A comprehensive guide to building a go-to-market operating system that aligns marketing, sales, and customer success around the full customer lifecycle.
The Bowtie Funnel Model
Traditional funnels stop at the sale. The bowtie model extends the funnel to include post-sale stages — onboarding, adoption, expansion, and advocacy — recognising that most B2B SaaS revenue comes from existing customers.
Pre-Sale Stages
Awareness — Prospects discover your brand through content, ads, referrals, or events
Education — Prospects consume content, attend webinars, read case studies
Selection — Prospects evaluate your solution against alternatives, engage with sales
Post-Sale Stages
Onboarding — New customers are activated and achieve first value
Adoption — Customers deepen usage and integrate into daily workflows
Expansion — Customers upgrade, add seats, or purchase additional products
Advocacy — Customers refer others, write reviews, and become brand champions
Building Your GTM Operating System
Map your current customer journey across all stages
Define metrics and KPIs for each stage
Identify handoff points between teams
Build automation and workflows for each transition
Create reporting dashboards that span the full bowtie