Guest: Hila Qu - Growth Advisor at Reforge and former Head of Growth at GitLab. Hila is renowned for her expertise in product-led growth (PLG) and has authored top-read posts on the subject. Key Takeaways: PLG vs. SLG Funnel: Understand the difference between product-led growth (PLG) and sales-led growth (SLG) funnels. PLG focuses on product usage as a leading indicator of success, whereas SLG relies on marketing interactions to qualify leads. Starting PLG: Begin by mapping out your PLG funnel, identifying missing components like a free trial or self-serve checkout, and understanding where to focus efforts—typically on activation, conversion, or acquisition. Activation Focus: Most B2B products benefit from focusing on activation first, ensuring users quickly reach the product's value (aha moment) to improve retention and conversion. Data Foundation: PLG is fundamentally data-led. Invest in a robust data infrastructure, including product analytics tools like Amplitude, data hubs like Segment, and lifecycle marketing tools to guide users through the funnel. Building a PLG Team: Start with a dedicated growth PM and data analyst to drive the PLG motion, and consider a cross-functional tiger team for initiatives like product-qualified leads (PQLs). Topics Covered: Product-led growth (PLG), sales-led growth (SLG), PLG funnel mapping, activation strategies, data infrastructure, PLG team building, product analytics, growth metrics.
“PLG motion is perfect for lowering the barrier for more people to try, broader the reach.”
“The user of B2B softwares are also human. It's the same human using B2C softwares.”
“North star metric is valuable to just everything.”
