Product Marketing is BrokenRepair It By Using Thematic Product Launches

Are you and your crew of product managers trying to coordinate the resources for marketing and dealing with an endless number of launches that have no launch date and a constant flow of product managers demanding lots of attention from the marketing department at each launch? Do you think there is an alternative?

• You must ensure that you pay the highest level of concentration to each and every new release of your product.
• It is important to create an overall story that is superior to the individual parts.
• It is crucial to make sure that the marketing team is well-organized and sharp so that they will be able to do their very best when promoting the latest product.

Are you having difficulty navigating the ever-changing roadmaps of your product and the continuously shifting "t-shirt" dimensions that are used in calculating the estimations of your projects that are agile and the shifting dates for the release of your new products? Or are you worried about failing to keep your staff on the right direction? Maybe it's the an ideal time to look at your themes for your launches. Find out how this can be achieved through this part of Growth Stage!

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Complete Interview and the Podcast audio

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Audio Podcast Interview Video Full

Transcript

David Vogelpohl () (00:04)

Hello everyone! You are invited to join The Growth Stage podcast by . I'm your host, David Vogelpohl. I am a part of the digital product community and am putting all my efforts into . I'm thrilled to bring the very best from the community back to community as well as for you via The Growth Stage podcast. This episode, I'm planning to discuss a particular person that is an absolute favourite for me. He is one of my colleagues here at . He'll be speaking about how the marketing of products isn't working and the best way to fix it with thematic

The brand is launching new launches and products we'd like you to be our first Member to the Stage of Growth Mr. Braden Steel. Braden, welcome.

Braden (00:39)

Thank you, I appreciate your introduction. I'm looking forward to talking with you regarding marketing the current products.

David Vogelpohl () (00:44)

Awesome. and I'm so glad to be working with you at , Braden. It was evident that I felt a little worried at first because I rarely speak your name out loud. But then I was wondering whether this was just a random coincidence? Could this be a strange spelling I wasn't conscious of Or has it been altered through the years or is there something completely different however I'm happy to see you're there. It's true, it's. What Braden will discuss are his opinions on shortcomings in traditional product marketing, along with the ways which we're with periodic launches that are thematically related to the product.

Braden (00:58)

Yeah. I appreciate it.

David Vogelpohl () (01:14)

To pay attention to the details in the launch of new products make sure you present the entire the story behind your product, which is not just about the pieces. This will help marketing to be more strategic and logical to enable you to give the best effort to the releases you make. I attended Spryng held by Wynter, W -Y -N The -T-E-R is the only thing I'm certain about, and S P -R Y -N the -G. It's not an official event.

The discussion was focused on diverse issues and problems that are related to marketing. Discussions on products related to marketing were discussed. All of us complained that we were overwhelmed by each feature launch or new product launch and attempting to create an optimal experience from each. The topic of theme-based launches for new products were discussed, other member of the group was adamant about the idea. The concept was embraced by the group in the course of a few months back.

Then I decided it would be fun to talk about the issue today. Here's the deal. Braden Do you have the desire to begin?

Braden (02:18)

Yeah, let's do it. We're eager to talk about it. it. it. it.

David Vogelpohl () (02:20)

Alright, good deal. I've looked around for a long time and I'm still unsure of what the correct answer to this query is. Was the first item that you purchased on the internet?

Braden (02:28)

This is definitely an interesting idea. I spent a long time to think about the subject. The time was senior high school. The auction site was booming. It was also when I purchased an PlayStation 2 with a bundle of games. The bundle included games for sports, as well as other. There was also a discussion about whether or not I should get the bundle. This was when I bought it, and was awed by the gaming experience. I gained many lessons from this console, as and also had hours of fun.

Another possibility was to pay with my own cash. My first item I made was a guitar. This was the first item I bought with my personal money on the web. Another option was to buy the instrument.

David Vogelpohl () (03:06)

Everything is fine. It's nice to see how you distinguished between your own money and the money you get from your parents. What do you think of this as cash from parents? What method did you use to finance the PSP?

Braden (03:14)

There's a possibility that I earned it by weeding the garden or mowing the lawn, or doing something else. My other source of income which I earned through working for myself.

