The Product Marketing System is broken. Fix It by implementing thematic product launches

Are you and your group of product managers trying to coordinate the marketing resources and deal with a constant stream of launches that have no dates for launch and an endless stream of product managers who demand lots of attention from the marketing department for each launch? Would you like to think of an alternative?

• You must ensure that you pay the highest level of focus to each new version of your software.
• It is essential to develop an overall narrative that is more compelling than the parts.
• It is crucial to make sure that the marketing team is properly organized and focused so that they will be able to do their very best at promoting the most current product.

Are you finding it difficult to follow the constantly changing roadmaps for your product and the continuously shifting "t-shirt" dimensions that are employed in the calculation of estimates of your initiatives that are fluid and shifting dates of the launch of your new offerings? Or are you worried about not keeping your staff on the right direction? It could be the ideal opportunity to think about your themes for your launches. Learn how this could be accomplished through this section 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! Welcome to The Growth Stage podcast by . I'm your host, David Vogelpohl. I'm part of the community for digital products and I am investing all of my effort in . I'm thrilled to bring the very best from the community back to you and for our listeners through the Growth Stage podcast. For this episode, I'm planning to speak about one particular person that is an absolute favorite of mine. He's one of my coworkers here at . He'll be speaking about how marketing for products aren't working and the best way to correct it using thematic

The company is currently launching new launches and products we'd like you to be our first Member to the stage of growth Braden Steel. Braden Steel. Braden, welcome.

Braden (00:39)

Thank you, I appreciate your introduction. I'm looking forward to talking with you about the marketing of your currently available products.

David Vogelpohl () (00:44)

Awesome. and I'm so glad to have you as a colleague at  Braden. There was no doubt that I was nervous at first, as I'm not a habit of saying your name out loud. However, I began to wonder whether this was just a chance coincidence? It could be an odd spelling that I didn't know about? Or has it been altered through the years or is it something totally distinct, but I'm glad to see you're there. It's true, it's. What Braden will talk about are his opinions on shortcomings in traditional product marketing, and the methods by which we're with periodic launches that are thematically related to the product.

Braden (00:58)

Yeah. I appreciate it.

David Vogelpohl () (01:14)

Be attentive to specifics of the release of new products, make sure you tell the complete details of the product which is not just focused on the parts. Marketing will be able to be more strategic and logical to enable you to make the most of the releases you make. I went to Spryng which was hosted at the hands of Wynter, W -Y -N The T-E-R is the sole that I'm confident about the word, as is S P The -G. It's not an official event.

The discussions were about a range of topics and issues related to marketing. We also discussed products associated with marketing were addressed. We all complained we had a hard time coping with every launch of features or new product launch and attempting to get the best experience from each. The topic of theme-based launches that launched the new product was discussed. another member agreed with the idea. The idea was accepted by the entire group in the course of a few months back.

After that, I thought it would be fun to discuss the subject today. This is the plan. Braden Do you have an urge to start?

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 been looking around for some time, but I'm not certain of I should do to answer the question is. Did the item you purchased first come from you bought on the internet?

Braden (02:28)

It's definitely an intriguing idea. I took a lot of time thinking about this topic. I was in senior high school. The auction website was in full swing. It was also when I got a PlayStation 2 with a bundle of games. The bundle included games specifically designed for sport, in addition to other. There was also a discussion regarding whether I should buy the bundle. This was when I bought the console, and was amazed by the gaming experience. I gained many lessons from the console I also enjoyed hours of enjoyment.

Another option was to pay with my own cash. The first product I created was guitar. It was the first thing that I purchased using my personal cash on the internet. The other option was to purchase the equipment.

David Vogelpohl () (03:06)

It's all good. It's great to know what you can tell between your own money and the money you get from your parents. What do you think about the cash coming from your parents? Which method did you employ to finance the PSP?

Braden (03:14)

It's possible that I earned it by weeding the garden or mowing the lawn, or doing something else. Another source of income that I made was through being self-employed.

