I’ve been a bit quiet in my writing this year (so far.) True, I’m busy; but, more importantly is the other reason – I’ve been listening.
I’ve said it before and I will say it again – listening to the market is the one thing that sets you apart from everyone else. The better you listen, the more you understand. The more you understand, the better you meet the market’s needs. The better you meet the market’s needs, the more you sell. The more you sell, the more money.
Listening means money.
Every company needs some kudos, even if they have to ask for them. Knowing that customers are satisfied is important, especially for those of seeking repeating sales.
Lately though, I have noticed more and more retailers and restaurants are spewing out prizes (dare I say bribes) for completing their “short” survey… in some cases garnering you the chance to win $5000 or maybe 10% off your next visit all in search of gathering customer opinions and measuring customer satisfaction.
(This article is cross-posted at onproductmanagement.net)
In my recent post on product marketing roadmaps, we discussed how to get started creating your road map and how it serves nicely as a bridge between other department plans and efforts such as marketing, sales and product management. Once you’ve created your product marketing roadmap, you have to actually use it as a guide to strategic activities. And, if you are going to use it, you need to know that the efforts are moving toward success. You have to look at measurements which gauge the progress of the movement.
No doubt, in your role as a product professional – whether you are in product management or product marketing – you’ve been told, go out and get a market view. A view from someone that isn’t you or in your company; a view from someone who would pay for the product or service you are offering, if they had the problem. You could call it the outsidein view. (Okay, bad pun I know, but I couldn’t resist – it fits.)
Now it’s my turn.
For more than two years I’ve written for this blog, commenting on topics and issues I hear from fellow product professionals through following on Twitter, LinkedIn, and now Google +, or through meeting at product camps and networking, and from just my friends.
Now it’s your turn.
I have a long list of “agenda” topics which I can keep writing about, delivering my take on issues I see and hear are of interest and/or concern. But, what I care about is what YOU want to hear. What are the topics of interest to YOU. Where could YOU use the most experience, guidance or support? What problems are keeping YOU up at night? Bottom line, how can I help YOU?
I have a quick survey created. It’s 10 questions and takes no more than 3 minutes to complete. Will you please take the pause in your day and complete the survey? It will help me help YOU better.
Looking in from the outside, I can only be as relevant as you allow, enable and help me be.
Thank you, Jennifer
(This article is cross-posted as a guest post at onproductmanagement.net)
In baseball, everything you’re first taught about pitching has to do with speed and location… you want to throw the ball past the batter, and put it in the corners of the strike zone. Go for the heat!