David Vogelpohl () (03:24)

If you're cutting the lawn, you're basically paying Braden. That's okay. OK, so I gave it away a little during the introduction, but could you describe to the viewers the things you're doing on the blog or what you're currently working on within your position?

Braden (03:27)

Sure, yeah, yeah.

Yeah, sure. As an Director of Marketing for Executive Products at . My job responsibilities encompass everything related to marketing across all our products, and also the industry which we are in. If a product goes up for sale, it's clear that all the data that goes under the product and surrounds it, and also aiding things such as B2B games, games on video and other areas that we're excited to get into. is an approved retailer.

Our method is to link everything at the click of one button to create an online shopping experience. We partner with SaaS enterprises, gaming firms that are AI-based, as well as B2B businesses that are similar to. that. that. that.

David Vogelpohl () (04:18)

Excellent, excellent. If you had to explain kind of what you did you'll see that you dealt with numerous areas. The mix was of topics, including product releases and feature announcements. Also, you mentioned verticals. It was also mentioned that B2B is a category. SaaS or video games. The modern marketer is more likely to take advantage of this form of vertical positioning to market their product. It, in my opinion can be a significant problem in the marketing of products.

What is the issue with the way products are advertised? Did you find anything that was not working in the past plan?

Braden (04:56)

It's a good question. It's true that launches of products depend on many elements that are outside of the control that of the manager responsible accountable for the products. As an example, in the realm of engineering in the case of engineering, for example, if there are customer commits that must be fulfilled or sales begin becoming a significant issue It's like"hey you need finish this prior to the introduction of a new product. There are a lot of moving elements involved in the launch of these products. This is why it's important to collaborate with the team responsible for developing the product to determine the date of commit, and also to be aware of

Are these products scheduled to be released? What exactly do you think "release" is referring to? Does that mean that it can be used by everyone or is it being used in beta? It's time to ask the next question to be asked, what best way to discuss it? What topics would you want to debate? Do we have the opportunity to talk about it since we're doing tests of the product? This is a matter that has brought up a lot of questions are being asked and there's a lot of uncertainty that's a result of this specific way of working method of engineers and manufacturing work. One of the most important things which is broken

It's difficult to understand how difficult it is to view the final product prior to deciding the exact time to launch it and when the software be live. There are times when people like me know that they know the period ahead of launch. One week prior to GA and the manager for the project saying,"Hey we'll get it done. The time has come to finish it. It's almost like I'm a slave to my own rope. That's not all I've been required to do. It's not surprising that you've talked about verticals. There's been a lot of controversy over verticals.

This is a lot of time. One of the questions I've had to consider and decide on is: how do I capable of launching my product, alongside other things I need to finish without having influence over dates for launch?

David Vogelpohl () (06:40)

If you're using the timeline that is floating. The product isn't yet fully functioning. A flaw is discovered by the team members in the last second. They manage to make it to the end of the release, and they announce the update as quickly as they are able to. It's not easy to coordinate the efforts of others like designers, other marketers and content specialists as well as the owners of websites and things such as the. Coordination of floating dates is one of my concerns that I've heard about. Is there an additional element? Similar to...

Yes, I've been involved with marketing products in a range of different ways throughout my career. When I'm talking to someone in the department of product They'll say that they're going to release X and I'll need to be able to announce it. Do you think that expectations about the amount of time and energy required to promote different products can be too high? This could be one of reasons you're not getting traditional advertisements for your goods?

Braden (07:28)

Sure, indeed. These are also the product managers due to the reason. They're the ones who manage the product. They're very enthusiastic about it. They've been working on their product for a long time in an effort to bring these products into the marketplace. Therefore, naturally they're likely to desire the most support they can to promote their product. It's hard to find anyone on the products team that comes before you and declares that they're extremely excited by this technology.

I'd like many help, here's all of my suggestions as and when to say"Let's increase the pressure on our brakes for a moment to consider possible reasons A and B however I'm incapable to help you. Perhaps I'm not able to do this because I'm not at my best or it's struggling to keep a solid connection with some of the individuals who are in charge of developing products. You could consider that it is because they're unable to commit to the cause they are fighting for, or something else. It's not the case. There is no doubt that you would not want to assist everyone that you are able to.

