You're either generating revenue, retaining revenue or both - either way, this newsletter is my way of distilling 16 years of GTM experience into weekly nuggets to help you and 1000+ other industry leaders get unstuck and grow your business.
But the news is now being put in our faces. I caught myself indulging a little just before I started my workouts this week. It’s wild.
This year I’ve been more intentional about understanding the political climate. Not because I’ve suddenly become a policy nerd. But because I know this:
We need to know what’s going on. Not just because we care. But because our customers care.
Let’s unpack how Trump’s tariffs ripple into the B2B SaaS world through a GTM strategy lens.
How to Think About Trump’s Tariffs as a SaaS GTM Leader
Tariffs aren’t just a political headline. They reshape buyer behaviour across industries. And that reshapes how SaaS companies need to go to market.
But first let’s zoom out.
Critical Insight:
When things feel uncertain, politically, economically, etc - people act differently. Not always logically. In fact, we tend to avoid what we don’t fully understand, even if it might work in our favour.
There’s something called the Ellsberg Paradox that explains this well. It basically shows that most people would rather choose a known risk than take a chance on something ambiguous even if the outcomes are the same.
What does that mean for your GTM?
Buyers will stall, not because they don’t need what you’re selling, but because the uncertainty around them makes even good decisions feel risky.
They’ll overthink.
Ask for more proof.
Default to the safest, most familiar option.
Your job? Make the decision feel safe. Predictable. Valuable. Not just in the product, but in the process.
Here’s what to think about…
1. Tariffs = Cost Pressure = Buyer Caution
If you sell into industries that produce, move, or sell physical goods, then I have some bad news for you - your buyers’ operating costs just went up.
Input costs (e.g. steel, packaging, parts) are rising.
CFOs are tightening budgets and delaying investment.
Spending scrutiny increases.
GTM impact:
Deals stall.
New initiatives are paused.
Finance leads the conversation.
What to do:
Lead with ROI.
Position around cost savings and margin protection.
2. Tariffs Disrupt Global Supply Chains
The cost of doing business internationally changes quickly.
Vendors are re-evaluated.
Supply chains are restructured.
Operations move or shrink.
GTM impact:
The chaos creates urgency, but also risk.
Messaging needs to reflect business adaptability.
What to do:
Reframe around agility, visibility, and risk mitigation.
Buyers facing financial pressure may downgrade, churn or re-scope.
This is especially true in freight, agri-tech, logistics and retail sectors.
GTM impact:
Renewals and upsells become harder.
CS and AM teams become part of the GTM engine.
What to do:
Build a renewal risk dashboard based on industry exposure.
Train CS teams to proactively re-sell value.
Offer more pricing flexibility
4. ICP Priorities Shift
Your ICP may still be right, but their internal buying process might not be.
Procurement and finance lead decisions.
Mid-level buyers lose influence.
GTM impact:
Previous playbooks may no longer work.
The buying committee has changed.
What to do:
Refresh persona maps.
Arm champions with internal business cases.
Speak directly to financial decision-makers.
5. Downstream SaaS-on-SaaS Effects
If your customers serve affected industries, their slowdown becomes yours.
A freight tech slowdown impacts SaaS vendors upstream.
Even the most useful tools can get deprioritised.
GTM impact:
Your pipeline weakens without any change in product.
Revenue gaps appear without warning.
What to do:
Double down on partner marketing and ecosystem plays.
Reframe as a revenue enabler not just an ops tool.
Food for Thought
Rework your next outbound message or landing page to reduce ambiguity. Make the ROI, onboarding process, and outcomes very clear. The goal is to remove the “what if this doesn’t work?” hesitation from your buyer’s mind.
Audit your current sales process for points where a buyer might feel uncertain - pricing, timelines, outcomes - and create short, trust-building assets (like a one-pager or testimonial reel) to plug the gap.
Most companies are rushing to market. But what if the real power is in creating it?
This week on Edge of Growth, we go live with Karthiga Ratnam (Audience Haus) to unpack a movement-first approach to growth. From category design to social impact, Karthiga brings a whole new lens to GTM strategy.
This is a 45 minute masterclass on change management around data projects - did you miss it?
Your poor processes are probably costing you millions, but you keep ignoring them - a rant
Until Next Time ✌🏾
PS
If you’re feeling a little concerned about your revenue growth then we have a few things to help you find the answer:
Evaluate Your Strategy → Curious about where your Go-to-Market strategy stands? Discover key areas for improvement. [Take the Assessment]
GTM Insights → Want to learn more about Go-to-Market strategies? Check out our latest insights on YouTube. [Watch Now]
1-1 Consultation → Need personalised advice? Book a 1-1 consultation, and I’ll help you map out your next steps. [Book Here]
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You're either generating revenue, retaining revenue or both - either way, this newsletter is my way of distilling 16 years of GTM experience into weekly nuggets to help you and 1000+ other industry leaders get unstuck and grow your business.
