How to approach messaging for PLG

Using Calendly as an example.

It’s all about sequencing messaging.

📩 The right message…

⏱️ At the right time.

There are 3 time horizons to consider:

🟣 Acquisition

The goal?

🥅 Get a prospect to try the product.

In PLG acquisition, this likely happens when an existing user interacts with a prospect.

For Calendly, this means sharing their booking link.

In order for a prospect to try it out, they need to understand:

→ What the product is

→ The problem it solves

Get this right, and you’ll likely have a new user

🔵 Activation

The goal?

🥅 Get a user to realize the main capability (First aha! moment)

In PLG, this is about installing the first habit loop.

For Calendly, this means setting up and using an event.

To get this habit in place, you need the user to:

→ Follow a feature flow

→ Experience the capability

Getting them to first activation increases the likelihood of them sticking around.

🟢 Monetization

The goal?

🥅 Get them to pay for scaling the benefit.

In PLG, this shouldn’t mean holding them for ransom - But rather a fair trade for value.

For Calendly, this means extra calendars, events, and customizations.

In order for a user to move to paid, they need to:

→ Full understand next level capabilities

→ Have realized the benefit first hand

The strength of PLG is that by the time they go to paid, they are almost happy about it because they have received the value of the experience first hand.

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So if you are building out your PLG motions…

Don’t overlook the power of messaging:

→ Be clear

→ Sequence the messaging to match the moment