Subscribe
Sign in
  1. Discussions
  2. We want to be product led but starting out we're debating...

We want to be product led but starting out we're debating using a mixed SL / PL strategy - thoughts?

Daniel Zaitzow
7 replies
Interesting if anyone has shifted their sales strategy to sales led at the onset to get more engagement and then transitioned into a more product led approach?

Replies

Julia Zakharova
Launching soon!
I'm really confused. The project basically starts out product-oriented, then customer-oriented, then follower-oriented.
Share
Daniel Zaitzow
Launching soon!
@julia_zakharova2 Totally - i might not have been super clear. We're planning on beginning with a mixed strategy where initially, our sales team engages customers to understand and meet their needs (Sales Led). As our product matures and our users become more familiar - we'll shift focus to a product-led approach where the product itself drives user adoption and expansion, encouraging users to promote it organically among their peers. I guess when you're a small org you need to throw everything but the kitchen sink at a strategy for success VS relying on what you want. Hopefully that clarifies a bit.
Share
Great one, im assuming you are an early stage startup. One key factor I will look at is the Avg ticket price. If its lesser than 5k, say, then we could look at product led. In many cases i have seen companies wanting to aim for a higher ticket price to not get diluted too thin. Produuct led would mean more users,but if not taken care of this could backfire in terms of bad product reviews etc.
Share
Gurkaran Singh
Ah, the classic "Sales Led vs. Product Led" conundrum - like choosing between a trusty old flip phone or diving headfirst into the latest smartphone craze! Transitioning from sales to product-led is quite the journey, but hey, sometimes you gotta dip your toes in the water before diving into the deep end of product-led goodness!
Share
Kristan Servidad
I think it depends on the situation. If you're a start-up that is in the middle of raising or needs to hit KPI targets quickly, then Sales Led makes more sense. You'll need to be able to scale and hire skilled salespeople who can simplify the buying process and quickly close to meet deadlines. This is difficult to do if you are lean, but the payback is huge if done correctly. If you just closed your round or have active uses but are not growing as quickly, then Product Led makes more sense -- you'll need to gather feedback and implement changes fast.
Share