How a PLG team can add a sales function with Correlated's Tim Geisenheimer

We’ve all got a favorite band. They start off small, playing in tiny venues and relying on word of mouth to build their fan base. Their raw talent and charisma attract a following, akin to how an innovative product captures the market. However, to make a real impact, bands must dream bigger and venture beyond their local scene. This calls for a proactive approach, akin to a world tour, where they engage with fans on a larger scale, promoting their music and playing in major venues.

Similarly, in the B2B SaaS realm, a company with a stellar product can build an initial customer base through organic, product-led growth. However, to truly accelerate and attain unparalleled success, incorporating a sales-led motion is essential. This entails a deep understanding of customers, personalizing approaches, and delivering value beyond the product. Like the band embarking on a world tour, this synthesis of strategies requires tactical planning, strategy, and execution. Guiding us through this journey is Tim Geisenheimer, CEO and Co-Founder of Correlated, whose expertise in seamlessly integrating sales-led and product-led strategies proves invaluable for companies seeking to harmonize and leverage these growth approaches.

High Level Overview:Leveraging User Data for Outreach: Cold outreach is more effective when it's personalized. Tim Geisenheimer emphasized the importance of utilizing user data to add value in communications, thus creating an impactful sales conversation.Security Can Be an Ice-Breaker: When approaching existing customers for upselling or new prospects, leading with security insights can capture their attention, as security is a prime concern for most businesses.Balance Between Sales-led and Product-led Is Key: Tim pointed out that while having a strong product is crucial, it's equally important to have a sales-led motion to actively reach out to potential customers who can benefit from your product.Be a User of Your Product: “Dogfooding” your product helps you understand its value and talk about it convincingly. Correlated uses its own product, and Tim highlights how this practice can make the product better and also improve communication with customers.Cold Outreach is Evolving: In the PLG (product-led growth) space, pure cold outreach is becoming less effective. Tim suggests that the days of cold sequencing are numbered, and companies need to adapt by providing more value and personalization in their outreach.Implementing Sales-Led with Tim Geisenheimer:

Integrating a sales-led approach in a product-led business is akin to adding a turbocharger to an already powerful engine. By complementing the organic growth generated by the product with proactive sales efforts, businesses can achieve a level of growth that is greater than the sum of its parts. Tim Geisenheimer’s insights reveal the importance of this balanced approach.

Utilize Existing User Data: Tailor your outreach and communication based on how your product is already being used by the prospect or customer. This customization makes your message resonate more and shows that you are attentive to their needs. When reaching out to customers, it's essential to go beyond generic messaging. By analyzing the user data and understanding their interaction with your product, you can craft a message that addresses their specific pain points or highlight features they might not be utilizing fully. This shows that you have put thought into understanding their business and are genuinely trying to add value.Initiate Conversations with Security: Begin conversations with insights on security. This can be an effective way to engage potential clients as it immediately addresses a critical concern. Security is a universal concern among businesses. By initiating the conversation with how your product can enhance security, or providing insights into security best practices, you tap into a top priority for the potential customer. This approach can help in establishing your brand as an authority and building trust early in the conversation.Create a Defined ICP (Ideal Customer Profile): Know which companies would most benefit from your product and focus your outreach efforts on them. This focused approach makes your sales efforts more efficient and effective. Having a well-defined Ideal Customer Profile allows your sales team to target the right businesses with precision. This means that the communication and outreach efforts are directed at those who are most likely to benefit from your product. It saves time and resources, and increases the probability of closing deals as you are talking to the most relevant audience.Employ Your Product in Your Sales Process: Use your own product to understand it better and to find customers. This firsthand experience enables you to discuss your product more authentically and persuasively. Using your product internally (“dogfooding”) enables you to identify its strengths and weaknesses. This insight is invaluable when communicating with customers because you can talk about real-world applications and benefits. Moreover, your sales team can provide genuine recommendations and tips, making the conversation more relatable and engaging for the potential customer.Evolve Your Outreach Strategies: Recognize that cold outreach needs to evolve. Integrate more value-driven, personalized approaches to engage potential customers effectively. Cold outreach strategies are rapidly becoming outdated. People are more likely to engage with communications that provide value. It’s essential to adapt your outreach strategies by incorporating personalized messages that are relevant to the recipient. This could include sharing insights, industry trends, or ways your product can solve specific challenges they might be facing.

Implementing a sales-led approach to a product-led business is not merely about boosting sales efforts. It’s about intelligently leveraging the strengths of your product, understanding your customers, and communicating value in a personalized manner. As Tim Geisenheimer’s experience illustrates, this approach not only enhances customer engagement but also positions your company for sustainable growth in an ever-evolving market.

Further Learnings

Follow Tim on LinkedIn and Twitter.