Product Management University

JANUARY 8, 2024

For all of you pre-sales solution consultants and sales engineers looking for new ways to differentiate your demos, step away from your products for a quick minute. Sure, the product is what prospects are buying in the literal sense, but with few exceptions, the biggest thing that’ll differentiate your products and your organization in the sales process is…YOU!

Research Software 147

Research Software Consulting Healthcare Differentiation 147

Product Management University

JANUARY 2, 2024

If you ask 10 different product managers to describe strategic product management, you’ll probably get at least 10 answers, maybe more. Here’s the one thing they’ll all have in common though. Every description will be something related to the product manager’s job responsibilities, and that’s why the definition of strategic product management varies so widely from one individual to another, and even more so from one organization to another.

Product Management 147

Product Management Product Manager Product Research Management 147

Product Management University

NOVEMBER 9, 2023

Your first 5 to-do’s as a new product manager! You’ve somehow landed in a product manager job and have no experience or formal training. You’re completely overwhelmed, drinking from the firehose! What do you do first? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Join Jackie Flake , Founder of Option 1 Partners , and John Mansour , Founder & President of Product Management University , for a webinar designed exclusively for new product managers like you!

Webinar 130

Webinar Product Management Product Manager Management 130

Product Management University

DECEMBER 5, 2023

Here’s the easiest way to marry company strategy and product strategy. The first order of business is to make a clear distinction between your company’s financial goals and strategic goals. They’re often conflated. Financial goals are just that. While meeting those goals is critical to your organization’s success, financial goals themselves aren’t the same as strategic goals.

Strategy 130

Strategy Product Strategy Workshop Customer Experience 130

Product Management University

DECEMBER 5, 2023

Here’s a simple three-step approach for your product demos that will help you sell solutions versus products. It’ll make differentiation easier and improve your sales win rates. In many cases, the product silos that exist within product management become transparent to buyers during the sales cycle, creating the perception you’ve got a bunch of fragmented products instead of integrated solutions.

Demo 130

Demo Differentiation Reference Consulting 130

Product Management University

NOVEMBER 29, 2023

To all of you product marketers out there, you totally understand this situation! When it comes to positioning value, sometimes the simplest things are the hardest to say. A good friend of mine is leaving his corporate job and going out on his own as a consultant with an amazing track record of success. He put up a website and asked me to give it a look.

Positioning 100

Positioning Workshop Messaging Demo 100

Product Management University

OCTOBER 23, 2023

In most B2B organizations, it’s more the exception than the rule that customer success managers inherit accounts where they’re in a position to play offense because the customer is thrilled with your products. Let’s dream for just a minute. It Starts With Product Management Product management consistently does discovery at a level that makes them more knowledgeable holistically on the markets and customers than all other disciplines.

User Testing 130

User Testing Onboarding KPIs Product Research Management 130

Product Management University

OCTOBER 17, 2023

Nothing eludes the ripple effect of your product management model, and sales enablement is no exception. Sales enablement encompasses a lot, but there’s one thing that still matters more than anything else when you’re a salesperson in the throes of the sales process. It’s the conversations you’re having with buyers at all levels, from users to the C-suite, and from the first discovery conversation through to contract negotiations and the transition to customer success.

Product Research 130

Product Research Customer Experience Positioning Management 130

Product Management University

OCTOBER 16, 2023

Here’s a simple example of portfolio positioning and how it makes your product positioning more strategic. Your accounts payable product improves the customer’s cash flow. It sounds strategic. What CFO doesn’t want a stronger balance sheet? Your accounts receivable product further enhances cash flow. Even more strategic when customers use both, right?

Positioning 147

Positioning Product Research User Friction Differentiation 147

Product Management University

OCTOBER 13, 2023

Before we bring the portfolio roadmap into the picture, let’s set the stage with product roadmaps. For most people, the term roadmap conjures up a visual presentation of product features and delivery dates published by product management. While that definition doesn’t coincide with the purist view, let’s run with it since feature-date roadmaps are the rule these days rather than the exception.

Roadmap 130

Roadmap White Paper Product Research Customer Experience 130

Product Management University

OCTOBER 11, 2023

Let’s start this discussion of integrating business processes vs. products with the spotlight on pre-sales, sales, and customer on-boarding since they bear the brunt of the ripple effect. Here’s the scenario. You’re in the throes of the sales cycle and it’s product demo time. In addition to functionality, you’re highlighting the fact that all your products reside on a common platform and the associated benefits that come with it.

Product Research 130

Product Research Feedback Software Differentiation Management 130

Product Management University

OCTOBER 2, 2023

Product managers and product marketing managers, if you’re into data driven decisions, forecasting revenue is one of the more difficult things you’re tasked with, especially for each product/module. There’s a good reason it’s so difficult. If you’re thinking market data is pretty hard to come by at a product/module level, you’d be 100% correct.

Marketing 130

Marketing Data Visualization Workshop B2B 130

Product Management University

OCTOBER 4, 2023

Market and customer discovery is the single most foundational skill for success in product management and product marketing. There are two things to consider when it comes to being more strategic in your discovery. One of them is obvious and the other is rarely if ever discussed. Let’s start with the obvious one, understanding what’s driving your target customers strategically from the top down.

Product Research 130

Product Research Management Management Workshop 130

Product Management University

OCTOBER 9, 2023

Here’s why a portfolio vision is so critical to the success of your products and how it elevates Product Management, Product Marketing, Sales and Customer Success teams to plan and execute more strategically. Think of your portfolio vision as the ultimate “strategic goal/outcome” your target customers want from your portfolio of products. Then think of the vision for each product as the ultimate “operational goal/outcome” customers get from that product.

