Product-led growth is many things. But here is what it's NOT.

Seven misconceptions about PLG.

Product-led growth (PLG) is many things, but here are SEVEN things it is not:

1. Not a substitute for Sales-led growth (SLG)

2. Not a cheap way to generate a pipeline

3. Not a fast way to make revenue

4. Not a viable growth motion for every business

5. Not powerful without marketing and sales

6. Not a growth motion without connection to monetization 

7. Not successful without Product ownership

Let’s dive in!

Not a substitute for the Sales-Led Growth

Product-led and Sales-led growth motions are successful across different segments, personas, and use cases and should be set up to complement each other, not compete or replace.

• PLG cannot succeed in the enterprise segment with enterprise buyers like SLG: hard to communicate enterprise value prop in a product, have to have the right group of decision makers onboard, end users <> buyer, sales can more effectively increase perceived value, etc.

• SLG cannot succeed in SMB: it may not be the preferred way to transact, ACVs cannot justify human involvement, etc.

So choose PLG a…