GTM Inbound Strategy

Design inbound GTM systems — lead routing logic, PLG activation flows, nurture tracks, and ICP-based triage. Use when leads aren't converting, building or optimizing a PLG trial funnel, or when marketing and sales disagree on lead quality. Triggers: "design our inbound motion," "build a lead routing model," "create a nurture sequence," "our trial signups aren't activating," "triage these inbound leads," "optimize our PLG funnel."

Design or optimize the inbound GTM system from lead capture through conversion. Output is a routing model + activation/nurture sequences with explicit SLAs.

Steps

1. Classify lead sources — assign signal strength and routing priority:

   • Demo request → 🔴 High: route to AE (SLA: 4 hours)
   • Trial/PLG signup → 🟡 Medium: PLG activation flow
   • Gated content / event → 🟡 Medium: nurture + intent watch
   • Newsletter / organic → ⚪ Low: long-play nurture

2. ICP triage — FIRE quick-score every inbound lead within 24 hours (see gtm-qualification-scoring for the full rubric):

   • F ≥ 7 AND I ≥ 7 → sales-qualified, route to AE now
   • F ≥ 6, I < 6 → marketing-qualified, enter nurture + intent watch
   • F < 6 → self-serve or long-play nurture — no SDR time

3. PLG activation flow (if applicable) — define the "aha moment" first: the single action that predicts retention. Build the sequence to reach it in ≤ 3 steps. Default cadence: Day 0 confirm → Day 1 first-value prompt → Day 3 usage check → Day 7 case study → Day 14 sales touch (if ICP match) → Day 21 re-engagement.

4. Nurture tracks — assign to one of three tracks:

   • Track A (High-Fit, Low-Intent): educate, 1x/week for 6 weeks
   • Track B (High-Intent, Unknown-Fit): qualify fast, 2x/week for 2 weeks
   • Track C (Low-Fit, Low-Intent): brand affinity, 2x/month

5. Define SLAs — every routing rule needs a time window and an owner. "Route to sales" without an SLA is not a system.

Output

# Inbound GTM Motion: [Product / Segment] | [Date]

Lead Source Map: [Source · Signal strength · Routing priority]
FIRE Triage Thresholds: [Specific F/I thresholds for this ICP]

Routing Logic:
IF [source + FIRE condition] → [action] (SLA: [time], Owner: [role])
[repeat for each routing rule]

PLG Activation Flow: [Day-by-day: channel · content · goal · aha moment]
Nurture Tracks: [Track A / B / C — cadence, content type, goal]
Handoff SLAs: [Lead tier → response time → who owns it]