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Part of what early customers expect when they purchase is that you ’ ll deliver what you promise – and that you ’ ll continue to do so . Committing to collaboration requires that you share what future product developments are on the roadmap and clear timelines to expect them . But it also requires that you establish a bi-directional channel that enables communication , soliciting feedback from customers as frequently as passing on information to them .

For SMEs , I ’ d recommend leaning into this collaboration even further by adopting a product-led growth ( PLG ) strategy . PLG makes collaboration the foundational pillar of business operations , and one that has proven success driving company growth for SMEs . Essentially product-led growth is fast iteration on your product to more closely match your customers ’ needs . This is done through eliminating friction , delivering product value quicker / easier and putting more control in the hands of the customer .

PLG requires active , deliberate focus on what users want and need . The goal is that by building instant value for customers based on their wants , those same users become purchasing influencers down the road .

In practice , this means aligning your goals with those of customers and partners . Many SMEs work with partners , which means your channel strategy needs to emphasise the same collaborative behaviours that you want to encourage . For engineering teams , collecting data is essential . Getting analytics to see how / why / when of product use lets you implement a dynamic PLG roadmap , built on features that are accessed most frequently , solve users ’ pain points and deliver what users report they need .

For sales , the collaborative effort of a PLG approach means approaching customers as partners to build with , rather than targets to sell to . Many PLG customers grow after the initial sale , which explains why a freemium model can be so effective . Sales teams can adjust to focusing on how to widen customer use over time and should empower sales reps to become more technically helpful in guiding customer use by sharing insights that add value long-term .

Integrating collaborative values through a PLG demonstrates a business ’ s commitment to its customers ’ success , a vitally important signal as today ’ s buyers increasingly turn a discerning and sceptical eye toward products . Leaning in with a product-led focus lets SMEs show , and benefit from , the collaborative journey between those building the product and those using it .

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WHAT EARLY CUSTOMERS EXPECT WHEN THEY PURCHASE IS THAT YOU ’ LL DELIVER WHAT YOU PROMISE – AND THAT YOU ’ LL CONTINUE TO DO SO .

THE GOAL IS THAT BY BUILDING INSTANT VALUE FOR CUSTOMERS BASED ON THEIR WANTS , THOSE SAME USERS BECOME PURCHASING INFLUENCERS DOWN THE ROAD .