David Vogelpohl () (08:26)

Yeah. It's as if you're viewing this through the lens of the coordination of going-to-markets for the introduction of new products. You're dealing floating dates as a part of your normal method, and all other managers and, just like you've stated that you're putting in the their time and effort they're investing on this, it's as if we should announce an announcement on this. Given all of these expectations as well as the shifting dates, it's apparent like you're not doing your most efficient job that you can. You're spreading your efforts between a multitude of tasks and struggling to complete your very best job. This is what I'm feeling. Are you having?

Braden (09:01)

Yeah, yeah, that's right. It's the scenario where many things are completed simultaneously. It is your responsibility to decide what you can do to get everything done. Not only do you have only one 24-hour working day let alone the fact that you have to work all day. In addition to the pressure in trying to concentrate on the other issues in your head take this approach that's highly technological and efficient.

Condense the data into an item that can be used commercially. This is why there are a lot of challenges to overcome.

David Vogelpohl () (09:35)

This was an issue you brought up a moment ago, when we talked about the support of product managers, and the relationship to PMMs in addition to the conditions of. Do you think that in the traditional form of marketing for products would be appropriate to mention that it experiences some friction with PMMs as well as PMs?

Braden (09:58)

It's true, I'm sure. There have been times when sure, there's somewhat tense discussion should it is necessary to declare that you do not have enough money to pay for the direction you would like it to go. If you must make that decision be sure to listen and be aware of what the Prime Minister is likely to be seeking. However, it causes tension. You are also aware that you have to be able to communicate effectively whenever you are required to take part in and participate in the discussions, as you take notes of discussions.

Make it clear, and be proficient in logging your work or, in this case, deploying the technique of thematic launches to eliminate most of the problems that can arise in the launch of a conventional product.

David Vogelpohl () (10:41)

Now you've got the product managers requesting the largest megaphone they could receive to promote their newest product. You have the Marketing departments in other departments requesting for suggestions on how to organize our marketing to be more effective? You've talked about moving towards themes for your products. The first step is to understand the basic ideas. What is a thematic product release?

Braden (10:59)

Yeah, great question. Thematic releases comprise products that fall within the umbrella of a specific subject. For this instance, B2B as the umbrella and the other releases fall within the subject.

David Vogelpohl () (11:16)

If we talk about the themes we're discussing, there's no weekly release. This could be the case if you're extremely fast, what happens when you release the themes on a quarterly basis over a period of a month?

Braden (11:30)

Good question. The release is typically a spring and summer release. The release doesn't draw much interest during the Christmas period towards the end of the year, so we do not release it at that time. But, we release just three releases in a calendar year. Additionally, there are releases each and every so often.

David Vogelpohl () (11:45)

This is due to the fact that the business will declare each quarter that we'll be making these theme-based enhancements to the product or product range in addition to later incorporating this in the advertising of the products. Additionally, we'll present it with a huge advertising campaign. What happens should we incorporate key aspects from all the publications and products relevant to this subject?

Braden (12:08)

It is indeed. It has these options. While we go through the plan of our customer, it allows our to say"OK What's on the plan for this year? This allows us to arrange the items into categories. So, it doesn't mean that we be required to change to the left when stating that we have to determine the theme A. Which of the items pertain to theme A? We will instead consider the range of products that we plan to introduce in the coming year?

What is the common theme that each of those items can be categorised into during the current seasons.

David Vogelpohl () (12:44)

This is possible to see and all you can accomplish is increase your impact. It could be that you're off by a quarter maybe, during the announcement or other event or there might be an interruption, as you might imagine. it'll be clear that you're. Yeah. This means you're decoupling your GA to the extent you'd like to do your marketing.

Braden (12:51)

That's correct, yeah.

That's correct. Yeah. This is a plan, it's true that we've put in place our GA activities that we execute because these products require promotion after they've been operational. As a result, as element of the thematic process it is possible to having GA assignments and specific actions that we could use to each product.

David Vogelpohl () (13:18)

Each launch, if the organizer would like, will be included in the theme being launched. You can have an equivalent version that is incorporated into the GA launch. It's essentially an inverse dip as it is.

