67: Laura Schaffer: Layering self-serve into a Sales-led gig at Amplitude

Laura Schaffer, VP Product Growth @ Amplitude shares her experience of launching a self-serve paid plan and a free plan at Amplitude, a sales-led organization.

We discuss the changing landscape of selling, the power of self-serve product experiences, and the expectations of users. The conversation also delves into the tensions between sales and self-serve motions, the importance of buy-in and clear decision-making frameworks, and the structure and purpose of trials and freemium offerings.

We also talk about the disappearance of classical websites, questioning the need for a separate website and sign-up flow. What’s the role of Product, Growth and Marketing in that future?

Takeaways

The digital landscape has changed, and users now expect self-serve product experiences that allow them to try and evaluate products themselves.
Product-led growth (PLG) is a powerful approach that can drive pipeline and accelerate sales, but it requires buy-in and clear decision-making frameworks.
Trials and freemium offerings are effective ways to lower the friction of pricing and onboard users, but they need to provide enough value to get users over the next hurdle.
Digital web experiences and digital product experiences are becoming more similar, and the need for a separate website and sign-up flow is being questioned.

Sound Bites

"Whenever you layer in a self-serve motion into a sales led company, it will shed spotlight on any issues that are there at the company."
"Companies will start merging the website and product experience to avoid losing potential customers in the funnel."
Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Challenges of Implementing Self-Serve Motion

06:42 The Changing Landscape of Selling and the Power of Self-Serve Experiences

13:54 Tensions Between Sales and Self-Serve Motions: Navigating Conflicts and Gaining Buy-In

21:02 Trials and Freemium: Lowering Friction and Onboarding Users

26:02 Balancing Self-Serve and Sales-Led Motions: Serving Lower-End and Enterprise Segments

29:09 The Blurring Line Between Digital Web Experiences and Digital Product Experiences

37:01 Merging Website and Product Experiences

44:30 Measuring Success in a Product-Led Growth Model

50:36 The Importance of Support in the Self-Serve Environment


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