David Vogelpohl () (03:24)

If you're trimming the lawn, you're basically paying Braden. That's okay. Ok, I gave the information away in the intro, but can you explain to viewers what you're posting 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 responsibilities include everything related to marketing across every product we offer, but also the industry which we operate in. If a product goes up for sale, it's obvious that all the data that falls under it and is associated with it, as well as helping things like B2B game, gaming played on video, and many other fields that we're looking forward to entering. It is a regulated retailer.

We connect everything with one button, to provide the ultimate shopping experience online. We collaborate with SaaS enterprises, gaming firms which are AI-based and B2B companies that are similar to. that. that. that.

David Vogelpohl () (04:18)

Excellent, excellent. If you have to write a description of the way you handled it, you'll notice that you dealt with numerous subjects. It was an assortment of topics that included product launches as well as feature announcements. Additionally, you spoke about verticals. It was also mentioned that B2B was a category. SaaS (or video gaming). Marketers of today are more likely to profit of this form of vertical positioning to market their product. It, in my opinion can be a significant problem with regards to the promotion of goods.

What is the issue with the way products are advertised? Did you discover anything that was not working during the last strategy?

Braden (04:56)

This is a great question. It's true that launches of products depend on many aspects that are out of the control is the responsibility of the person responsible to the product. In the area of engineering, for example when it comes to engineering, as an example, if there are customer commits that must be fulfilled or sales begin becoming significant, it's like"hey you must complete this prior to the introduction of the new product. There are a lot of factors that must be fulfilled prior to the launch of these items. It is important to work with the group responsible for the creation of the product in order in determining the time of commit and to keep track of

Do these items are planned to be released? What do you think "release" refers to? Do you think that this means that it can be used for everyone, or is it being used in beta? Now is the time to think about the question that needs to be asked, what best way to discuss it? What topics would you want to talk about? Would we be able to talk about it since we're testing the product? It's a question that has led to a variety of questions are being asked and a great deal of uncertainty that's a result of this particular the way engineers work and the manufacturing process. One of the most important issues that is breaking

It's difficult to understand the difficulty it has to see the final product before you decide when exactly to release it. It is also difficult to determine when the program will be live. There are times when I know they are aware of the time ahead of the launch. A week before GA and the project manager that project saying,"Hey we'll finish it. It's time to complete it. It's as if I'm a slave to the rope I'm pulling myself. It's not the only thing I'm required to do. So it's not really surprising that you've spoken about verticals. There's been a lot of discussion about verticals.

This takes a great deal of time. One of the issues I've had to consider and make a decision on was: How do I go about with my new product launch, while also completing other things I need to complete without having any influence on timings for the launches?

David Vogelpohl () (06:40)

If you're using a timeline that's floating. It's not yet completely functional. A flaw is discovered by team members at the last second. They make it until the final release and release the update as fast as they can. It's not easy to coordinate the efforts of others including designers, other professionals, marketers and content managers as well as the owners of websites and things such as the. Coordinating floating dates is one of my worries that I've been told about. Is there an additional element? Like...

Yes I've had a hand in marketing products in a range of ways over my professional career. If I'm speaking to an individual from the department of products They'll say that they're going to launch X and I'll be required to be able to announce the release. Do you think that the expectations regarding how much time and energy required to promote different products can be too high? It could be one of the reasons you're not getting conventional advertisements for your products?

Braden (07:28)

Sure, indeed. These are also the product managers for a reason. They're the ones who manage the products. They're extremely enthusiastic about the product. They've been developing their product for quite some period of time to get these products onto the marketplace. Therefore, naturally they're likely to seek out the greatest assistance they can get to market their product. It's difficult to locate anybody on the product team who comes up to you to say that they're incredibly thrilled by the technology.

I'd like many help, I've got a list of suggestions on when and where to say"Let's raise the pressure on our brakes for some time to contemplate possibilities for reasons A and B. However, I'm not able to assist you. Maybe I'm unable to achieve this since I'm not in my element or difficult to maintain a steady contact with the individuals who are responsible for the development of products. It could be that it is because they're unable to be a part of the cause they are fighting for or different. It's not the case. It is clear that you would not want to help everyone you are able to.

