Product-Led Sales Plan: Trial-to-Paid Conversion

Company Context

• Product: B2B SaaS platform for data teams
• Trial: 14-day free trial
• ICP: Data teams at companies with 200–2,000 employees
• Sales Team: 2 SDRs, 2-hour SLA on qualified signals
• Core Objective: Improve trial-to-paid conversion without spamming users

1. Product-Qualified Lead (PQL) Definition

Scoring Model

Each trial account accumulates points based on behavioral signals observed during the 14-day trial. An account becomes a PQL when it crosses the threshold score.

PQL Threshold

• PQL Threshold: 50 points
• Hot PQL Threshold: 75 points (fast-track to immediate outreach)

PQL Tiers

Disqualification Criteria

An account is excluded from PQL status if:

• Company size is below 50 or above 5,000 employees (outside ICP)
• Uses a personal email domain (gmail, yahoo, etc.) with no company association
• Has been marked "not interested" or "competitor" in CRM
• Trial account shows zero logins after day 3

2. Routing Rules

Lead Assignment Logic

With 2 SDRs, routing must be simple, fair, and fast.

WHEN account reaches PQL threshold:
  1. Enrich account (Clearbit/ZoomInfo) → confirm ICP fit
  2. Check CRM for existing ownership
     - IF owned → route to owner
     - IF unowned → round-robin between SDR-A and SDR-B
  3. Set SLA timer:
     - Hot PQL (75+) → 30-minute SLA
     - Warm PQL (50–74) → 2-hour SLA
  4. Create CRM task + Slack alert in #pls-alerts channel
  5. Log PQL score breakdown in CRM opportunity notes

Round-Robin Rules

• Alternate assignment between SDR-A and SDR-B on each new PQL
• If one SDR is at capacity (>15 active PQLs), overflow to the other
• During off-hours (evenings/weekends), queue PQLs and assign at 8:00 AM next business day; SLA clock starts at assignment time

Escalation Path

3. Outreach Sequences

Guiding Principles

• Relevance over frequency: Every touch references specific product behavior
• Value-first: Offer help, resources, or insights — never just "checking in"
• Respect the trial clock: Align cadence to 14-day trial window
• Channel mix: Email + in-app + LinkedIn (no cold calls unless requested)

Sequence A: Warm PQL (Score 50–74)

Trigger: Account crosses 50-point PQL threshold

Touch 1 — Day 0 (within 2 hours of PQL trigger)

Subject: Quick thought on your {{product_name}} setup

Body:

Hi {{first_name}},

I saw your team at {{company_name}} just {{activation_description}} — nice work getting that set up.

I work with a lot of data teams in the {{company_size_range}}-person range, and one thing that tends to make a big difference early on is {{relevant_tip_based_on_their_activity}}.

Happy to share what's worked for similar teams if that'd be useful. No pressure either way.

Best, {{sdr_name}}

Notes: Reference the specific activation event. Keep it under 100 words. No ask for a meeting.

Touch 2 — Day 3 (Email)

Subject: A resource for {{use_case_based_on_integration}}

Body:

Hi {{first_name}},

Since you connected {{integration_name}}, I thought this might be relevant: [link to case study or guide specific to that integration].

The team at {{similar_company}} used a similar setup and cut their {{relevant_metric}} by {{percentage}}. Figured it might save you some time during the trial.

Let me know if you have any questions about the setup.

{{sdr_name}}

Notes: Tie the resource directly to the integration they installed. If multiple integrations, pick the most recently added.

Touch 3 — Day 6 (LinkedIn Connection Request)

Message:

Hi {{first_name}} — I see you're evaluating {{product_name}} at {{company_name}}. I help data teams get the most out of their trial. Happy to be a resource if anything comes up.

Notes: Soft touch. No pitch. Just establish the connection.

Touch 4 — Day 9 (Email)

Subject: Your trial is halfway through — anything I can help with?

Body:

Hi {{first_name}},

You're about a week into your trial, and based on what I can see, your team has been making solid progress — {{specific_usage_observation}}.

A few things I'd recommend exploring before the trial wraps:

1. {{Feature recommendation based on their usage pattern}}
2. {{Feature recommendation based on their team size}}
3. {{Feature recommendation based on their integration}}

Want me to walk you through any of these? Happy to do a 15-minute call this week.

{{sdr_name}}

Notes: First explicit meeting ask. Provide genuine value with specific recommendations. The three suggestions should be personalized, not generic.

Touch 5 — Day 12 (Email — Trial Urgency)

Subject: 2 days left — want to make sure you don't lose anything

Body:

Hi {{first_name}},

Your trial wraps up in a couple of days. I know evaluations take time, but I wanted to flag that {{data_or_config_they_would_lose}} will be affected when the trial ends.

If you need more time, I can extend the trial — just let me know. And if you're ready to move forward, I can connect you with the right person to get pricing sorted for your team.

Either way, happy to help.

{{sdr_name}}

Notes: Create urgency without pressure. Offer the trial extension as a goodwill gesture. Mentioning what they'd lose is based on their actual setup.

Sequence B: Hot PQL (Score 75+)

Trigger: Account crosses 75-point PQL threshold

Touch 1 — Day 0 (within 30 minutes — Email)

Subject: Your team's {{product_name}} usage is impressive

Body:

Hi {{first_name}},

I noticed your team at {{company_name}} has been moving fast — {{specific_actions: activation, invites, integrations}}. That's more adoption in {{X}} days than most teams hit in the full trial.

