What is Sales-Led Growth (SLG)?

Sales-Led Growth (SLG) is a traditional go-to-market strategy where the sales team is the primary driver of customer acquisition and revenue growth. In this model, potential customers typically interact with a sales representative before they can access or purchase the product.

For Startups: SLG is common for B2B startups selling high-value, complex products to enterprise customers. It often involves a longer sales cycle, higher Customer Acquisition Costs (CAC), but also leads to larger contract values (ACV).

For B2B SaaS: A typical SLG motion involves Marketing generating leads (MQLs), Sales Development Reps (SDRs) qualifying them into opportunities (SQLs), and Account Executives (AEs) closing the deals. This contrasts with a Product-Led Growth (PLG) model.

Example: A startup selling a complex cybersecurity software to large banks would use a Sales-Led Growth strategy, with a dedicated enterprise sales team building relationships and negotiating contracts.