How to use product signals to grow revenue throughout the customer lifecycle

Ah, sustainable, long-term revenue growth. Virtually every company out there is looking for the silver bullet to attain it. But what if we told you there was a better way forward than hiding in plain sight? The data and insights you’re already gathering on your customers and prospects. When it comes to tracking progress, the world’s leading companies typically look to a few key product signals from customers or prospects to guide everything from feature development to their go-to-market strategy.

What’s a product signal, anyway?

Product signals refer to the data and insights that can be gathered about a product or service through various means, such as customer feedback, usage data, and market research. This information can be used to improve the product or service and grow revenue in several ways throughout the customer lifecycle. By understanding what product signals resonate with customers and how they influence buying decisions, companies can more effectively reach and engage their target audiences, leading to increased ROI in their growth strategy.

Why product signals matter

At each stage in the customer journey, product signals can be used to create personalized experiences tailored to each user that add value and help turn potential customers into loyal ones. For example, during the awareness and consideration stages, businesses can leverage product signals like relevant content on social media or ads featuring engaging visuals of the product that showcase its features and benefits. These strategies help build trust between brands and consumers, and over time attract new customers and increase sales conversions.

In many ways, communicating value to a customer is more about “seeing” than “believing.” The best companies let their products speak for themselves. Later in the customer journey, product signals can be used to delight users at every touchpoint, keeping customers engaged while driving upsells and cross-sells. At this stage, businesses should focus on creating the most compelling product experience possible. Think “try before you buy” offers or exclusive access to new products. Offers like these invite customers into the process and help show off the value you provide.

By understanding the power of product signals throughout the customer lifecycle and utilizing them strategically, companies can significantly improve marketing performance while creating an exceptional experience for their users that sets them apart from their competitors.

4 Key Product Signals to Look for to Drive Revenue:

Now that you’ve gained a window into the product signals that drive revenue growth, here are 4 winning ways to make them work for you.

1. Product development: Managing feature requests and optimizations used to be a timely exercise, but product signals make it easier for teams to identify opportunities for new features or improvements to existing products. By listening to customer feedback and analyzing usage data on a routine basis, you can identify areas where customers experience difficulty or where there is a desire for new functionality. Some common areas to watch out for that nearly always could use less friction are transaction points or information capture.
2. Marketing and sales: Marketing and sales efforts needn’t be drummed up in a vacuum. Leverage the insights you have to highlight the benefits and value of the product to your potential customers. For example, customer feedback can be used to create testimonials or case studies that showcase the real-world impact of the product. Tell your story in the terms that resonate with your prospects and your business will be rewarded.
3. Customer success: While it’s tempting to focus on the positive, negative feedback is like a treasure map. It tells you exactly where you should prioritize your improvements. These product signals can be used to identify areas where customers may be struggling with your product and proactively offer support or guidance. This can help enhance the customer experience overall and reduce churn before it becomes a problem.
4. Upselling and cross-selling: It’s easier and 5x less expensive to sell to customers who already know and love your product than it is to acquire new ones. Use these product signals to identify opportunities for upselling or cross-selling, rather than rebuilding the wheel. For example, if a customer frequently uses a certain feature of your product, you may be able to offer them an upgraded version or a complementary product that enhances their functionality.

Conclusion

Ultimately, acquiring and retaining customers relies on every company's ability to be proactive in its approach. By gathering and analyzing product signals throughout each stage of the customer lifecycle, you can identify opportunities to improve the product, deliver more value to your customers, and ultimately drive sustainable revenue growth. For more insights and best practices for taking your growth strategy to the next level, visit Userled.io.

‍