How Do You Prioritize CLG Investments vs. Other Growth Motions?
You prioritize customer-led growth (CLG) investments by putting them into the same portfolio framework as product-led, sales-led, and marketing-led motions—scoring every initiative on strategic fit, customer impact, revenue impact, and time-to-value, and making trade-offs based on data, not opinions.
To prioritize CLG investments vs. other growth motions, build a unified growth investment framework. Define a short list of criteria—such as strategic alignment, customer value, revenue impact, time-to-value, risk, and effort—and score every initiative (CLG, PLG, sales-led, partner-led, brand) against the same model. Use a transparent scoring grid and portfolio view to compare options, fund a balanced mix of “now, next, later” bets, and review the portfolio quarterly as data on pipeline, NRR, and margins comes in.
What Matters When You Prioritize CLG Investments?
The CLG Investment Prioritization Playbook
Use this sequence to compare CLG bets fairly against other growth motions and make confident decisions about where to invest next.
Frame → Inventory → Score → Compare → Decide → Review
- Frame the decision with strategy: Reconfirm your 1–3 year growth strategy and financial targets (new ARR, NRR, margin, segment focus). Make these the anchor for how you judge CLG vs. other motions.
- Inventory all major growth initiatives: Create a single list of potential investments—CLG programs, PLG work, demand generation, sales enablement, partner plays, product launches—so nothing is prioritized in a silo.
- Define and apply scoring criteria: Use a consistent scoring model (e.g., 1–5) across strategic fit, customer value, revenue impact, time-to-value, risk, and effort. Ask every initiative owner to supply data, not just opinions.
- Compare CLG investments vs. other motions: Visualize initiatives on a portfolio map: impact vs. effort, short-term vs. long-term, acquisition vs. expansion. Look for CLG bets that improve NRR, reduce CAC, or unlock scale for other motions.
- Decide on “now, next, later”: Fund a mix of quick wins, foundational CLG capabilities (data, journeys, automation), and a few bold bets. Make trade-offs explicit: what you are not funding is just as important as what you are.
- Review and rebalance quarterly: Use a revenue marketing dashboard to monitor results. Retire low-performing investments, double down on proven CLG plays, and refresh the portfolio as market conditions change.
CLG vs. Other Growth Motions: Portfolio Maturity Matrix
| Capability | From (Ad Hoc) | To (Portfolio-Driven) | Owner | Primary KPI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Growth Portfolio Visibility | Separate lists by team | Single cross-functional backlog for all growth initiatives | ELT / PMO | % of growth spend in unified roadmap |
| Prioritization Framework | Decisions by loudest voice | Standard scoring model across CLG, PLG, demand, sales-led, and partner motions | Strategy / RevOps | Initiatives prioritized using framework |
| Customer & Revenue Linkage | Limited view of NRR and expansion | Clear mapping of CLG investments to NRR, expansion ARR, and margin | Finance / RevOps | CLG-attributed ARR & NRR |
| Measurement & Dashboarding | Channel reports in silos | Revenue marketing dashboard with CLG, PLG, and sales-led views | RevOps / Analytics | Dashboard adoption & decision usage |
| Governance & Cadence | Irregular planning and re-prioritization | Quarterly portfolio reviews with explicit trade-offs | ELT / PMO | Frequency of portfolio decisions informed by data |
| Balance of Motions | Overweight on acquisition or campaigns | Balanced mix of CLG, acquisition, product, and partner investments | CRO / CMO / CCO | Mix of budget across motions & CAC/NRR trends |
Client Snapshot: Prioritizing CLG to Unlock $1B in Revenue Impact
A major B2B brand evaluated a crowded roadmap of demand gen, sales enablement, and platform projects. By using a unified investment framework, they prioritized revenue marketing and lifecycle work that improved lead management, automation, and sales alignment—key CLG levers. The result: $1B in revenue impact and a repeatable way to decide where the next dollar should go. See the story in Transforming Lead Management: Comcast Business.
When you prioritize CLG investments alongside other growth motions with a shared framework, you stop arguing about “which team wins” and start funding the portfolio that wins—for your customers and your revenue model.
Frequently Asked Questions about Prioritizing CLG Investments
Prioritize CLG in Your Revenue Marketing Roadmap
We’ll help you assess your current mix of growth motions and build a CLG investment plan that your leadership team can support.
Request a Revenue Marketing Assessment (RM6) Get the Revenue Marketing eGuide