2026 Go-to-Market Performance Gap Report

The go-to-market performance gap

Close the GTM performance gap by turning AI into consistent execution

About the research

To understand why GTM confidence is outpacing execution consistency, Highspot surveyed 450 go-to-market leaders across sales, marketing, enablement, and RevOps. The research spans North America, EMEA, and APAC.

450

GTM leaders surveyed

countries

industries

Perception and reality are pulling apart

Most teams look mature on paper, but the performance data tells another story.

Perception

98% of leaders believe execution is standardised.

98%

Reality

Only 53% report highly consistent outcomes.

53%

The gap shows up where work happens

Managers miss coaching moments. Sellers struggle to land the message. Marketing launches the strategy, but the field does not always execute it consistently.

39%

Managers lack visibility to coach effectively

36%

Sellers struggle to apply messaging live

34%

Marketing initiatives fail to translate into sales execution

AI is scaling what already exists

AI can improve guidance, coaching, and decisions. But when teams lack a shared way of working, AI creates more signals without more action.

AI is moving faster

76% recognise that AI adoption is moving faster than their organisation can support.

Readiness changes the outcome

AI works when workflows, signals, and coaching are connected.

Consistency makes AI useful

AI drives impact when it reinforces how teams should execute.

Key findings for go-to-market leaders

The gap is no longer whether strategy exists. It is whether teams can execute consistently across regions, roles, and deals. AI raises the stakes because it scales whatever system is already in place.

Finding #1

GTM initiatives are not sticking

The average organisation runs nearly six GTM initiatives a year. But only 52% are successfully implemented and used consistently. That means almost half of the work teams prioritise never becomes part of how people actually sell, coach, or execute.

Finding #2

Maturity shows what to fix before AI drives impact

The GTM Maturity Model shows where execution breaks down and what teams need to fix before AI can drive consistent results.

32%

Reactive stage

Teams rely on individual effort, manual work, and scattered AI experiments. Results depend on who is doing the work, not a shared way of working.

29%

Structured stage

Processes and tools exist, but teams apply them unevenly. AI helps with tasks, but inconsistent workflows limit its impact.

23%

Connected stage

Teams work from shared data, workflows, and signals. AI starts guiding decisions in the flow of work, making execution more repeatable.

16%

Strategic stage

AI connects strategy, workflows, and performance signals in real time. Teams learn, adapt, and improve execution continuously.

Finding #3

Consistency is the growth lever

Organisations estimate they could improve performance by 8.5% within 12 months through more consistent ways of working. For a $1B business, that represents roughly $85M in potential revenue impact.

The teams pulling ahead are not adding more tools. They are making the right way to work easier to repeat.

$85M

potential revenue impact for a $1B business

Step 1 of 2

Rate each item:

We can clearly connect strategic priorities to day-to-day seller and manager behaviours.

Our teams can easily access the guidance, content, and insights they need to advance deals.

Coaching is delivered consistently across teams and is tied to measurable performance improvements.

AI and performance insights help our teams take better action, not just generate more information.

When we launch a GTM initiative, adoption is consistent across teams and regions.

Stop mistaking activity for execution

Download the report to see where GTM maturity breaks down, why AI raises the stakes, and how consistent execution can unlock measurable revenue upside.

Download report