TRLP Episode 3: EIR & Former CRO Dini Mehta on multi-product strategy and building high-engagement teams
A comprehensive guide to going multi-product
In this episode of the Revenue Leadership Podcast, I’m joined by Dini Mehta, a seasoned revenue executive with a track record of scaling high-growth companies. Dini is currently an Executive in Residence at Peak XV Partners (formerly Sequoia India), was previously CRO at Lattice for 5 years and VP Global Sales at Drawbridge before that. Dini played a pivotal role in scaling both of these companies from single-digit millions to over $100+ million in revenue.
When Dini joined, Lattice was at a critical juncture — a team of 35 people, $3M in revenue, and on the cusp of launching their second product, engagement surveys. This bold move into multi-product territory forms the backdrop of our discussion, as Dini shares insights on navigating this transition and building high-performing, engaged teams along the way. You can hear Lattice’s CEO & Founder, Jack Altman’s thoughts on going multi-product in his 2023 SaaStr talk as a backdrop for this conversation.
Here’s the highlight reel:
1. Embrace the multi-product journey
Dini shares the approach she took at Lattice when launching a new product:
Understand what the product delivers for customers
Understand how the product connects with your current solution
Create the new solution story
Teach market facing teams how to tell that story
This approach became a playbook for Lattice, launching a new product every year. As Dini knows, complexity increases with each new product. To navigate, stay open to surprises because your assumptions may be challenged, but this can also lead to unexpected opportunities.
2. Use multi-product strategies for growth beyond upsell
Effectively launching a new product unlocks new growth avenues and strengthens your market position beyond just upselling that new solution into your existing customer base. Dini saw firsthand how this approach can increase win rates, boost ACVs and increase retention rates. When developing your multi-product roadmap, look for opportunities to create unique value propositions that set you apart. As Dini says about her experience at Lattice, “The chance to have a second product and saying ‘we were the first in the market to consolidate performance management and engagement surveys’ was powerful.” Don’t be afraid to position yourself as an innovator — Lattice’s annual product launches became part of their brand identity.
3. Put the new product in the right hands
At Lattice, Dini consistently decided to let their current teams sell the new product as opposed to carving off new teams to sell additional solutions. This led to a better buyer experience because the customer only had to deal with one key connection point to the company. It also gave her reps the opportunity to pivot to different approached in an opportunity if the first product isn’t a fit for that customer. It also enabled their sales team to bundle and drive higher ACVs with more stickiness. As the solution grew in breadth and complexity, she introduced solutions engineers who could be the subject matter experts in those new areas.
Dini shared that dedicated reps could make sense when selling different products into different buyers within the same account, which was the approach at Drawbridge.
4. Harness the power of enablement
Invest heavily in enablement ahead of launch. Dini’s approach involved creating comprehensive role-specific certifications for all client-facing employees, ensuring the right level of product knowledge and storytelling. “I’m a huge believer in enablement. A lot of times revenue leaders underutilize enablement…it can be the glue that connects all the pieces of the org,” Dini says. Involve your enablement team early in the process, working alongside product marketing to craft narratives tailored for different stakeholders — from high-level value propositions for BDRs to in-depth product knowledge for customer success teams. This collaboration creates a more cohesive, effective GTM strategy across your entire organization.
5. Incentivize — beyond comp plans
Many sales organizations use product-based quotas to motivate sellers to promote new products. Dini found success by keeping the same simple ACV comp plan, focusing instead on short-term SPIFFs (Sales Performance Incentive Funds) and cultural incentives. “We thought about changing the comp plan every 6 months and we decided against it because it could lead to odd behaviors. I did that for outbound, which was a mistake.”
Instead of jamming incentives into your comp plan, create momentum through friendly competition, celebrate wins prominently, and announce successes in all-hands meetings or company Slack channels. Help your team visualize the personal benefit: show them how selling additional products can lead to quota attainment with fewer deals. As Dini put it to her sellers, “You can give yourself a raise by adding this product to your playbook.”
6. Cultivate a mission-driven sales culture
It’s a misconception that salespeople are solely motivated by money. As Dini has learned, a people-first approach and a highly engaged team can drive consistent performance. Foster a culture where your team feels deeply connected to the company’s mission. This starts from the hiring process; look beyond skills to find candidates who are passionate about what you represent. “When you invest in your people, people invest back in your business,” Dini says. An environment where your team feels part of something larger than themselves empowers them to outperform expectations.
7. Invest in community, growth, and purpose
Also important to your team environment is the feeling of connection, value, and growth. Start with your hiring process: Dini implemented values-based interviews to ensure new hires aligned with the company culture. Incorporate this culture into onboarding as well. Foster community through regular team activities, like Dini’s “Friday hangouts” and “show and tell,” where team members share their interests outside of work.
For growth, create clear career paths with defined skills for each role. Regularly discuss long-term goals with your team members, showing them how their current position connects to their future aspirations. Investing in community, growth, and purpose creates a highly engaged team that performs well and stays with your organization long-term. As Dini says, “When you’re bought in and you feel like an owner in the business, you feel accountable. You’re not doing it because your manager’s asking you to. You’re doing it because you care.”
Dive deeper into Dini’s insights on revenue leadership and team building on her LinkedIn and Twitter pages.