.

In such instances, a go-to-market strategy minimizes risks via in-depth planning and research into the market you’re entering.

Benefits of a strong go-to-market strategy

Reduced risks and costs

A go-to-market strategy ensures due diligence is paid to all the components of a product launch. You’ll be able to identify potential problems and risks early on – such as a target market without enough demand to deliver a profit – and then adjust your strategy before any more resources are wasted. This also enables you to optimize costs and resource allocation.

Improved customer acquisition and retention 

Thoroughly researching who and where your target customers are as part of your go-to-market strategy will help you position the product in the market. In turn, you’re better equipped to create powerful, effective and tailored marketing messaging that resonates with customer pain points. Furthermore, with a unique value proposition, you’re more likely to attract new customers, build brand loyalty, and enhance customer lifetime value.

Faster time to market

A well-defined go-to-market approach streamlines the process of introducing a new product or service, enabling you to seize early opportunities and gain a competitive edge. By clearly outlining your target audience, value proposition, and marketing channels, you can accelerate your product launch and capture market share more effectively.

Increase revenue and market share

A go-to-market strategy emphasizes extensive research and planning before you launch a product. This mitigates risks and ensures the product is put in front of the most relevant audience for maximum sales. As your understanding of the target customer deepens, you can adjust the product to increase market penetration and enhance its chances of success.

Components of a go-to-market strategy for 2025

Each business’s go-to-market plan will vary depending on different factors. For example, an established business launching a new product can leverage some of its existing customer data to build target customer profiles in a way that a brand-new business can’t. 

That said, there are some general elements that all businesses should look to tick off when creating a go-to-market strategy.

Market research and analysis

This element of a go-to-market approach involves looking at the existing market you hope to enter and assessing if and where your product will fit. A thorough competitor analysis will help you understand:

• Who are your competitors and what are their strengths and weaknesses?
• Where are your opportunities for differentiation?
• What problems does your product solve, especially in the new market?
• How are your competitors’ products priced?

Additionally, you should define your buyer persona, which is your target customer. Beyond demographics such as age, location and income bracket, establish:

• Which consumers are experiencing the problem(s) your product solves?
• Where and how do they like to shop online?
• What does their buying journey look like? In other words, how can you take them from awareness to consideration to conversion?

Combined, these competitor and customer profiles will help you define your marketing messaging so that you can communicate the value of your product in a way that engages and entices consumers to buy. They should also inform your pricing strategy.

Craft your value proposition 

Clearly define your unique selling point and how your product or service addresses the needs and desires of your target audience. This part of the go-to-market strategy addresses what problems you solve and how you do it differently or better than the competition.

A value matrix can be a helpful tool in determining your value proposition. By mapping out your different buyer personas' pain points and identifying how your product's features provide solutions, you can create targeted marketing messages that resonate with each persona.

Establish your sales and distribution channels

This go-to-market strategy component refers to where consumers can buy your product and how it will get there. Ultimately, the goal is to make the buyer’s journey as easy as possible to increase sales. 

In the case of international e-commerce, optimizing your e-commerce website and social media platforms is crucial for successful cross-border transactions. For example, if you’re expanding to China, a dedicated platform like Tmall Global is viable as it enables you to operate remotely and accept payments in your local currency. 

Additionally, features like language localization, currency conversion, and global payment gateways can significantly improve the shopping experience for your customers.

Logistics and supply chain management

Bringing new products to market is key to keeping your business competitive – if you can get there before your competitors. As such, ensuring your products get to customers on time should be a priority of your logistics strategy. Late deliveries negatively impact your brand as they may lead to unhappy customers, unfavorable reviews, and loss of future sales. 

This is where a reliable global logistics partner like DHL Express proves crucial. With an established international network and efficient delivery capabilities, your logistics provider can help you ensure timely order fulfilment and support your go-to-market goals.  

Of course, delivery is just one part of your logistics. Other logistics factors, such as inventory management, warehousing, and packaging, are also essential in optimizing your operations. 

Marketing and Communication

Effective marketing and communication are essential for reaching and engaging your target audience. To connect with them, leverage digital marketing strategies like search engine optimization (SEO), social media, and content marketing. 

Today, personalized messaging and targeted campaigns are crucial for capturing attention and driving conversions, so localize your content for different language nuances and cultural contexts.

Types of go-to-market strategies

Sales-led

A sales-led go-to-market strategy uses a strong sales team and persuasive positioning to generate customer acquisition and revenue. It’s most suited for businesses looking to establish a one-to-one relationship with a specific account or when a company has created a complex product that needs skilful salespeople to guide the buyer through the customer pipeline.

Product-led

Here, the product itself is the salesperson, empowered with all the information a buyer may need. A product-led go-to-market strategy often leverages freemium models or viral features. In turn, it involves analyzing customers’ behavior and interaction with the product to drive customer acquisition, retention and growth. For this reason, it’s well suited to businesses that want to scale fast at a low customer acquisition cost.

Marketing-led

A marketing-led go-to-market strategy focuses on building brand awareness and generating demand through various marketing channels. This approach utilizes content marketing, social media engagement, search engine optimization, and other tactics to reach and engage target audiences, driving interest and generating leads.

Hybrid approach

A hybrid approach combines elements from different go-to-market strategies to create a customized approach that suits your business needs and target market. This allows you to leverage the strengths of different strategies while mitigating their weaknesses, resulting in a more comprehensive and effective plan.

Go further with your go-to-market strategy

A well-defined go-to-market strategy is essential for achieving business success, especially internationally. As you navigate the e-commerce landscape, adapting to emerging trends, such as the increasing demand for personalized customer experiences, will help you gain a competitive edge.

Additionally, consider leveraging the expertise of DHL Express to support your global growth ambitions. Our expertise in overseas shipping, customs clearance, and end-to-end global logistics solutions can help you navigate cross-border trade and build a successful international presence.

If your business is launching a new product or entering a new market, you’ll need expert support. Open a DHL Express Business Account to join thousands of other businesses benefitting from our international and e-commerce expertise.