From Project Shop to Growth Engine: How Microsoft & Salesforce Partners Build Land–Adopt–Expand-Renew Motions
- Manan Sharma
- 19 hours ago
- 3 min read
There’s a moment every tech consulting firm knows too well:You wrap up a solid project.The client is happy.Everyone celebrates.
And then the relationship… just ends.
No follow-on work.No expansion.No roadmap discussion.Just “Thanks, we’ll reach out if we need anything.”
This is the reality for most Microsoft and Salesforce partners — not because the work isn’t good, but because the model is wrong.
You can’t scale a business that only grows when new projects appear.You scale when each client becomes a multi-year relationship.
That’s why the firms growing fastest today aren’t project shops.They’re growth engines built on the Land–Adopt–Expand–Renew model.
Let’s break down what that means — and how you can apply it.
Why Project Shops Hit a Ceiling
Being great at delivery isn’t enough when:
Projects end quickly
Revenue spikes and drops
Architects are too busy to support sales
No one owns adoption
Expansion feels like “selling,” not helping
You rely heavily on new-logo hunting
This creates unpredictability — and prevents scale.
The Land–Adopt–Expand model fixes this by turning single projects into long-term client journeys.
Step 1: LAND — Start Smaller, Win Faster
Most partners try to land huge SOWs.This slows deals, raises risk, and drags out procurement cycles.
A better approach:
Quick assessments
Proof-of-value sprints
2-week accelerators
Workshops
Health checks
These build trust and momentum without big commitments.
Small lands = fast lands.Fast lands = more opportunities to prove value.
Step 2: ADOPT — Ensure Clients Actually Use What You Built
This is the most overlooked step in the industry.
You deliver the solution……but adoption stalls.…and because adoption stalls, expansion never happens.
Fix it by packaging adoption as a service:
30/60/90-day success plan
Usage dashboards (easy with Microsoft and Salesforce)
Executive alignment sessions
Training and Q&A clinics
Weekly office hours
Adoption health scoring
Adoption is not an afterthought.It’s the engine of expansion.
Step 3: EXPAND — Make the Next Step Obvious
Here’s a secret: most clients don’t know what’s possible.
They think Phase 1 is the whole solution.But you see the roadmap.
You just need a better way to share it.
Create a simple Client Value Journey that shows:
Where they are
What Phase 2 looks like
What Phase 3 looks like
What maturity could look like
This makes expansion a service — not a sales pitch.
Expansion ideas:
New modules
Additional business units
Integrations
Automation enhancements
Analytics and reporting
Health checks every quarter
Ongoing optimization cycles
Suddenly the relationship becomes long-term and strategic.
Step 4: RENEW — Treat Every Client Like Recurring Revenue
Even if you don’t offer SaaS, you can borrow SaaS practices.
Quarterly Business Reviews are powerful because they:
Keep relationships alive
Surface risks early
Identify new opportunities
Align executives
Maintain strategic visibility
Most firms don’t do them.The firms that do them grow faster.
Cross-Functional Alignment Makes or Breaks This
Land is usually a sales motion.Adopt lives with delivery.Expand is a consultant-led motion.Renew is shared between leadership and delivery.
When each stage has owners, offers, and rhythms, the model becomes repeatable.That’s when your firm becomes a growth engine.
The Bottom Line
Land–Adopt–Expand isn’t a sales tactic.It’s an operating model that:
Stabilizes revenue
Builds stronger client relationships
Makes partners less dependent on new logos
Increases lifetime value
Unlocks predictable growth
Microsoft and Salesforce partners who embrace this model stop chasing projects — and start building recurring, strategic, long-term accounts.
The transformation doesn’t happen overnight, but the shift is worth it.
You don’t become a growth engine by selling more.You become a growth engine by helping clients succeed continuously
Comments