Helping SaaS teams qualify leads based on what truly matters-how users interact with the product. Powered by Accoil.

Why today’s product-led motion needs a smarter way to qualify leads

We’re well into the second wave of the product-led movement. Trials and freemium offerings are no longer seen as novel. They’re foundational. Yet, many SaaS teams continue to apply outdated qualification frameworks built around gated content, handoffs between marketing and sales reps, and surface-level scoring models.

These frameworks miss the mark. Why? Because you can flip that model. Instead of looking at what a lead clicked or download, you can look at what they actually do in your product.

Sales-led motions still have value, but they don’t reflect how users buy today

In traditional sales-led motion:

1. A lead interacts with marketing content.

2. They become a Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL).

3. An SDR qualifies them based on firmographic fit and intent.

4. Sales takes over.

5. Only then does the product experience begin.

But in product-led growth, the product comes first. People sign up, explore, use—and often buy—without ever speaking to anyone.

Which is why Product Qualified Leads (PQLs) matter.

PQLs don’t make MQLs or SQLs obsolete. They enhance them

Where MQLs are driven by marketing engagement and SQLs by sales criteria, PQLs are based on what people actually do inside the product.

PQLs reveal intent based on behavior, not assumptions. And when paired with company fit, they help you see who’s ready for sales, who needs support, and who should be nurtured.

This is where the Product-Led Qualification Model becomes useful.

Not everyone is worth chasing

Not every trial or user journey looks the same. Go-to-market motions shouldn’t treat them like they are. Here's one way to break it down:

• 🟢 Best Match — Your PQLs. These users are already showing strong signs they’re ready to buy. High usage, high match. Prioritize for conversion.

• 👀 Promising — Exploring but Off-Target.They’re active in your product but don’t quite fit your customer profile. Worth monitoring, but not a sales priority.

• 💤 Quiet & Unmatched — Low activity and not a good fit. These can be safely deprioritized.

• 🧭 Right Fit, Low Usage — They should be a great customer, but haven’t seen enough product value yet. Needs gentle support or activation.

Not every sign-up means they’re sold, some still need a push toward value

A lot of teams get stuck in the middle.

They see signups, some usage, maybe even a few feature clicks—but then momentum stalls. Some accounts that match your ideal profile haven’t yet activated around the right features.

Other users are active, but don’t quite align with your customer fit. Sales doesn’t know when to jump in, and marketing has already moved on.

This is where an Activation Motion comes in.

This isn’t about replacing sales. It’s about supporting users before they go quiet—removing friction, nudging them toward value, and giving them the context they need to convert. Think timely product guidance, not pressure.

Accoil helps make this motion possible by showing exactly who needs support, who’s close to converting, and who’s just not there yet.

An activation motion gives every team a clear path forward

When you implement this framework, it gives your go-to-market team a shared language. It removes guesswork. And most importantly, it anchors action in data that reflects reality—not just form fills or cold outbound sequences.

• Sales focuses where there’s fit and usage.

• Success supports teams trending toward activation.

• Marketing gets clarity on what strong leads actually look like.

Accoil gives you:

• Clear product analytics scores that highlight user engagement patterns

• A clear view of which users are consistently engaging with key features and where each account is in their journey from sign-up to potential purchase

• Direction on what to do next: convert, support, or nurture

Accoil surfaces key signals immediately so teams don't get buried in raw data. You get clear actions, connected to the tools you already use, without needing to build or manage custom dashboards.

Product usage is the new qualification signal

• SaaS qualification needs to evolve with user behavior

• PQLs fill the gap between curiosity and conversion

• The Product-Led Qualification Model helps you put that insight into motion

• Accoil puts this into action across your GTM team

See which users are worth your time, based on what they’re doing right now.