David Vogelpohl () (08:26)

Yeah. This is like looking at this as the coordination of going-to markets to facilitate the launching of new products. You're dealing floating dates as an element of your usual procedure, as are the other managers, as you've said that you're investing your time and energy investing on this so it's almost as if you need to announce an announcement about this. With all these expectations and shifting dates, it's obvious that you're not doing your most efficient job that you are able to. It's like you're juggling multiple tasks trying to finish the job you're doing at your best. This is what I'm feeling. Are you having?

Braden (09:01)

Yeah, yeah, that's right. In this scenario, many items are accomplished simultaneously. Your job is to decide what you can do to get everything done. Not only do you have only one 24-hour working day in addition to having to be working for all hours of the each day. Along with the stress in trying to concentrate on all the other tasks in your head take this method that is highly tech-savvy and productive.

Condense the information to a form that can be commercially used. That's why there's many issues to be overcome.

David Vogelpohl () (09:35)

This is a topic you brought up a moment back, while we were talking about the support of PMs, as well as the connection to PMMs as well as to the conditions of. Are you of the opinion that the traditional form of marketing for items, it would be suitable to state that it encounters some conflict between PMMs and PMs?

Braden (09:58)

It's true, I'm sure. There's been instances when sure, there's somewhat tense discussion should it is necessary to declare that you do not have enough funds to cover the direction you want to take. If you are forced to take the decision to do so, make sure you listen and be aware of what the Prime Minister is likely to want. It can also cause stress. It is also important to know that you need to be able to effectively communicate when you have to participate in or engage in discussion, as you take notes of the discussions.

It should be clear and ensure you are proficient at recording your activities and, in this particular case employing the strategy of thematic launches to eliminate most of the problems which can occur during the launch of an ordinary product.

David Vogelpohl () (10:41)

Now you've got the product managers who want the most powerful megaphone they could receive to advertise their latest product. There are Marketing departments from other departments asking suggestions for how to manage our marketing so that it is more effective? It has been discussed about changing to topics for your product. First, you must be aware of the fundamental concepts. What is a thematic product release?

Braden (10:59)

Yeah, great question. Thematic releases are those which fall under the umbrella of a particular topic. This is the case for B2B as the umbrella and the other releases fall within the topic.

David Vogelpohl () (11:16)

If we talk about the topics that we're discussing, there's no weekly release. That could be true when you're incredibly fast. is it the case when you publish the subjects each quarter over a period of months?

Braden (11:30)

Good question. It is usually an early spring or summer release. The release doesn't draw much interest during the Christmas period toward the close of the year, so we do not release it in that season. However, we only release three releases per calendar year. Furthermore, there are periodic releases frequently.

David Vogelpohl () (11:45)

It is because of the fact that the business will declare each quarter that we'll create theme-based changes on the product or collection, in addition to including this into the marketing of the product. Additionally, we'll present this with a massive advertisement campaign. What happens should we incorporate important elements from the various items and publications that relate to the subject?

Braden (12:08)

It is indeed. There are a variety of options. As we review the plans of our customers It allows us to say"OK What's planned for the year ahead? It allows us to organize the items into categories. So, it doesn't suggest that we have to shift to the left when we say that we have to determine which theme is A. What of the elements are related to theme A? Let's instead look at the various products we plan to introduce in the upcoming year?

What is the main 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 boost your influence. You could find yourself missing by one quarter, perhaps, during the announcement or other event or there might be an interruption as you could think. It will be obvious that you're. Yeah. This means you're decoupling your GA to the extent you'd prefer to conduct your own marketing.

Braden (12:51)

That's correct, yeah.

That's correct. Yeah. It's a plan. it's true that we've implemented our GA processes that we implement as these products will require marketing after they've been operational. Therefore, as an element of the thematic process it is possible to having GA assignments and specific actions that we could use for every product.

David Vogelpohl () (13:18)

Every launch, if organizers wish, will be included in the theme being launched. You can have an equivalent version that is incorporated in the GA launch. This is basically an inverse dip, as it's.

