Web3 changes the entire idea of the Go-To-Market strategy for companies in the space. While some traditional customer acquisition frameworks are still relevant, the introduction of tokens and organisational structures such as decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) requires a variety of go-to-market approaches.
Below are some frameworks coined by Maggie Hsu (partner at a16z) for thinking about GTM in a Web3 context.
The Web3 go-to-market matrix - Source a16z
What allows for long-term success in Web3 is clear purpose, having an engaged and high-quality community, and matching the right organizational governance to that purpose and community. In the upper right quadrant, we look at organizations, networks, and protocols with unique Web3 operating models, which in turn require novel go-to-market strategies. These organizations follow a decentralized model and use token economics to attract new members and reward contributors.
GTM for DeFi DAOs
One major category of decentralized applications are decentralized finance (DeFi) applications, such as decentralized exchanges or stablecoins. While they might have similar go-to-market motions as a standard, non-decentralized application, value accrues differently due to the organizational structures and token economics.
Below are potential ways to go-to-market for DeFi applications