Pixel Studios’ CEO, Mr. T.G. Srinivasan, recently had the privilege of leading a high-energy Go-to-Market (GTM) workshop at the SRM Innovation and Incubation Centre. The session was not just a lecture but a dynamic exchange where founders shared challenges, discussed their products, and engaged in peer-to-peer learning. The conversations reinforced one core truth — a startup’s success depends on how an idea reaches customer’s mind especially at an emotional level.
Here is a quick summary of the frameworks that can help any startup.
Table of Contents
1. Product Offering: What Problem Are You Solving?
A GTM journey must always start with the problem-solution fit. Startups often fall into the trap of building technology because it’s exciting, without validating if the problem is big enough.
A founder should ask:
- Is this a real pain point or just a “nice-to-have”?
- How frequently do people face this problem?
- Is there urgency to solve it now?
Take Urban Company (formerly UrbanClap) as an example. They identified a deep problem — unreliable, unorganized home service providers. By solving trust, convenience, and quality assurance, they created a platform that scaled rapidly across cities.
Keep the early customer conversations as the foundation. Listening to the market before coding is more powerful than perfecting a product nobody needs.
2. Revenue Opportunity: How Will You Price It?
Pricing is one of the most overlooked aspects of GTM thinking. Founders often copy competitors’ pricing or assume “cheap = competitive.” But in reality, pricing is a signal of value.
Different pricing models were discussed:
- Freemium – used by SaaS companies like Zoho, where basic features are free and upgrades are paid.
- Transaction-based – Swiggy takes a cut from each delivery.
- Subscription – companies like CureFit use recurring membership plans.
The example of Freshworks stood out. They didn’t race to the bottom with pricing but instead created tiers that aligned with customer growth. This meant startups could begin affordably, but as they scaled, Freshworks captured higher value.
The takeaway: Don’t price to survive, price to signal the value you’re building.
3. Brand Differentiation: Why Should Customers Choose You?
In markets overflowing with alternatives, differentiation is the moat. Startups must think beyond “better features” and instead ask: What story am I telling customers?
Some strong Indian examples:
- Paper Boat didn’t just sell drinks — it sold nostalgia.
- Mamaearth positioned itself as “toxin-free” in a beauty market flooded with chemical-heavy products.
- BYJU’S differentiated by blending storytelling and visuals into learning, not just offering another syllabus.
At the workshop, founders were encouraged to articulate their Unique Value Proposition (UVP) in one clear sentence. If you can’t explain your difference in a single line, customers won’t remember it either.
4. Strategy: Red Ocean vs. Blue Ocean
Every GTM strategy involves a choice — do you compete in a crowded market (Red Ocean) or create uncontested demand (Blue Ocean)?
-
In a Red Ocean, you fight competitors on price, features, or convenience.
Example: Ola vs. Uber in India. Ola differentiated within this Red Ocean by adding auto-rickshaw and bike taxis, adapting to local needs. -
In a Blue Ocean, you create a new category where competition is irrelevant.
Example: Razorpay, which identified underserved SMEs needing simple digital payment solutions and built for them.
Our Advice: Know which ocean you’re in before spending on marketing. Many startups burn cash without realizing whether they’re competing head-on or carving a new space.
5. Marketing and Measuring Success
Marketing is often misunderstood as “just ads.” In reality, it is how your customer discovers, trusts, and chooses you.
Some principles shared:
- Tell a story, not just features. Boat made headphones aspirational by creating a youth-driven community (“boAtheads”).
- Educate before you sell. Zerodha didn’t just offer trading accounts — it built Varsity, one of India’s largest free stock market education platforms.
- Be hyperlocal. Dunzo leveraged WhatsApp groups and word-of-mouth marketing before scaling nationally.
Avoid vanity metrics (likes, downloads, website traffic). Instead, focus on:
- CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost)
- LTV (Customer Lifetime Value)
- Retention and churn
A successful GTM plan constantly measures, learns, and iterates.
Indian startups have no shortage of ideas. It must be backed up with a deeper understanding of customer’s pain points by way of listening & empathising. Typically, a founder’s concept should be provided with opportunities for customers to participate in its development, which can facilitate acceptance and lead to success. A well-thought-out GTM approach — grounded in problem clarity, smart pricing, sharp differentiation, strategic positioning, and measurable marketing — is the real growth engine.
Pixel Studios look forward to engaging with more founders and enabling them to translate vision into sustainable businesses.