Braden (13:31)

Yeah, that's right. Yeah. It's great to ensure that all team members within our company are able to have access to GA. It means that GA users won't be being able to hear about their customers. Customers are saying,"Hey, I'm using this wonderful product. I'd like to know more about this product. Customer service wasn't an entity that hasn't been established. This hasn't been the case as of when we arrived in GA We're providing FAQs and other data based on values to ensure employees are aware of the current situation.

In addition, the most frequently used advertisements, as you pointed out, may not be as effective when they are placed in the appropriate time. If the product was planned to debut in January, make sure you do not announce any themed releases in April. The product may not be given the same level of marketing focus at the start however, it'll get included in the bigger advertisement later on during the entire year.

David Vogelpohl () (14:17)

If you believed that this was a very strategic plan do you consider the possibility of adding X or a different release to the themes in the event that you are able to be able to get an GA date for the crucial moment you've been anticipating for quite a while?

Braden (14:30)

Yeah, absolutely. There is a possibility of us periodically releasing an ad-hoc version of the software that we'd like to release. We will try to limit them to the release of just one or two versions whenever they're feasible. We've created a system that we have with you and our developers which lets us take part in discussion and think"okay this is the time to learn about the amazing software. It's not in the realm of "features" but is essential due to reasons such as A and B. We'll be working for it in a group, to make sure everybody is aware of what we're aiming at achieving. Then, as you can imagine, this will receive the attention of a special group.

That means that you have to think about fifteen distinct lines of products all simultaneously, which could end up being thrown out when the time has passed. It is typically the situation when it comes to items that offer everything simultaneously.

David Vogelpohl () (15:08)

Thank you.

One of my favorite business jokes actually isn't the result of a joke but rather an observation. The idea is that executives' Q3 is an opportunity for them to kick off Q3 and the engineers are nearing the close to the Q3. 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)

Absolutly right.

David Vogelpohl () (15:38)

The theme is scheduled to launch either this quarter or the following one. However, you might be in a position to come across a completely new product or feature that does not seem to fit into the theme. Do you mean some of the subjects have been discussed in the past and could also be component of the theme's release?

Braden (15:55)

It's true. So, I'm going to provide you with an illustration of the current effort. Our payment options were introduced at the start in the calendar year. We were able to provide different payment alternatives. One of the payment options that managed to slip through the cracks in the technology world, yet could not be fully functional when it was came out it was Google Pay and everyone knows Google Pay. We met with Google Pay's team to discuss the options and ask what's the best method to make it easier to sell Google Pay? The service isn't B2B. Therefore, we created a small version to be used with Google Pay.

I've made a couple of documents that can be used to support FAQs, a blog article or shared on social media like this.

David Vogelpohl () (16:29)

What happens if you've got an anchor release of this type in addition to one that is thematic? This sounds like you were using the anchor. It was the same in the case of the thematic release. Apple Pay slipped from or Google Pay slipped from. What do you do? Is it best to wait to announce the release of your theme until the anchor products are installed? What other choices do you have?

Braden (16:54)

Yeah, I mean, it depends. In certain cases, there is an open-ended wait to see. This happens. This is true. I'm in conversation with the creators of the program today. They have said that B2B is well worth the wait and the launch is expected to come after a couple of months during the calendar year. The advantage of an event with a theme is that there is no set deadline. The deadline is determined by us. Therefore, if it's necessary to extend the time frame so that we can complete the engineering and product development it's feasible to do so.

It is also possible to change themes at any moment. If the most recent product of this season hasn't been launched, it's possible to consider some possibilities to make the best solution to go with the theme by using a different strategy. There's also the chance of being able to create a model that is flexible and will allow for changes all through the year.

David Vogelpohl () (17:47)

This is a great concept. If I look at an old-fashioned advertisement campaign that aims to introduce the brand new item, it's similar to the announcement blog or maybe an announcement made via the press release, emailing our customers or contact potential customers such as this. What's the difference between theme release and a press release with regard to form?

Braden (18:07)

Yes, I've talked about the subject previously. The majority of those cases are still in effect. It's currently the case that these same issues are taking place. However, there's the GA task. Other than the internal notifications that are part of the application. When you authorize access for applications or devices, you're giving the access to us and our team. It's different than themes-based releases.

