Go-to-Market Strategy

In emerging economies, the route to market is complicated by limited data and fragmented distribution. BCG’s next-generation go-to-market approach helps companies unlock profitable growth through a digitally enabled transformation of their sales and distribution capabilities.

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Today, as in earlier economic downturns, companies’ sales and distribution activities are being squeezed at both the top and bottom lines. And across emerging markets, these pressures are intensified by the complexities that confound go-to-market strategies there, including a scarcity of data on customers and purchases, fragmented and multilayered distribution networks, and variations in how and how well last-mile execution is achieved by sales reps making $100 to $150 a month and operating at 20% attrition rates. To deliver in these challenging—but highly promising—regions, companies turn to BCG for a tailored go-to-market plan.

BCG’s Go-to-Market Framework

Our go-to-market strategy consulting experts enable our clients to surmount go-to-market challenges by harnessing our deep local expertise and diverse global teams to drive sustainable business impact.

We help companies reimagine their go-to-market plans and reinvigorate their performance by embracing an integrated approach across the sales and distribution landscape.

We've identified comprehensive levers for go-to-market transformation:
Channel segmentation, overall strategy, and objectives

Reinvent front-end sales processes
Reimagine sales processes, and digitize for effectiveness, efficiency, and direct sales.

Transform distributors
Rethink distributors’ roles, scale, economics, and payout strategy.

Optimize retail execution
Optimize the service model, apply a segmented service model, and increase sales force effectiveness.

Win in e-commerce
Pivot and win in emerging channels as well as e-commerce and e-B2B.

Optimizing front-end trade spending

Enablers include:

  • Digital and analytics
  • Sales organization
  • Processes and performance review
  • Capability building

Featured Client Work in Go-to-Market Strategy

Masstige Footwear Company. We executed multiple transformation initiatives across distribution expansion, retail execution, digital lead selling, e-commerce business entry, and exports business expansion. The client achieved sales growth of 18% to 20% in two years—well above the industry average of 12%.
Global Confectionery Company. We developed an end-to-end go-to-market plan, including an effective coverage model, that optimized service levels and redefined the economic model for distributors in each market. This approach unlocked 10% to 12% in growth, reduced the cost to serve by 200 basis points, and built a future-ready go-to-market strategy to drive broad portfolio growth.
Building Materials Manufacturer. We helped revamp the client’s influencer program, digitized the salesforce, and strengthened its distribution channels. Within one year, our go-to-market plan garnered differential growth above 2% in key accounts and above 4% in medium accounts. New product sales increased by 200%.
Electrical Consumer Goods Firm. Our end-to-end go-to-market strategy framework was defined and implemented, transforming the client’s distributor scouting, infrastructure, margin structures, sales force effectiveness, and on-the-ground implementation of digital solutions. This approach led to differential growth above 15% in primary sales across pilot markets. Reach and outlet coverage doubled, with more than 10,000 counters reached and more than 6,000 of these activated within three months.

Our Go-to-Market Tools and Solutions

We bring a rich arsenal of analytical tools, proprietary databases, and playbooks to help our clients win in emerging markets:

Explore Our Insights on Go-to-Market Strategy

Meet Our Go-to-Market Strategy Consulting Experts

Partner and Director

Kanika Sanghi

Partner and Director
Mumbai - Nariman Point

Partner and Associate Director

Amit Mittal

Partner and Associate Director
New Delhi

Managing Director & Partner

Prashant Choudhary

Managing Director & Partner
Singapore

Managing Director & Partner

Rohit Gulati

Managing Director & Partner
Singapore

Managing Director & Partner

Zineb Sqalli

Managing Director & Partner
Casablanca

India Leader, Marketing, Sales and Pricing Practice

Parul Bajaj

Managing Director & Partner
Mumbai - Nariman Point

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