Braden (13:31)

Yeah, that's right. Yeah. It's great to ensure that all team members within our business are able to gain access to GA. This means that users aren't able hear from clients. Customers are saying,"Hey, I'm using this amazing product. I'd love to learn more information about the product. Customer service was not a team that has not been established. This hasn't been the case as of the moment that we're here in GA We're offering FAQs as well as information based on values so that staff are informed of what's going on.

Furthermore, the most commonly utilized advertisements, as you mentioned, may not be as effective at the right time. If the product was to launch in January, but do not launch any themed releases in April. The item may not get the same amount of marketing focus at the start, however it will get tagged with the larger advertising campaign later on in the course through the entire year.

David Vogelpohl () (14:17)

If you thought that it was a very strategic plan would you think about the possibility of adding X or a different release between themes, should you be able to obtain a GA date for that crucial event you've been awaiting for a long time?

Braden (14:30)

Yeah, absolutely. There is a possibility that we periodically release an ad-hoc version of the software that we'd be willing to release. We try to limit these to the release of one or two versions when they're possible. As of now, we've developed a system which we have with you and the developers of our product that lets us participate in discussions and think"okay now we know about the amazing software. The feature doesn't belong in the realm of "features" but is essential due to factors like A or B. We'll be working for it in a group, to make sure everyone is aware of the objectives we're trying at achieving. Then, as you can imagine, it will get special consideration.

This means you do have to consider fifteen different lines of products all simultaneously, which could end up on the floor at the time has passed. This happens typically the case in the case of items that offer everything at once.

David Vogelpohl () (15:08)

Thank you.

One of my most favorite business jokes is not really a joke, but an observation. The concept is that the executives' Q3 is an opportunity to begin Q3 and the engineers are nearing the close of the quarter. Teams are all sort of quickly, forming towards the conclusion of the quarter in order to complete the monthly OKRs. Yeah. Okay. I gotcha.

Braden (15:33)

Absolutely right.

David Vogelpohl () (15:38)

The theme is scheduled to release either this quarter or next one, however you're able to discover a brand-new product or feature that does not seem to fit into the theme. Do you mean some of the topics that you've spoken about and that could also be component of the theme's release?

Braden (15:55)

It's true. Therefore, I'll provide you with an illustration of the current effort. The payment options we offer were announced at the beginning in the calendar year. It allowed us to offer various payment options. One payment option that managed to sneak through the cracks in technology, but could not be complete at the time it launched was Google Pay and everyone knows Google Pay. We sat down with the team to review the features and asked what is the best way to make it easier to sell Google Pay? The service isn't B2B. We therefore created one small version for Google Pay.

I have created some documents to accompany it FAQs, a blog post or posted on social networks like this.

David Vogelpohl () (16:29)

What happens if you have the kind of anchor release as well as one that is thematic? This sounds like you were involved in the use of one of the anchors. It was the same when the release was thematic. Apple Pay slipped from or Google Pay slipped from. What can you do? Are you waiting to announce the theme's release until anchor products have been added? What other options do you have?

Braden (16:54)

Yeah, I mean, it depends. In some cases, only an open-ended wait to see. It happens. It's true, and I'm in conversation with the developers of the software this morning. They said that B2B is worth the wait and the launch is expected to come a few months later in the year. The benefit of an event that is themed is that there is no set deadline. The date is set by us. Thus, if it is necessary to extend the deadline so that we are able to finish the engineering and product development it's feasible to do this.

Also, it is possible to change themes at any time. If the latest product for the season isn't being launched then perhaps we should consider one or two alternatives to create the perfect package to match the theme using a different approach. There's also the chance of an adaptable model that can be able to accommodate changes all through the year.

David Vogelpohl () (17:47)

This is a great concept. If I look at an old-fashioned advertising campaign that aims to introduce the brand new product, it's similar to the announcement blog or even an announcement via a press release, social coverage, e-mailing our customers, or even contact potential customers such as this. What's the distinction between the theme release and a press release when it comes to the format?

Braden (18:07)

Yes, I've spoken about this subject before. The majority of those instances remain in place. The current theme is that the same things are taking place, but there's also what we'll name GA task. More than internal notifications that are part of the application. In fact, when you authorize access for apps or devices and you're giving the access and also our own teams. This differs from themes-based releases.

