What is Product-Led Growth (PLG)?
Product-led growth is a go-to-market strategy where the product itself drives user acquisition, expansion, and retention — reducing reliance on traditional sales teams for initial adoption.
PLG companies let users experience the product before (or instead of) talking to sales. The product is designed to deliver value quickly, encouraging organic adoption and viral growth. Sales teams still exist in most PLG companies but focus on expansion and enterprise deals rather than initial acquisition.
PLG Characteristics
PLG companies typically offer: a free tier or free trial with minimal friction, self-serve onboarding, in-product upgrade prompts, and viral or network-effect mechanics. Examples include Slack, Zoom, Notion, and Figma.
PLG + Sales: The Hybrid Model
Most successful PLG companies eventually add sales. The pattern is: product drives initial adoption at the team level, usage data surfaces expansion opportunities, and sales reps engage accounts for enterprise contracts. This hybrid model is increasingly common and requires CROs who understand both motions.
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