Crossing the GTM Chasm: Bridging the Gap from Visionary Traction to Scalable Growth

Introduction

In B2B tech, early traction is just the beginning. Many companies gain initial interest from innovative buyers (visionaries who want to be first), but stall when trying to scale. Geoffrey Moore's seminal book Crossing the Chasm provides the clearest diagnosis of this problem: the gap between early adopters and the early majority. At Infinityn, we don’t just understand this chasm; we help our clients cross it by operationalizing the strategy Moore outlined with modern GTM and Account-Based methods.

What Is the Chasm, and Why Does It Matter?

Moore’s framework builds on Everett Rogers’ Technology Adoption Lifecycle, which segments the market into Innovators, Early Adopters, Early Majority, Late Majority, and Laggards. The Chasm is the critical point between Early Adopters and the Early Majority: two groups that buy for fundamentally different reasons.

Early Adopters are driven by vision. They are excited about new possibilities. The Early Majority, by contrast, is pragmatic. They want proven solutions, trusted vendors, and minimal risk. This difference creates a dangerous gap.

Many companies die in this gap. Not because their product fails, but because their go-to-market strategy fails to shift from visionary to pragmatic buyer engagement.

Moore’s Playbook for Crossing

Moore offers a practical plan:

• Focus: Choose a niche market segment (the “beachhead”) where your solution is a must-have.

• Whole Product: Deliver not just the product, but everything needed to solve the customer’s problem—onboarding, integration, support, and credibility.

• References: Build case studies and proof points within the beachhead that convince other pragmatists.

• Positioning: Speak to the specific pains, processes, and performance metrics of your chosen segment.

“The only safe way to cross the chasm is to pick one beachhead market and dominate it.” – Geoffrey Moore

From Theory to Execution: The Modern GTM Bridge

While Moore’s theory remains foundational, the modern B2B landscape requires new tools. Infinityn brings the executional muscle to make this transition real, measurable, and scalable.

Today’s GTM strategy must:

• Define a Total Relevant Market (TRM) and prioritize the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) with the best chance of converting pragmatists.
• Use intent data and firmographics to dynamically segment accounts.
• Create personalized buyer journeys and orchestrate messaging across roles and stages.
• Align Sales and Marketing around pipeline velocity, not vanity metrics.

At Infinityn, we help companies identify their beachhead, build the whole product narrative, and execute the GTM plays that move them from early traction to scalable growth.

The Bowling Alley: Account-Based GTM in Action

Moore also introduced the “bowling alley” metaphor: you hit a headpin niche, then use momentum to knock over adjacent markets.

This is exactly how Account-Based GTM works:

• Land: Win a tight segment with hyper-focused messaging and ABM tactics.

• Expand: Use wins, references, and partner strategies to grow into adjacent segments.

• Scale: Build horizontal adoption across verticals, functions, and geographies.

Infinityn helps orchestrate this journey with buyer-group insights, playbook design, and SDR-led engagement, creating momentum that translates into predictable pipeline.

Whole Product = GTM Enablement

The modern version of Moore’s “whole product” includes:

• Frictionless onboarding and success delivery
• Partner integrations and support infrastructure
• Outcome-focused content and messaging
• RevOps alignment to ensure deal velocity and NRR growth

This is no longer optional. Pragmatists need reassurance, not just features.

Mini Scenario: A Cybersecurity Chasm

Imagine a cybersecurity startup that gained traction with innovative IT teams. Their demos wowed visionaries, but enterprise procurement stalls their growth. Why? They haven’t translated value into risk-reduction language for the early majority.

Infinityn helps companies like this shift GTM plays, reposition their offering, and build trust in new segments, crossing the chasm with data-backed precision.

Modern Metrics for Chasm Execution

The most successful GTM teams today use:

• CAC payback period
• Time-to-value (TTV)
• Win rates by buyer group
• Pipeline velocity and coverage

Infinityn’s GTM scorecard methodology helps our clients measure these KPIs and align them to ABM plays, SDR execution, and messaging refinement.

Conclusion: Your GTM Plan Is Your Bridge

The Chasm isn’t just a metaphor. It’s a real, measurable business gap. Geoffrey Moore gave us the map. Infinityn provides the bridge.

We align strategy, data, and execution to help you move from early traction to scalable revenue. Whether you’re stuck in a niche or need to activate expansion, we bring the tools, talent, and GTM architecture to accelerate your next move.

Let’s build your GTM bridge.