Welcome to Edition One
Welcome to the first edition of the People-First GTM newsletter. I’m Mark and I started the People-First GTM movement back in 2023. At the time I saw a huge shift happening. COVID-19, the rise of AI and LLMs, and crowded channels were putting a ton of pressure on marekting and sales teams. So I decided to create a new approach to growth.
For the last three years I've used People-First GTM at Airmeet, TACK, and now EasyLlama to grow revenue efficiently. Ironically, it was really the foundation of our strategy when I was HubSpot and Drift too.
The simple truth 👉 Performance marketing doesn't create demand out of thin air.
Performance tactics only amplify the underlying message, value, and relationships you've built. If the foundation is weak, throwing ad dollars at the problem is just paying extra to amplify noise.
Feature story.
THE FANTASTIC FOUR
For years, companies poured millions into performance marketing channels. Paid search, social ads, cold email automation, and quick SEO plays. But today, customer acquisition costs (CAC) are skyrocketing, win rates are down, inboxes are flooded, and buyers are skeptical.
To win today, market leaders are shifting focus back to four critical functions:
Product Marketing
Customer Education
Customer Marketing
Community Growth
These four roles form the foundational engine that powers every outbound campaign, ad spend dollar, and customer interaction.
Here is why these functions matter more than ever, how they influence both human buyers and AI search engines, and why a People-First GTM approach is the ultimate answer.
The New Reality: Influencing Humans & AI Search Engines
We have entered a dual-marketing era. You are no longer marketing only to human decision-makers; you are also marketing to AI search engines and Large Language Models (LLMs) like AI Mode, Claude, Gemini, and ChatGPT.
When prospective buyers ask AI tools for recommendations, those systems don't care about your ad budget or clever display banners. AI engines scan for:
Authentic human consensus: What real people are saying in communities, reviews, and forums.
Differentiated positioning: Clear, unique category definitions and narrative claims that stand out from commoditized "AI sloppiness."
Comprehensive educational depth: High-value, structured knowledge, documentation, and expert insights.
Customer sentiment and brand reputation: Verified customer success stories and active user engagement.
If you want AI tools and PEOPLE to recognize, TRUST your brand, and recommend your product, you need deep substance. That substance comes directly from what I call the fantastic four marketing functions.
1. Product Marketing: The Catalyst for Differentiation
Product Marketing sets the strategic foundation. Without a sharp Point of View (POV) and clear positioning, all performance marketing turns into generic messaging that buyers ignore.
Define the Enemy: Identify the core problem or outdated status quo your buyers must eliminate. For EasyLlama, where I currently work, it’s legacy compliance practices are risky.
Establish a Strong POV: Position your unique perspective on where the industry is going. For EasyLlama it’s agile compliance is how you build trusted compliance programs.
Differentiated Positioning: Clearly articulate why your solution is distinct and necessary, giving performance campaigns a narrative hook that actually converts. For EasyLlama it’s legally vetted compliance and training.
2. Customer Education: Turning Curiosity into Capability
High-performing companies treat education as a primary growth driver. By publishing high-value guides, certification programs, and practical tutorials, you build authority before a buying decision even occurs.
Empower the Buyer: Help prospects solve real industry challenges without forcing a sales pitch.
Feed the AI Engines: Detailed, structured educational content serves as primary authority training data for AI models summarizing your category.
Accelerate Time-to-Value: Educated buyers convert faster and onboard with higher confidence. I saw this at HubSpot and Drift time and time again.
3. Customer Marketing: Building the Retention & Advocacy Engine
Acquiring a customer is only the start. Customer Marketing ensures you take extra care of existing buyers, deepening relationships and creating long-term business value.
Structured Customer Programs: Build customer advisory boards, VIP experiences, and specialized loyalty initiatives. Relationship building at scale.
Relationship Networks: Create opportunities for customers to connect with each other, share best practices, and learn together.
The Advocacy Flywheel: Turn happy customers into reference accounts, case studies, and word-of-mouth advocates that feed pipeline creation.
4. Community Growth & Events: Your Offense and Defense Moat
Community Growth, powered by live and virtual events, creates an environment where buyers, partners, and experts connect directly with your team.
Playing Offense: Host regional meetups, workshops, flagship summits, and active digital hubs to capture market mindshare before competitors even realize an opportunity exists.
Playing Defense: An active, loyal community creates a massive competitive moat. Competitors can copy features or mirror pricing, but they cannot easily clone your community, relationships, and trust.
Integrated Experience: Events are not isolated tactics; they serve as catalyst moments for content generation, relationship building, and community engagement.
Putting it into practice.
HOW THE FANTASTIC 4 POWER PERFORMANCE MARKETING
Core Marketing Job | Core Focus Area | How It Fuels Performance Channels |
|---|---|---|
Product Marketing | Positioning, POV, and messaging | Provides high-converting hooks and value props for ads and outbound emails. |
Customer Education | Tactical courses, guides, and masterclasses | Generates qualified subscribers, leads, and handraisers. |
Customer Marketing | Advocate programs, reviews, and case studies | Provides social proof, ROI metrics, and trust signals for all assets. |
Community & Events | Owned hubs, meetups, and user events | Drives high-intent engagement, peer referrals, and long-term brand equity. |
A final thought.
TACTICS ARE JUST TOOLS.
Relationships and human connections are the actual growth engine.
When you align Product Marketing, Customer Education, Customer Marketing, and Community Growth, you transition from transactional, company-first marketing to a People-First Go-To-Market strategy.
People-First GTM focuses on:
Matching how you go-to-market with how people actually buy today.
Putting storytelling, partnerships, and authentic networks at the center of every experience.Building an audience and owned community before asking for the sale.
Turning satisfied customers into active growth engines through word-of-mouth.
By investing in these four foundational roles, you build a brand that stands out to human buyers, commands authority in AI-driven search, and fuels sustainable, long-term revenue.
What's your take?
Which of these four areas is your team prioritizing this quarter?
Hit reply and let me know. I read every response.
Until next time,
Mark