Product-led sales? Good luck with that.
In our office, we love a good, robust debate. Lately, we've been scratching our heads over something that feels like it's quietly vanished from the business world—"product-led" sales. Remember when that concept was all the rage? It feels like the playbook went like this:
Evolution of Sales: The "Build It and They Will Come" Era
Not so long ago, we were sold the dream that if you build a great product and obsess over user experience, success would naturally follow. It was the epitome of "build it, and they will come." Just craft an exceptional product, let the users flock in, and voilà, you've got yourself a thriving business.
For a while, this mantra worked, particularly for some of the big names in tech. Atlassian, Canva, and similar companies showed that with a strong product, users did come in droves. Their focus on building solutions that were intuitive, useful, and, most importantly, loved by their users earned them a loyal following.
But here’s the kicker—they didn’t necessarily pay. At least, not at first.
Sure, user adoption skyrocketed, but revenue growth didn’t always match. That’s where the dream of a purely product-led strategy began to fall apart. For every unicorn that figured out how to convert their user base into paying customers, there were countless others scrambling to find a path to profitability.
The Shift to Enterprise Sales
Enter the "big sales guys" from traditional tech powerhouses. Companies that once prided themselves on having a product that sold itself started hiring sales teams. Not just any sales teams—these were the heavy-hitters, seasoned professionals with years of experience closing enterprise deals.
Suddenly, the product-led growth approach was being augmented, if not outright replaced, by a more traditional sales-driven model. Companies that had previously relied solely on organic user growth now found themselves pursuing the enterprise clients who demand tailored, high-touch engagements.
The thinking was simple: hire the best enterprise salespeople, target big companies with deep pockets, and sell them on the benefits of your product. The problem? This approach can be painfully expensive and unsustainable if the product doesn’t speak for itself. Throwing an army of salespeople at a problem can give you short-term wins, but without the right product foundation, long-term growth becomes elusive.
Why Not Both?
So, where does that leave us now? At a crossroads. The truth is, as in many aspects of business, balance is key. The future of successful tech companies likely lies somewhere between product-led growth and traditional sales.
A great product is table stakes—you need to have that. But thinking a stellar user experience alone will carry your business to the finish line is a risky bet. In today’s market, it’s not just about building something people love, it’s about converting that love into tangible revenue.
We’re seeing more companies embracing a hybrid model—keeping their product-led DNA while layering on sales expertise to reach bigger, more lucrative clients. After all, even the most product-centric companies can benefit from a well-targeted sales strategy that brings in large enterprise contracts.
So, What Do We Think?
Ultimately, the debate in our office isn’t about whether product-led sales is dead. It’s about recognizing that the landscape has evolved. You can’t just build and hope they’ll come—and pay. You need a strategy that acknowledges the strengths of both product-led growth and enterprise sales.
It’s not an either/or scenario. It’s about integrating both approaches into a cohesive strategy that aligns with your business’s goals. What’s grinding our gears is the notion that one approach alone is enough in today’s complex business environment.
What do you think?