I work specifically with data teams at companies your size, and I've seen a few patterns that separate the teams that get massive ROI from those that plateau. Happy to share those in a quick 15-minute call.

Do you have time {{tomorrow/this_week}}?

{{sdr_name}}

Notes: Confident, direct, but still value-oriented. Reference specific behaviors. Meeting ask is upfront because the signals are strong.

Touch 2 — Day 1 (In-App Message via Intercom/Pendo)

Hey {{first_name}} — I'm {{sdr_name}}, working with data teams using {{product_name}}. Noticed you've connected {{count}} integrations and invited {{count}} teammates. Want me to set up a quick walkthrough of advanced features most teams miss during the trial? Just reply here or grab time: {{calendar_link}}.

Notes: Meet them where they are — inside the product.

Touch 3 — Day 3 (Email — if no reply)

Subject: Re: Your team's {{product_name}} usage is impressive

Body:

Hi {{first_name}},

Quick follow-up — I know things get busy. I put together a short comparison of how teams like {{company_name}} typically structure their {{product_name}} deployment vs. what I see in your current setup.

[Attach or link: 1-page PDF with a personalized "current vs. recommended" setup comparison]

Let me know if this is useful, or if a quick call would be easier.

{{sdr_name}}

Notes: Provide a tangible, personalized artifact. This should be a lightweight, semi-automated comparison (template with 3–4 personalized fields).

Touch 4 — Day 5 (Phone/Voicemail — if no response to any channel)

Voicemail script (30 seconds max):

"Hi {{first_name}}, this is {{sdr_name}} from {{product_name}}. Your team's been doing great things in the trial and I wanted to see if I could help with anything before it wraps up. I'll drop you a quick email with a couple of ideas. Talk soon."

Follow-up email (immediately after):

Subject: Just left you a voicemail

Body:

Hi {{first_name}},

Left a quick voicemail — nothing urgent. Just had a couple of ideas for your team based on how you're using {{product_name}}:

• {{Idea 1 based on usage}}
• {{Idea 2 based on usage}}

Happy to jump on a call or keep things async — whatever works best.

{{sdr_name}}

Touch 5 — Day 8 (Email — Breakup / Extension Offer)

Subject: Should I close the loop?

Body:

Hi {{first_name}},

I've reached out a few times and I know you're busy, so I don't want to be noise in your inbox. Last thing I'll say:

Your team has built a solid setup during the trial. If timing isn't right, no worries — I can extend the trial by 7 days so nothing gets lost. Just reply "extend" and I'll handle it.

If you're evaluating pricing or need to loop in someone else, happy to help with that too.

{{sdr_name}}

Notes: The "breakup" email consistently gets the highest reply rates. Offer the extension as a low-friction action.

4. In-App Messaging (Non-Email Touches)

To avoid the feeling of "spam," supplement email with contextual in-app messages triggered by behavior:

5. Four-Week Pilot Plan

Objective

Validate the PQL model and outreach sequences with real trial data. Establish baseline metrics and iterate.

Pre-Pilot (Week 0) — Setup

Duration: 3–5 business days before pilot start

Week 1 — Launch & Calibrate

Focus: Start working PQLs. Prioritize learning over optimization.

Key Metrics to Track:

• Number of PQLs generated
• PQL-to-response rate
• SLA compliance (% of PQLs contacted within 2hr / 30min)
• SDR qualitative feedback (signal accuracy, email relevance)

Expected Volume: With a typical B2B SaaS trial flow, expect 10–25 PQLs per week from new trials (adjust based on actual trial volume).

Decision Point: If PQL volume is >30/week (too many for 2 SDRs), raise the threshold to 60. If <5/week, lower to 40.

Week 2 — Optimize Sequences

Focus: Tune messaging based on Week 1 data. A/B test key variables.

A/B Tests to Run:

Key Metrics to Track (cumulative):

• Open rate by touch (target: >50% for Touch 1)
• Reply rate by touch (target: >10% for Touch 1)
• Meeting booked rate (target: >5% of PQLs)
• Positive vs. negative reply sentiment ratio

Week 3 — Expand & Refine

Focus: Incorporate learnings. Expand in-app messaging. Involve AEs.

Scoring Refinement Example: If data shows that billing page views are the strongest predictor of conversion (e.g., 3x higher conversion rate), increase billing view points from 15/25 to 25/35.

Week 4 — Measure & Decide

Focus: Final analysis. Make go/no-go decision on scaling.

Pilot Success Criteria

Go/No-Go Decision Framework

6. Anti-Spam Safeguards

Since the explicit goal is to avoid spamming users, the following guardrails are non-negotiable:

7. Tech Stack Requirements

8. Ongoing Operations (Post-Pilot)

Once the pilot succeeds and the program scales:

• Weekly PQL review: 30-min meeting. SDRs + RevOps review pipeline, scoring accuracy, sequence performance.
• Monthly scoring recalibration: Analyze which signals actually predict conversion. Adjust weights quarterly.
• Quarterly sequence refresh: Update email copy to prevent fatigue. Test new touches (e.g., personalized video, direct mail for enterprise accounts).
• Feedback loop to Product: Share aggregated PQL data with Product team monthly. Which features drive activation? Which integrations correlate with conversion? This data is gold for product roadmap.

Summary

This plan transforms trial behavior into a structured, respectful sales motion. The PQL scoring model ensures SDRs only reach out when there is genuine buying signal. The outreach sequences lead with value and personalization rather than generic follow-ups. The 4-week pilot provides a clear framework to validate the approach before committing to scale. And the anti-spam safeguards ensure that the pursuit of revenue never comes at the cost of user trust.