Real-world go-to-market strategy examples from industry pioneers

For the past five years, we’ve witnessed a significant transition in go-to-market strategy of industrial b2b organisations. 

Today's technical buyers are digital-first industry leaders seeking compelling digital stories and reliable solutions to problems, as opposed to a single product or service.  This is having a knock-on effect, as industrial firms feel pressure to move from being a product supplier to becoming seen as a strategic partner with relevant, packaged solutions and world-class delivery.

As a result, traditional go-to-market approaches built for presenting traditional products - such as trade shows, product specs, and mining long-established relationships - are not achieving the desired growth rates most industrial titans have come to expect. 

But here's the challenge: how do you modernise your go-to-market approach without undervaluing the technical credibility and industry expertise that got you here? The answer lies in evolution, not revolution, and some of the world's leading industrial brands are setting the best go-to-market strategy example.

How industrial b2b brands command their space 

If you think of your go-to-market strategy as your brand's GPS, you’ll see it's not just about reaching your destination but choosing the most efficient route to customer connection. This means striving for momentum (the right direction and speed), while avoiding friction (market obstacles).  

Today, we're sharing some industrial b2b success stories that prove strategic evolution beats revolution every time.

Breaking the laws of market gravity 

When ServiceNow transformed from a simple IT ticketing system to an enterprise-wide digital workflow platform, it didn't just change its product, but engineered a complete go-to-market evolution. Service Now deployed clever content marketing to amplify its heritage of technical excellence while speaking directly to C-suite pain points. This created a powerful market position that turned IT conversations into business transformation discussions.

Similarly, Rockwell Automation masterfully navigated its transition from component manufacturer to Industrial IoT leader.  They maintained their heritage of engineering excellence while building a new narrative around digital transformation, proving that industrial brands can embrace innovation without losing their soul.

Creating b2b market force: transforming to expand 

MRA Engineering recently faced a pivotal challenge: how to position themselves for global expansion while maintaining their reputation for engineering excellence. Through a bold brand transformation that identified MRA’s enviable track record for quality and value, they evolved from a respected local player to a global force in industrial automation. 

Similarly, another leading Australian manufacturer was looking to harness the power of customer advocacy for sustainable growth. We worked together to create a go-to-market engine powered by authentic customer success stories.  

Just as impressively, Invictus Australia demonstrated how the right go-to-market strategy can cut through complexity. Their digital transformation journey shows how heritage-led organisations can evolve their market approach while staying true to their core mission.

Engineering b2b go-to-market success - what does it take? 

We’ve been studying b2b go-to-market strategy examples outside the SaaS ecosystem and have spotted a few patterns: 

1. Heritage-powered innovation

B2b brands that build on their long-and-hard-earned heritage, e.g. technical expertise rather than attempting to reinvent themselves altogether, seem to have greater success in repositioning for market growth. This makes perfect sense, and is reflected in the many conversations we have with C-Suites about their fear of complete revolution.  There is a reason our b2b titans have been successful to date. Define it, and use it to power the next phase of growth.   

2. Unified systems over isolated tactics

Seamless experiences across sales, marketing, and customer service require a unified platform, aligned stakeholders and common, relevant goals.  This is helped by putting the customer at the centre of all integral interactions, and then creating the end-to-end experience that is rewarding for customers, and for you. 

3. Evolution-focused transformation

Change doesn't have to be disruptive. The best strategies evolve systematically, bringing teams and customers along the journey, and breaking seemingly mammoth tasks into bite-sized chunks that make sense to everyone. 

Is it your time to play the game of evolution? 

If you’ve been thinking it is time to unleash your industrial brand’s potential, we should talk. Because in a world of safe plays and subtle moves, we believe industrial brands deserve to be bold, brilliant, and unstoppably ambitious.

[Warning: Side effects of a well-executed go-to-market strategy may include market leadership, spontaneous competitor envy, and unstoppable momentum.]