How do you balance building for large potential customers before they buy vs having the sales team sell what you already have?

Rule of thumb: don't build before they buy. If this whale wants something specific, they should put skin the game, either through a services/customization contract or a purchase contract contingent on a feature delivery. Of course, there's a lot of nuance to a situation like this.  Maybe there's an obvious gap in the product offering that the competition universally satisfies. It's probably something already on your backlog, and so you know it will unlock multiple incremental sales opportunities ...Read More

Generally, the sales team should focus on selling what’s already on the truck.  However, if there are gaps that are deemed deal blockers for customers, one of the most important considerations is whether the feature being requested fits with the product strategy and is broadly applicable beyond the customer requesting it.  If it is, then it’s more of a matter of timing.  If it doesn’t, then no matter how large the deal is, PMs should be empowered to push back and say no to the request.  However ...Read More

My answer would be don't balance it - just sell what you have. The most successful product-led companies I have been at are ones that are not chasing a vision of what was sold to a customer but can focus on building a vision that is compelling and solves real problems for the customer and market. Maybe the question is, how do I get my sales team to sell what we have? Create usecase based wins and artifacts showcasing your product in winning position Deeply understand where the sales teams are lo ...Read More

This has always been a chicken and egg problem, and the challenge itself is compounded by the fact that larger customers demand more scrutiny, (longer sales cycle).  Depending on the maturity level of your product - If you are in an early build phase, it is probably worth going down a trial/beta period with a functional PoC built to demonstrate the product. - However, as the product matures and you onboard more customers, it becomes extremely challenging to entertain such requests, where having ...Read More

This is the classic “build vs sell” tug-of-war between product and sales that every Enterprise PM is faced with. It’s a delicate dance, especially in an enterprise where big deals can hinge on roadmap promises. Here’s how I think about it and some food for thought as you run into this. Align with product strategyYour roadmap should be grounded in a clear vision, not just driven by whoever yells the loudest. So before committing to building something for a prospective customer, ask does this alig ...Read More