Your Go-to-Market Model Might Be Heavier Than It Needs to Be
Many SaaS founders default to building a sales team too early.
Others jump into channel partnerships without a clear strategy, or assume their product has to be self-service.
But here’s the truth: your go-to-market (GTM) motion is one of your most important leverage points. Choosing the wrong one can burn runway, misalign your team, and stall growth.
This article will help you:
- Understand the three primary GTM models: self-service (zero touch), partner (light touch), and direct sales (heavy touch).
- Learn the trade-offs, use cases, and success factors for each.
- Make a deliberate, stage-appropriate choice for your SaaS company.
The best GTM strategy is the lightest one that works. Here's how to choose it.
1. Zero-Touch GTM: Let Your Product and Content Do the Selling
Can customers figure out what they need without help? Can they sign up, onboard, and succeed using only your product and content?
If the answer is yes, lean into a zero-touch model, and don’t hire sales.
Resist the temptation to "look more enterprise" before you're ready. A self-service motion can be the most scalable, cost-effective way to build a profitable SaaS company, especially if you’re selling to SMBs.
This is exactly how we built MightyCall, a SaaS startup that grew to profitability without a single salesperson.
Instead of funding a sales team or brand campaigns, we doubled down on product experience and conversion-focused content.
It didn’t look fancy, but it scaled beautifully.
When zero-touch works best:
- Selling to SMBs or prosumers.
- Your product is intuitive and onboarding is clear.
- Content, not consultation, drives purchasing decisions.
2. Light-Touch GTM: Use Partners to Gain Access, Capability, or Reach
Most SaaS companies assume they need a direct customer relationship. But in many cases, a partner or channel model can accelerate growth, if used for the right reasons.
Here are five strategic reasons to explore a partner-based GTM:
- Access
Gain entry to a specific market segment, vertical, region, or customer base you can't reach directly, yet.
This could be:
- A geo-specific distributor.
- A site with a large user community.
- A channel already embedded in your target workflow.
Know how long you’ll need this partner before you can build direct access.
- Solution Completion
Your partner makes your product more valuable by bundling it with services, integrations, or components.
Examples:
- Professional services.
- Installation, setup, or ongoing support.
- Extended warranties or hardware add-ons.
- Complementary IP or Functionality
Your partner brings something you don’t have, like niche content, localized code, or a proprietary module that fills a gap.
- Physical Distribution or Supply Chain
If your SaaS includes hardware or logistics, distribution partners can handle inventory, shipping, and fulfillment.
- Go-to-Market Execution
They can market, sell, or support the product better/faster/cheaper than you can internally.
This includes:
- Localized onboarding.
- Industry-specific marketing.
- Outsourced customer success.
Be intentional: Partnerships represent real value—know what that value is worth.
Sometimes you’ll pay a margin. Other times, you can structure an affiliate model with performance-based incentives.
Either way, this is a long-term decision. Choose wisely.
3. Heavy-Touch GTM: Don’t Build a Sales Team Unless You’re Sure
There’s nothing wrong with building a sales team. But it should be your last resort, not your default.
Only build a full internal sales motion if:
- Self-service doesn’t convert.
- No partner model fits your customer or use case.
- You've proven that direct selling is the only way to close.
Even then, you might not need to go all in from the start.
Consider outsourced sales early on. For example, the team at Altus provides instant sales capability while you validate your market and build a repeatable motion.
It’s a way to get “instant offense” without long-term overhead.
When sales makes sense:
- You're selling to mid-market or enterprise.
- Sales cycles are complex and consultative.
- Your buyer expects 1:1 human interaction.
Choose the Lightest GTM Model That Works
Your go-to-market model shapes everything: hiring, budget, content strategy, and customer experience.
Don’t over-engineer it. Don’t go heavy when light will do.
Start lean. Test fast. Let your customers, and data, tell you when it’s time to evolve your GTM approach.
Want Help Designing the Right GTM Strategy?
Kalungi has helped 100+ B2B SaaS companies build, test, and scale the right go-to-market motion for their stage.
Whether you need help validating a self-service funnel, designing a partner program, or outsourcing early sales, we’ll help you move fast and stay capital efficient.
Book a free discovery call here.
