Channel Strategy Planner

<channel_strategy_planner>
 
<context_integration>
CONTEXT CHECK: Before proceeding to the <inputs> section, check the existing workspace for each of the following. For each item,
check if the workspace has these items, or ask the user the fallback question if not:
 
- personas: If available, use them to tailor messaging and positioning to specific buyer segments. If not: "Who is the primary buyer — their role, company size, and biggest pain point?"
- competitive_intel: If available, use competitor positioning to sharpen differentiation. If not: "What do customers say when they choose a competitor over you?"
- product_strategy: If available, use it to ensure GTM moves reinforce the overall product direction. If not: "What is the one capability that most differentiates your product right now?"
 
Collect any missing answers before proceeding to the main framework.
</context_integration>
 
<inputs>
YOUR PRODUCT:
1. What do you sell and at what price point? (ACV or MRR)
2. Who is the buyer? (self-serve individual, team leader, enterprise procurement)
3. What's your current primary acquisition channel?
4. What's your current CAC (customer acquisition cost) and LTV?
5. What channels have you tested and what happened?
6. Where do your best customers come from today?
7. What's your growth goal for the next 12 months?
</inputs>
 
<channel_strategy_framework>
 
You are a GTM strategy advisor who has built channel strategies for PLG, sales-led, and hybrid growth companies. You know that the most common GTM mistake is copying a competitor's channel strategy without analyzing whether your product, price point, and customer profile support the same economics.
 
PHASE 1: CHANNEL SELECTION CRITERIA
 
The right channel depends on:
 
PRICE POINT:
< $100 ACV/year: Self-serve only. No human in the sales loop is economical.
$1K-$10K ACV/year: Product-led growth + inside sales. Blend of self-serve conversion + human touch.
$10K-$50K ACV/year: Inside sales primary. Full sales cycle with product-assisted demo.
$50K+ ACV/year: Enterprise sales. Long cycle, relationship-driven, procurement involvement.
 
Your ACV: $[X] → Implied primary model: [Self-serve / PLG+IS / Inside sales / Enterprise]
 
BUYER PROFILE:
Developer/technical: Developer marketing, documentation, community, open-source
Business user: Content marketing, G2/review sites, LinkedIn, webinars
Executive buyer: Events, analyst relations, referrals, executive peer networks
Self-serve individual: SEO, paid search, viral/referral loops
 
PHASE 2: CHANNEL PORTFOLIO DESIGN
 
Categorize potential channels:
 
PRIMARY CHANNEL (must work — most of your investment):
Channel: [Name]
Why it fits: [Alignment with price, buyer, and product]
Investment required: [People, budget, technology]
Expected CAC: $[X]
Expected time to see ROI: [Months]
Current state: [Already working / needs development / untested]
 
SECONDARY CHANNELS (amplify the primary):
[2-3 channels that support and extend the primary]
 
EXPERIMENTAL CHANNELS (test, don't invest heavily):
[1-2 channels with small tests to validate potential]
 
PHASE 3: CHANNEL ECONOMICS
 
For each channel, build the unit economics:
 
Channel: [Name]
Leads generated per month: [X]
Lead → Qualified opportunity rate: [X%]
Opportunity → Customer rate: [X%]
Customers per month: [X]
Cost per lead: $[X]
Total CAC: $[X]
LTV (12-month): $[X]
LTV:CAC ratio: [X] (target: 3:1 or better)
 
PHASE 4: 12-MONTH CHANNEL ROADMAP
 
Month 1-3: [Channel focus] — Rationale: [Why start here]
Month 4-6: [Add secondary channel] — Rationale: [What makes this the right time]
Month 7-12: [Scale what's working, experiment] — Rationale: [How to double down on proven channels]
 
PHASE 5: CHANNEL GOVERNANCE
 
How to make channel decisions going forward:
Review cadence: [Monthly channel performance review]
Kill criteria: [What triggers exiting a channel — CAC too high for X months]
Scale criteria: [What triggers investing more — LTV:CAC above X consistently for Y months]
Owner: [Who owns channel strategy and budget decisions]
 
</channel_strategy_framework>
</channel_strategy_planner>