Today, instead of being focused on the many comparable features, thanks to the option of accessing this function in bits and pieces, it is possible to calculate the total worth of all the parts. This is an enormous contrast that's impossible to achieve to achieve with the release of an identical by releasing it in parts over the time or even the calendar year.

David Vogelpohl () (19:04)

Yeah. It's an excellent strategy because it helps people believe that the story is more influential on the story. I am a fan of this type of film. An illustration that I think is optimal for me would be the improvement in the quality of life, which were a huge challenge for engineers yet don't always improve the quality of life for the average consumer. It's a simple idea to comprehend, isn't it? Anyone who lives in the world does not know the existence of an issue, or issue. It's never easy, since Phil who is employed by the company that offers services has to come out and say"Hey everyone, we've got you covered. this. This is beneficial for the customer and for the business.

Braden (19:08)

Yeah.

David Vogelpohl () (19:34)

Thematic releases do not only give people the chance to use the megaphone, they also contribute to enhancing the stories of improved living conditions.

Braden (19:43)

Access to many features but they're not appropriate for marketing purposes, and they're not even as quick releases by Pendo. Instead, they're shown on a page that is a destination with various functions. It is important to share your megaphone. It is important to share the megaphone. There's a lot of benefits to making small changes to improve your living.

David Vogelpohl () (20:08)

If you opt for this method what is are the requirements?

Braden (20:13)

Third theme here, and, in the upcoming month we'll see the release date of the third theme. The theme will release on July 1st.

David Vogelpohl () (20:20)

In the third quarter of the way through, do you feel that the information you've gathered can help you manage your marketing budget, and it also helps in introducing products that are new or something you would want to know more?

Braden (20:33)

It's not a surprise that the program was modified with my input. The thing I'm seeing is that not only have I had the ability to assist all the developers, but not just helping with in their work, but I additionally, coordinate various aspects of marketing, including demand generation. They've got a large number of lead times, which they didn't have prior to the launch of the program.

In addition, we can incorporate components that were previously difficult to attain. It could be the most significant advantage. It also has the advantage that it gives us the opportunity for working on vertical extension in other areas, such as video games for example. It is possible that we will not have enough time or funds to pushing the verticals further.

David Vogelpohl () (21:28)

The company was told it was home to the video gaming section for a time. Customers have enjoyed gaming for a lengthy period of time, right until the beginning of the business. It's involved in the field. Are you of the view that certain segments of the customer base may play an important role in the themes, or do you think that they're more focused on the features?

Braden (21:51)

Yes, segmentation plays a big role. In my last article, I mentioned that our upcoming launch will be focused on B2B. This is an area we'd like to grow into and we're eager to expand to. It's an area where we're exploring using video games as well. There's been discussions on ways we can improve the features of Apple Pay and implemented Google Pay. Furthermore, the extension that is available in the vertical theme not just open up the possibilities of this but also offers alternative options...

It is up to you which type of launch you select, however, it offers the advantage of being able to it possible to integrate things such as the power of thought into the launch's theme. This could be something you struggle to incorporate with traditional launches. So, you'll be in an ideal position to achieve greater, possibly more significant result from your marketing campaign, and more positive results from this type of event. It will also benefit your business.

David Vogelpohl () (22:44)

Excellent. This was an extremely informative article Braden. I'm glad that you took the time for a live chat about the subject. It was a fascinating debate, which was covered in the City of Austin. It was a pleasure to conduct this discussion in front of the crowd. The show was fantastic. Thanks for participating of this program.

Braden (23:01)

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

David Vogelpohl () (23:04)

Awesome. If you'd like more about the projects Braden is currently working on, for example, his possible next theme-based release Please go to .com. Thanks for taking part of this development Stage. The host is David Vogelpohl. I love supporting the web-based community of products in my job as . I'm humbled and delighted by the possibility to highlight everything wonderful about this community for people in the Stage of Growth. Stage. Thank you for all the support of my fellow performers.

David Vogelpohl David is the CMO of . For the past 25 years David Vogelpohl has led teams that have created high-end engines of technology development and innovation at many of the biggest firms like WP Engine, Genesis, AWS, Cloudflare, and numerous others.

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