Winning Where You Want: Having Intent Behind Your GTM Strategy – Ian Matthews, Teradata

Kimberly Conklin

Ian Matthews, VP of WW GTM Strategy, Planning & Incentives at Teradata, discussed how they use intent data and propensity models to drive GTM success. By tailoring messages and leveraging 6sense’s data capabilities, Teradata was able to identify high-value opportunities and expand their market reach effectively. Ian's session underscored the importance of being intentional with data to hit the right targets. 

Teradata’s Journey 

Teradata has evolved significantly, transitioning from Data Warehousing to Data Engineering, Data Lakes, Transactional Workloads, Lakehouses, and AI/ML. Starting on-premise, moving to hybrid, and now fully embracing the cloud, Teradata’s mission is to help companies own their data and do amazing things with it. 

The Changing Market 

Market demands have shifted, focusing on harmonised data, faster innovation, and business value. Technological expectations now revolve around cloud vs. hybrid, analytics/AI, and digital transformation. The buying groups include IT/Technology, AI/Analytics, Line of Business, and Transformation teams. 

A Vision for the Future 

Teradata set an ambitious goal: $1B in Cloud ARR by the end of 2025, starting with just $50 million. This transformation wasn’t easy, especially when what worked in the past wasn’t guaranteed to work in the new market reality. They faced challenges like team readiness and regional differences, but they knew a new approach was necessary. 

Intentional Strategy 

To reshape their GTM model, Teradata developed an intentional strategy. This included activating and scaling a modern partner ecosystem and building a differentiated proposition. Understanding the customer journey, propensity to buy models, roles and responsibilities, and account planning were crucial. 

The Right Technology and Data 

Success required leveraging the right technology and data. Teradata needed to migrate their tech, expand footprints, and acquire new logos. With only 200 sellers in a billion-dollar company, they had to ensure everyone was on board. 

Mind, Hands, and Heart 

Focusing on new logos was critical—something Teradata hadn’t done in 10 years. They needed to understand what a Teradata customer looked like now and what they wanted them to look like in the future. The sweet spot? Enterprise organisations or government agencies that drive value from vast amounts of data. Tailored customer stories, experiences, and case studies were essential to support their aquisition efforts. 

Building with Data 

Starting with Excel, Teradata built models to operationalize their strategy. Their secret weapon was their data modeling team—Esmond and Abby—who transformed static data into actionable insights using Salesforce, Eloqua, and 6sense. 

From Static to Living Data 

By integrating intent data, Teradata was able to turn static data into something much more dynamic. They could now identify potential customers and prospects in real-time, grouping organisations by characteristics that told them they were ready to (or at least likely to) buy.  

Smart Targeting 

They shifted to smart targeting with clear TAM, SAM, and SOM. Ian’s team were then able to redesign territories, launch targeted campaigns, and get live insights through their CRM. Realising they couldn’t focus on seven industries (the original ICP spread they’d built), they narrowed it down to manufacturing, financial, and government sectors. 

Aligned Teams 

Teradata redefined new logo coverage with regional squads, dedicated inside sales, hybrid account executives, and focused resources. Instead of fitting new logos into BAU, they created dedicated teams with strategic intent. 

Storytelling 

With a narrowed focus, Teradata didn’t need countless stories. They targeted growth areas, generated customer interest, painted visions, expanded key relationships, and delivered business value. 

Aligning Resources 

Resources were aligned across migration, expansion, and new logos. Teradata built stories for IT Decision Makers, Data & Analytics Decision Makers, and Line of Business Decision Makers, highlighting their most impactful use cases and value for each persona. 

Where Are They Now? 

The transformation had a significant impact. On the new logo side, Teradata now has: 

• Board-level support and a new CRO supporting their direction. 
• Focused targeting. 
• Three distinct new logo motions: cloud use cases, on-prem repeatability, and strategy. 
• The highest potential pipeline in Teradata’s history. 
• Winning deals more repeatedly. 

Lessons Learned 

Know Where You Are Going: Start with a vision, have an intentional plan, map the system, and create boundaries. 

Start Fast: Don’t wait for perfect. Data and insights may change directions, so get it into production quickly. 

Focus, Focus, Focus: Narrow down for impact, align everyone, check and adjust rapidly, and use your data. 

With intentional strategy, focused execution, and the right technology, Teradata is now winning where they want. 

Teradata - Winning Where You have Intent.pdf