Narrowing Your GTM Focus for Broader Industrial Platform Success
- Ashish Deomore
- Jan 14
- 3 min read
When your industrial platform grows wider, your go-to-market (GTM) focus must get narrower. This sounds simple, but it’s a tough balancing act. Industrial platforms often cover a broad range of solutions—from AI and data engineering to predictive maintenance and scheduling. Each of these solves a real problem, but not every buyer wants to tackle all of them at once.
This mismatch creates confusion. Pitching to too many personas and mapping too many use cases leaves buyers wondering if your platform is truly made for them or just for everyone. Confusion kills consideration, and overwhelm kills conversion. The solution is not to do less but to be crystal clear about who you serve best.
Here’s how I approach narrowing GTM focus while keeping the platform’s broad value intact.
1. Identify Your Core Buyer Personas
Industrial platforms often try to appeal to multiple roles: plant managers, data scientists, maintenance engineers, and operations directors. Each has different priorities and pain points. Trying to pitch to all of them at once waters down your message.
Focus on 1-2 core personas per buyer journey. For example, if your platform excels at predictive maintenance, prioritize maintenance engineers and reliability managers. Tailor your messaging and content specifically to their challenges and goals.
This approach helps buyers quickly see how your platform fits their needs without feeling lost in a sea of options.
2. Prioritize Use Cases That Deliver the Most Value
Your platform may solve scheduling, optimization, AI-driven insights, and more. But not every use case is equally urgent or valuable to every buyer.
Choose a few high-impact use cases to highlight per persona. For instance, if you target plant managers, focus on scheduling and optimization. For data engineers, emphasize AI and data integration.
This keeps your story focused and relevant. Buyers can easily understand the benefits without being overwhelmed by every feature.
3. Create Clear, Focused Content for Each Journey
When your platform covers many solutions, your website and marketing materials can become cluttered with too many stories and options.
Limit the number of stories and calls to action per page. Each page should speak clearly to one persona and one or two use cases. Use simple language and visuals that reinforce the message.
For example, a landing page for predictive maintenance should not also try to sell scheduling or AI tools. Keep it tight and focused.
4. Use Data to Draw the Line
Deciding where to narrow your focus can feel subjective. Use data to guide your choices.
Analyze which personas engage most with your content and demos.
Track which use cases lead to the highest conversion rates.
Survey existing customers to understand their primary pain points.
This data helps you prioritize the personas and use cases that will drive the most growth.
5. Communicate Your Focus Internally and Externally
Narrowing your GTM focus requires alignment across your team. Sales, marketing, and product must share the same understanding of who the platform serves best.
Create clear buyer personas and use case profiles. Share these widely and update them regularly based on feedback and results.
Externally, be transparent with buyers about your focus areas. This builds trust and reduces confusion.
6. Keep Expanding Your Platform, But Expand Your GTM Later
Your platform can continue to grow its capabilities. But don’t try to sell every new feature immediately.
Introduce new solutions gradually and only when you have a clear GTM plan for them. This staged approach prevents overwhelming buyers and keeps your messaging sharp.
Final Thoughts
Broad industrial platforms face a unique challenge: how to serve many needs without losing clarity. Narrowing your GTM focus is not about limiting your product but about sharpening your message. By choosing fewer personas and use cases per journey, you make it easier for buyers to understand your value and take action.
Where do you draw the line in your GTM strategy? I’d love to hear how you balance platform breadth with marketing focus. Let’s talk and share ideas.