The Two Paths
Product-Led Growth (PLG): Product drives acquisition.
Sales-Led Growth: Sales team drives acquisition.
We tried both. Here's what we learned.
PLG: Product-Led Growth
What It Is
Free trials. Self-serve. Product sells itself.
Users sign up. Product closes.
When It Works
- Low-touch product
- Clear value proposition
- Self-serve is natural
Examples
Dropbox. Slack. Notion.
Sales-Led Growth
What It Is
Sales team reaches out. Builds relationships. Closes deals.
Human sells.
When It Works
- Complex product
- High-ticket sales
- Enterprise buyers
Examples
Salesforce. SAP. ServiceNow.
The Hybrid
When It Works
Most B2B SaaS needs both.
Freemium/free trial for self-serve. Sales team for enterprise.
The Framework
Freemium -> Self-serve -> Sales for upsell
The Decision Matrix
| Factor | PLG | Sales-Led |
|---|---|---|
| Ticket size | Low (<$1K/mo) | High (>$1K/mo) |
| Sales cycle | Days | Months |
| Product | Simple | Complex |
| Users | Many individuals | Enterprise buyers |
The Honest Take
Start with PLG.
If you can't sell yourself, sales can't either.
Prove the product. Then add sales.