Nowadays, rather than being focused on the many similar features, with the option of accessing this function in bits and pieces, you can determine the total value of all of the parts. This is an enormous difference that is impossible with the release of something identical by releasing it in pieces over the course of the period or the calendar year.

David Vogelpohl () (19:04)

Yeah. This can be a smart idea because it makes people feel like the plot has more effect on the plot. I am a fan of this type of film, one example I consider to be ideal for me is the enhancements to the quality of life, which were a huge challenge for engineers yet don't necessarily improve the quality of life for consumers. It's a simple concept to grasp, doesn't it? A person who's living in this world doesn't know that there exists an issue, or issue. It's never easy, since Phil who works for of the company that offers products has to step out and say"Hey everybody, we've solved this. This can be beneficial to the customer and for the company.

Braden (19:08)

Yeah.

David Vogelpohl () (19:34)

We believe thematic releases don't just give users the opportunity to use the megaphone, they also aid in enhancing the story of more improved quality of life.

Braden (19:43)

You can get access to various features, but they're not suitable for marketing purposes, and even the quick release from Pendo. Instead, they're displayed on a page that is a destination with various functions. It is important to post your megaphone. It is important to share the megaphone. There's a lot of benefits to making small changes that improve the quality of life.

David Vogelpohl () (20:08)

If you choose for this method what is are required?

Braden (20:13)

Third theme here, and within the coming month we'll see the release date for the third theme. The theme is scheduled to release in July.

David Vogelpohl () (20:20)

Now, at three quarters of the way, do you think that the knowledge you've had is assisting in managing your marketing budget, and also in introducing new products or would you prefer to discover?

Braden (20:33)

It's not surprising that the program was improved using my own. The thing I'm seeing is that not only have I been capable of helping the whole group of developers instead of just assisting their work, and also coordinate other elements of marketing, including demand generation. They've got a large number of lead times which they didn't have prior to the release of the software.

And we could fit elements in campaigns previously impossible to attain. This may be the most significant benefit. The other advantage is that it allows the time to work on vertical expansion within other fields, like video games for example. we may not be able to devote sufficient time or resources for pushing the verticals further.

David Vogelpohl () (21:28)

The company was told it was home to a video game section during a time. It has customers that enjoyed video games for an extended period of time, right up to the inception of the company. It is involved in the field. Are you of the opinion that segments of customers could play a role in themes or do think they're focussed on features?

Braden (21:51)

Yes, segmentation plays a big role. In my previous article I stated that the upcoming launch will focus on B2B. It's an area that we'd love to expand into and are eager to grow into. There's a space that we're working with video games, too. There has been a discussion about ways we've improved the capabilities that comes with Apple Pay and implemented Google Pay. In addition, the extension that is available with the vertical theme does not only open the possibility of this but also offers alternatives...

The type of launch you choose, but it has the benefit of having can incorporate things like thought leadership into your theme-based launch. This is something you might struggle to incorporate with traditional launches. So, you'll be in a position to get more, and possibly an more significant impact from your campaign and better results from this type of event for your company.

David Vogelpohl () (22:44)

Excellent. This was an extremely informative story Braden. I appreciate the fact that you took the time for a live chat about the topic. This was an extremely interesting debate that covered in the City of Austin. It was enjoyable to hold this discussion in front of the audience. The show was fantastic. Thank you for taking part of this program.

Braden (23:01)

Yeah, absolutely. Thanks for inviting me. It was a blast.

David Vogelpohl () (23:04)

Awesome. If you'd like to learn more about the projects Braden is working on, including maybe his next theme-based release Please visit .com. Thank you for being part of this area of growth Stage. Your host can be David Vogelpohl. I love supporting the web-based community of products in my work I have as . I am humbled, and delighted by the possibility to highlight everything wonderful about the community for those in the Stage of Growth. Stage. I am grateful for the help of everyone.

David Vogelpohl David is the CMO of . Over the past twenty-five years David Vogelpohl has led teams that have created elite engines for technology advancement and innovation for some of the top companies such as WP Engine, Genesis, AWS, Cloudflare, and many more.

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