A more effective mental model than PLG vs. SLG is analyzing which activities create new demand versus which ones harvest existing demand. Both sales and product can serve either function. Creating demand is always the harder, more critical challenge for any revenue engine.

To stay top-of-mind with prospects who aren't ready to buy, map out the critical decisions they'll face around a compelling event. By providing resources that help them navigate these inherent challenges (e.g., compliance, tax), you become a trusted advisor, not just another vendor waiting for an opportunity.

Frame your sales stages around the decisions you need from a prospect (a 'get'), not the tasks you must complete (a 'do'). For example, the goal isn't 'do a demo,' it's 'get agreement that you're the vendor of choice.' This encourages creativity and efficiency, preventing unnecessary activities.

Move beyond traditional sales sequences by implementing "invisible funnels" triggered by customer actions, like filling out an intake form. Use automation to analyze their responses and initiate personalized conversations, creating trust and generating sales without a hard-sell campaign.

Instead of maximizing the volume of prospects at the top of the funnel, strategically narrow your focus to fewer, high-potential accounts. This 'martini glass' approach prioritizes depth and engagement over sheer productivity, leading to better quality opportunities.

Counterintuitively, sharing your best knowledge for free builds immense trust and authority. This strategy proves your expertise and makes potential clients eager to purchase your paid implementation services, overcoming skepticism in a crowded market.

Enterprises are comfortable buying services. Sell a service engagement first, powered by your technology on the back end, to get your foot in the door. This builds trust and bypasses procurement hurdles associated with new software. Later, you can transition them to a SaaS product model.

John Morgan built the legal tech platform Litify for his own firm's needs. He then leveraged his massive case referral network by requiring partner firms to adopt Litify. This created a captive market for his software and streamlined his core business operations, establishing a powerful, self-reinforcing flywheel.

Instead of selling leads to local businesses like garage repair shops, create a superior online storefront and marketing funnel. You take the full customer payment, then subcontract the actual service to a local provider at their standard rate, profiting from the margin created by a better customer experience.