How to run productive GTM meetings…
Have you ever experienced challenges managing your GTM meetings? Inevitably most Product Marketers will say yes to because setting up and selling a GTM strategy to cross-functional partners to get their buy-in itself can be a tough job but then coupling that with building and maintaining support for the GTM meeting till launch/post-launch can be even more challenging task due to the time it eats up and large gaps in the process that creep up on you.
One of the tools I've leveraged to help me navigate through this process to set the right expectations with stakeholders and to get the most out of each and every meeting is the RAPID framework. I’ve used this for numerous projects and it does work if you can sell the merits of the tool to your stakeholders and religiously lead with it throughout your GTM process. In this post I will discuss how I’ve leveraged this framework that has helped me successfully navigate tasks with cross-functional teams, effectively communicate with everyone and run a successful GTM meeting.
What is the RAPID Framework?
Bain & Company developed this framework and the short excerpt below from their site gives some background context on how this framework was born.
“High-quality decision making and strong performance go hand in hand. Yet, in many companies, even clear, well-framed decisions can be derailed by uncertainty over roles and responsibilities. To address this common problem, Bain created RAPID®, a tool to clarify decision accountability. A loose acronym for Input, Recommend, Agree, Decide and Perform, RAPID® assigns owners to the five key roles in any decision. When the roles involved in decisions are clearly delineated, teams and organizations make the right choices—swiftly and effectively.” - source: Bain & Company.
Building off the context from Bain & Co I've created a table with a bit more detail for each role and it applies in the real world.
Why is it effective?
Clarity: By agreeing upfront the R&Rs there is a clear Decision maker where the buck stops reducing the bottlenecks.
Consistency: The focus is on speed and the framework naturally allows you to make speedy decisions when you have to.
Credibility: Drives high-quality decisions, and sets clear escalation paths to break the deadlock.
“A good decision executed quickly beats a brilliant decision implemented slowly.”
How should a Product Marketer effectively implement the RAPID framework?
Key Stakeholder Buy In: Start by Identifying who your core cross-functional partners are likely to be (i.e. Product Manager, Comms etc.) and select 1-3 of them to start seeding the idea to increase the level of accountability for an upcoming GTM meeting. Sell the fact that the RAPID framework will increase the efficiency and output of the team.
Pre-work: Before officially assigning roles and imposing this framework you need to think through each aspect of your GTM launch/project etc. Document this in a GANTT chart and ensure they include the following aspects
What are the functional streams (CRM, Design etc.) that need to be included and why?
What are the key dates?
What are the main milestones (Alpha, Beta and Public Launch etc.)?
Assigning People: Once the pre-work is done and you have a couple of cross-functional partners who are in agreement with the approach, a formal meeting should be set up to officially introduce the framework. Use this time to walk through each role highlighting how it seamlessly links with the project followed by agreeing on the streams, agree on timings and finally start assigning the roles. The group must understand that they’re empowered to make decisions and feel comfortable doing that.
Meeting Cadence: Agree on a regular rhythm to meet with your GTM partner teams. My suggestion is an hour-long meeting a week where each Recommender and/or Decision maker goes through their functional streams and provides an update on current progress and highlights any blockers and issues to the group. It’s always good hygiene to have a dedicated Slack group that allows you to update the teams after the meeting on the key points.
Celebrate Wins: As the GTM lead, call out the successes of hitting key milestones however big or small, it’ll keep the motivation and help drive momentum.
The key takeaway to run a successful GTM meeting is having a solid structure with a clear endgame in sight. These meetings are time-consuming and with busy schedules, it’s important to do the relevant pre-work to set the meeting up for success. The reality is a lot of the things required to manage a successful meeting are logical but adding that extra layer of rigour/structure will help you set up a more productive meeting and the RAPID framework can help you achieve that.
If you need a helping hand setting up a RAPID, give me a shout.
