Editorial
The Gist
- CMOs are rebuilding GTM from the ground up. AI, buyer overload and economic pressure are forcing sharper, more intentional go-to-market strategies rather than incremental tweaks.
- AI is becoming infrastructure, not a gimmick. Marketing leaders are using AI to streamline compliance, workflows and internal decision-making—while keeping humans firmly in control.
- Noise is getting cut, fundamentals are staying. Bloated tech stacks, vanity metrics and spray-and-pray tactics are out; storytelling, personalization, ABM and sales alignment remain core.
2026 is shaping up to be the year we marketers rethink our GTM foundations entirely. Buyer behavior is shifting again, influenced by AI, economic pressure and unprecedented information overload. And changing behavior inevitably leads to new tools and strategies as marketers try to keep up and stand out in a competitive marketplace.
It is amidst this chaos that marketers must attempt to foresee the future and determine what to keep, what to cut and what to create next when it comes to their GTM strategies.
So how are CMOs adjusting their 2026 strategies? I asked a cohort of marketing leaders exactly that question. Their responses revealed a GTM landscape that is sharper, more disciplined, and increasingly shaped by AI—but crucially still grounded in the human creativity and conviction that have always defined great marketing.
Table of Contents
- Leading With What's New: A GTM Engine Built for an AI-First World
- What Stays: Reinforcing the Fundamentals
- What Goes: The Noise, the Bloat and the Busywork
- The Emerging GTM Playbook
Leading With What's New: A GTM Engine Built for an AI-First World
Kevin Cochrane, chief marketing officer at Vultr, has his 2026 priorities clear. Asked about what areas he intends to explore further in 2026, he said, "We're doubling down on our enterprise account-based marketing motion and expanding developer engagement, running more global hackathons to empower the next generation of AI-first developers to leverage Vultr and build the future."
And his point is bigger than just cloud infrastructure. Kevin knows that "new" isn't about tools for their own sake; it's about motions that meet emerging buyers where they already are.
AI is also reshaping how marketers work internally. For Ali Jawin, chief experience and marketing officer at Pontera, the most transformative shift is operational. "We made our first custom GPT for compliance," she said. "And now we only show our chief legal officer anything if it's been flagged."
It's a use case Ali is hoping to expand into other areas, such as procurement or contracting. And a striking preview of how AI agents will permeate marketing functions as essential infrastructure, not just gimmicks.
That said, CMOs are clear that despite all the advancements, AI is still in its early stages. "We will continue to innovate and explore how to make the best use of AI," said Melissa Lapp-LoBasso, executive director of Brand Growth and Innovation at Comcast Business. "It's exciting to know we are just starting to see all its uses and benefits."
Related Article: The Biggest Marketing Lessons From Season 2 of The CMO Circle
What Stays: Reinforcing the Fundamentals
Despite the speed of change, certain pillars remain steadfast. For many CMOs, storytelling, clarity and creative discipline remain non-negotiables.
"2026 will be about storytelling that builds emotional relevance and data discipline that proves it drives revenue," said Grant Ho, chief marketing officer at Ironsacles.
It's a sentiment many marketing leaders echoed. "The fundamentals don't change," said Kathleen Booth, VP of marketing at Sequel.io. "Storytelling, community and data-driven decision-making will always be core."
And even as automation accelerates everything, the most effective GTM strategies still require precision and personalization, according to Jen Leaver, senior director of Growth Marketing at Rithum: "The focus on precision and personalization, full-funnel storytelling and intent-led digital experiences aligned to the buyer journey remains essential."
Classic GTM motions and having the right growth mindset are also crucial roll-overs.
Debbie Umbach, chief marketing officer at M-Files, is clear that ABM has to stay and how important it is to "align to sales and partner with them on key accounts versus spray and pray."
David Roth, chief marketing officer and GTM Consultant at Mobile Heartbeat, notes the desire for his team to continue working closely together "for purposes of continuous improvement, evaluating our content compared to competitors and identifying positioning opportunities."
What Goes: The Noise, the Bloat and the Busywork
Across the board, all the marketing leaders I spoke to were unequivocal about one thing: what gets cut. Grant had the clearest summary: "Bloated tech stacks, vanity metrics and endless A/B tests that optimize the wrong thing. We're done optimizing for clicks. We need to optimize for conviction."
Jen had a similar stance: the days of complexity for complexity's sake are over. When asked what is getting tossed in 2026, she said, "Over-engineered funnels and one-size-fits-all messaging. We're cutting complexity in favor of simplicity and phasing out volume-based tactics."
Allison Kavanagh, chief marketing officer at Inflo Health, added another casualty: "An SDR approach measured solely in meetings booked." According to her, "the shift is toward meaningful engagement and qualified opportunities."
There is a broader shift behind these decisions, articulated best by Michal Ferguson, chief marketing officer at Fireblocks. "I'm calling 2026 our no-BS year," she said. "More actionable content, more human connection, less 'thought leadership' content anyone can and does produce."
In other words, it sounds like 2026 is the year marketers stop performing marketing, and start practicing it.
What CMOs Say Stays, Goes and Scales in 2026
A synthesis of marketing leader perspectives on how go-to-market strategy is being reshaped.
| GTM Focus Area | What Stays | What Goes | What Scales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Go-to-Market Motion | Account-based marketing and ecosystem-led growth | Broad, undifferentiated GTM plays | Focused, intent-driven GTM motions |
| AI in Marketing | Human oversight and governance | AI used as surface-level experimentation | AI embedded into internal workflows and operations |
| Storytelling and Content | Clear, emotionally resonant storytelling | Generic thought leadership and filler content | Actionable, experience-driven narratives |
| Technology Stack | Core platforms that enable execution | Bloated, overlapping martech tools | Simplified stacks aligned to outcomes |
| Measurement and Metrics | Revenue-aligned performance signals | Vanity metrics and activity-based reporting | Conviction, intent and pipeline quality metrics |
| Personalization | Precision and relevance across the funnel | One-size-fits-all messaging | Intent-led, journey-aware experiences |
| Sales Alignment | Partnership with sales and partners | Isolated marketing execution | Joint account planning and shared GTM ownership |
| Demand Generation | Qualified engagement and opportunity quality | Volume-based SDR and meeting-count models | High-intent demand and meaningful engagement |
| Operating Discipline | Strategic focus and creative conviction | Busywork and optimization for its own sake | Simplification across teams, tools and workflows |
The Emerging GTM Playbook
While marketing leaders differ here and there on what's new for 2026, I spotted an unmistakable pattern among all my conversations:
- Smarter, more selective ABM
- AI-powered internal workflows
- Intentional, high-quality content
- Community and experiential engagement
- Simplification everywhere
The CMOs who thrive in 2026 won't be those who adopt the most tools, but those who know how to orchestrate humans and AI into something that moves the business.
GTM is evolving, but intent remains constant. Whether it's Kevin doubling down on ecosystem-led developer GTM, Allison exploring Reddit for authentic engagement or Melissa leaning into the still-untapped frontier of AI, marketing leaders are intentionally sharpening the signal and tuning out the noise.
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2026 will reward clarity, conviction and creativity. And perhaps most importantly, it will reward marketers who remember that, even in an AI-first world, GTMs are built by and for humans. The customer experience remains at the heart of every successful go-to-market strategy, and the best marketing trends for 2026 reflect that truth.
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