Product-led growth (PLG) companies have some of the best lifecycle teams out there. The problem is that you rarely get to see how these teams operate because their programs usually sit behind a login and only show up once you’re a user.
People have been asking me for real PLG lifecycle examples, and the best resource I’ve found is from my friend Jon Farah. He spent the past year auditing the lifecycle programs at eight of the best PLG brands: Notion, Slack, Clay, Apollo, Monday, Canva, Calendly, and Claude.
It’s one of the most complete lifecycle maps you’ll find, so I asked him to walk you through it.
Hey everyone, Jon here.
Most programs I’ve helped modernize were originally focused on the first conversion and subsequently did very little after that. This can be very problematic given that the crux of every great lifecycle program is built around driving value, reducing churn, and monetizing or upselling customers to drive lifetime value (LTV).
After auditing eight different PLG brands, I noticed something interesting: the best programs always keep investing after conversion with use cases built around adoption, expansion, and retention.
I decided to consolidate everything I’ve learned into one view:
A dedicated glossary of best practices
50+ real use cases from 8 PLG brands
Six core lifecycle stages, from first touch to churn
These examples come from software companies, but many of these frameworks work for any business with repeat customers regardless of industry. In fact, I find some of the best insights for lifecycle come from looking at programs outside your industry.
If you want to get the most out of this map, go through each stage and check off which use cases you’re actually running today. It only takes about 30 minutes, and it’s a great way to zoom out and look at your program objectively and holistically. My hunch is you’ll start to notice the gaps pile up in the same place. In my experience, it’s usually right after the first conversion, which is usually a great place to start making optimizations.
Thanks for having me Luke. I hope the map helps you find your next few wins. If you have any questions feel free to reach out to me on Linkedin. I’m always happy to talk lifecycle.