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In a PLG model, the product has to do what a great sales rep would do.
Create urgency. Follow up. Present special offers that feel personalized. Answer objections before they block the deal. Nudge users toward the next step in the journey.
But it has to do all of that in a touchless way. Without a human in the process. One to many.
That’s pretty hard, considering the vast majority of new users sign up, poke around a little bit, then leave after 5 to 7 minutes.
And if a new user leaves without experiencing the core value of the product, it’s really, really hard to get them back.
On top of that, if you're growing fast, at some point the number of new customers converting equals the number churning out every single month. Even with world-class churn rates. You eventually hit a point of stagnant customer growth.
So the product has 3 important jobs:
Activate new users quickly
Convert free users into paying subs
Get existing customers paying more over time
Navattic runs the hybrid version of this playbook
The version I like most still keeps a sales team in the mix. I call it the hybrid motion. It balances product-led growth with the traditional inside sales motion.
It’s become one of the best playbooks for scaling a big business.
And Navattic runs it really well.
So a few weeks ago, I carved out a few hours and went through their entire PLG approach. And I filmed a video sharing what I liked, why I think it’s working, and what I might try differently if I were on their team.
I typically try to create written content and then have a video version for those who prefer. But this one’s really meant to be watched, so check out the video below.
You’ll see me break down three parts of the Navattic experience:
Getting new users to value fast with a minimum viable setup experience
Making the product upgrade path easy and obvious
Growing revenue from the customers you already have
(Quick disclosure: I’ve advised the Navattic team on parts of their PLG journey over the past few years. That’s what let me go this deep. They didn’t pay me for this piece or ask me to make it. I ran the video by them before publishing, and they didn’t influence the content, critiques included.)
And if you like this content, let me know what business or product I should break down next. Send me a DM or add a comment to this piece