Why Sangram Vajre Thinks These 2 GTM Moves Are Underrated

The world as we know it is changing before our eyes.

The course of history has shown us that advances in technology will always be a major driver of progress and change. And despite the role of technology in improving our lives, some things have remained constant.

On the one hand, we crave social interaction. You might even argue that connecting with other humans is a major reason for our survival as a species. According to Sangram Vajre, the need for connection and belonging is how SaaS brands generate efficient and intelligent growth.

Sangram Vajre is a leading expert and voice in the go-to-market (GTM) world. Formerly head of marketing at Pardot and later co-founder of Terminus, Sangram is currently CEO of GTM Partners. He is a bestselling author, columnist for Inc. and hosts Move: The Go-to-Market Podcast.

In the inaugural episode of GTM Innovators, G2 Chief Revenue Officer Mike Weir sat down with Sangram to discuss various insights every revenue and marketing professional should know. This article outlines two strategies that Sangram considers revolutionary for SaaS brands: event-driven growth and community.

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Building trust with a sense of belonging and shared spaces

When creating a more effective engine of growth, Sangram says a greater focus on customer success is crucial. Businesses can achieve this through their inbound and outbound efforts, but there is a way to connect more deeply with customers.

“People want to do business with people they trust. Events and community marketing create environments where brands can build that trust. I think these are incredibly undervalued go-to-market moves.”

Sangram VajreCo-founder and CEO of GTM Partners

You may have heard of the benefits of event marketing and community marketing. In the eyes of Sangram, these are two techniques that companies absolutely must adopt in the years to come. According to Sangram, the erosion of trust is one of the biggest hurdles to overcome in today's market.

The common thread between community and events is that technology has made it easier than ever for people to create spaces where they feel included and want to belong. In these online spaces, brands can foster greater trust with current customers and prospects.

Creating Memorable Experiences with Event Marketing

It's easy to see why events like Inbound and Dreamforce have become so important. Marketing and revenue professionals come from all over the world to attend these and many similar events because these experiences connect them with the brightest minds and expose them to new ways of thinking.

These events are a great way to create growth for the companies that host them. Events can build authority and credibility for these brands by creating memorable experiences filled with valuable content that attendees will take home with them.

Sangram's tip for events: Prioritize constructive discussions over product messaging

Believe it or not, attendees haven't registered to hear from event sponsors.

In the case of the Go-To-Market Made Simple roadshows presented by GTM Partners, Sangram explains that each event has sponsors, but there are no booths or presentations by vendors. Instead, it offers vendors at the end of the event to highlight one of their customers where they talk about a specific use case. Next, the client shares their full tech stack and how they're using it to solve that particular problem.

By focusing on resolving issues raised when sharing a specific use case, attendees will gain useful context about the vendor and be more likely to engage in meaningful discussions.

Rally around your customer through the community

Another concept to think about is the proliferation of online communities. From message boards in the early days of the web to invite-only Slack channels, people will always be drawn to interacting with the communities that matter to them.

One trend Sangram has noticed in recent years is an increase in companies hiring evangelists who focus on building a community rather than the product. The idea is to have a brand advocate who is solely focused on evangelizing the category and the issues within it.

It can be difficult to prove the return on investment of the activity...