Product Marketing

Product Marketing Owns Insight

 

outsideinvew.comOn the advice (and prodding) of my friend Jim Holland, I also recently read The Challenger Sale by Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson of the Corporate Executive Board. Like Jim, I then picked it up again, with a highlighter and pen and started again. (Side note – Jim was referred to this book by Steve Johnson.)

Jim wrote a great post about what he learned, as a product leader. In his post, he focuses on the main point of the Challenger Sale, that it is not about sales building relationships, but to challenge them. To rethink, reshape and change how you engage and lead. He further explains three models related to product leaders that are relevant: understanding the buying process, buyer personas and speaking the language of the buyer. (more…)

Are you Generating Leads or Creating Demand?

outsideinview.comIt’s common for product marketing job descriptions to include a line or two about working with market plans to generate leads for the sales force. But, are the number of leads really the right metric for product marketing? Wouldn’t it be better if product marketing is tasked with generating demand?

No, I’m not splitting hairs. There is a difference.

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Get Over Yourself

outsideinview.comWhether you are a product manager or a product marketer, you need to get over your product. I know, you spend your days – and nights – thinking how wonderful your product is, how you can improve it, and why others haven’t seen the same vision you do. Maybe, just maybe, the answer is – your product is not what they seek.

What?!? Heresy you say! Of course they need, and want, my product. Well, maybe not. Think about it. It’s about the customer, the buyer, the market – not you. (more…)

The Pendulum has swung to the other side

outsideinview.comTraditional new product launch has included catching a new product as the development organization tossed it over the fence. Product marketing would dust off their launch check list and make sure that all the tactics were accomplished. They would book appearances at trade shows, write press releases, design data sheets, plan direct mail campaigns to current customers, research advertising opportunities in trade publications and other assorted tasks on the checklist. (more…)

This is Simple

outsideinview.comThis is a simple post….

But, imagine how much more we could all accomplish – for ourselves and our companies – if we stopped the bickering and territory battles!

If politics were taken out of the corporate world, and we all worked together - no matter what department you sat in or work you performed, no matter what you were paid or how long you’ve been in the role, no matter who was your boss or what hours you worked – wouldn’t we all accomplish more?

Think about it.