Vision 130

Vision Reporting Tools Product Research Workshop 130

Product Management University

OCTOBER 4, 2023

Market and customer discovery is the single most foundational skill for success in product management and product marketing. There are two things to consider when it comes to being more strategic in your discovery. One of them is obvious and the other is rarely if ever discussed. Let’s start with the obvious one, understanding what’s driving your target customers strategically from the top down.

Product Research 130

Product Research Management Management Workshop 130

Product Management University

OCTOBER 3, 2023

Think of your roadmaps, backlogs and sprints as a very specific set of turn-by-turn directions. For the most part, your teams can execute those directions very well. There’s only one problem, and it’s a big one. Where are you supposed to end up? What’s the destination? How will you know when you’ve arrived? Is it OK to just keep on driving? Allison Maddock , Chief Product Officer at CSI responsible for 7 major product lines, Scott Craig , SVP of Strategy & Product at SoftDocs, and John Man

Roadmap 130

Roadmap Webinar Vision Strategy 130

Product Management University

OCTOBER 2, 2023

Product managers and product marketing managers, if you’re into data driven decisions, forecasting revenue is one of the more difficult things you’re tasked with, especially for each product/module. There’s a good reason it’s so difficult. If you’re thinking market data is pretty hard to come by at a product/module level, you’d be 100% correct.

Data Visualization 130

Data Visualization Workshop B2B Product Marketing 130

Product Management University

SEPTEMBER 4, 2023

If you had $1 for every time someone said, “we need to be more strategic,” you’d be a retired millionaire living on your own private island. Consider the fact that portfolio marketing just might be your ticket to strategic product marketing in its purest form, making everything a lot easier with better results. What is Portfolio Marketing?

Product Marketing 130

Product Marketing Marketing Customer Experience Product Research 130

Product Management University

AUGUST 29, 2023

If you want to be well connected and stay on top of your game, here are five free product management events in September 2023. Two are in-person and three are virtual. Here they are. August 30, 2023 | Virtual Greater Strategic Impact, Product CEO or Portfolio Executive? The age-old debate of “Product CEO” vs. the fresh perspective of “Portfolio Executive” in the world of product management.

Events 130

Events Product Research Product Management Product Manager 130

Product Management University

AUGUST 21, 2023

The product CEO analogy for product managers has been around forever, but when you think about it, does it really make sense for B2B software? Every product manager wants to have a reputation for being strategic. The question is, can you have a greater strategic impact as a product CEO or as a member of the portfolio executive team? Let’s have a look see!

Product Management 246

Product Management Product Manager White Paper Vision 246

Product Management University

AUGUST 15, 2023

The biggest difference between product management and portfolio management is product management focuses specifically on the success of each product whereas portfolio management focuses on the success of the company (the portfolio) in chosen market segments. Product Management In a product management model, product managers assess markets where their products can best succeed and they create plans accordingly to support the company’s strategic and financial goals.

Product Management 246

Product Management Product Manager White Paper Management 246

Product Management University

JULY 16, 2023

Rearchitecting your platform is a necessary evil but every software company has to suck it up at least once. If you’re fortunate enough to have success over the long haul, you’ll do it a few times. It’s total stress though, especially for product management and product development teams because of the tremendous pressure to deliver feature parity in the initial release or very soon thereafter.

Technical Review 130

Technical Review Software Review Customer Experience Vision 130

Product Management University

JUNE 21, 2023

Developing a content strategy for product marketing requires an approach similar to product positioning. It’s about meeting your target customers in their comfort zone with insightful content that strikes an emotional chord. The end game is to open more doors for sales at the decision-maker/influencer level and give them higher quality leads that are warmer from the start.

Product Marketing 130

Product Marketing Strategy Marketing White Paper 130

Product Management University

JUNE 8, 2023

Quantifying customer value can turn the “what have you done for me lately ” question into a productive conversation that results in higher renewal rates and higher sales of add-on products/services. If you’re a customer success manager, it’s a familiar scenario. The time for renewal is fast approaching on one or more accounts. That dreaded question is right around the corner.

Customer Feedback 130

Customer Feedback Customer Experience Data Visualization Product Research 130

Product Management University

JUNE 5, 2023

Most product managers know how to create a product vision, but that’s not the hard part. The more difficult part is getting stakeholders energized and on board the proverbial train. Here’s the thing. The extent to which stakeholders get behind your product vision has everything to do with how the product vision is articulated. What is a Product Vision?

Vision 130

Vision Product Research User Testing Customer Experience 130

Product Management University

MAY 24, 2023

If you’re a solution consultant (SC), sales engineer (SE), or any other role that does sales demos, there’s nothing more uncomfortable than going into a demo and not knowing what you’re aiming for. Qualifying your account executives prior to the demo is a practice that’s beneficial to everyone, including the buyer. The cold hard reality is there are always going to be situations where you have to tap dance through a demo with little or no discovery beforehand.

Demo 147

Demo Product Research Customer Experience Consulting 147

Product Management University

APRIL 25, 2023

Creating a value based resume means it’s time to treat yourself as a product that has strategic (employer) value. The hard part is avoiding the trap of TELLING employers what the product (you) does versus SELLING its value. Here we are in the early part of 2023 and so many of my talented friends, former colleagues and customers have fallen victim to the mass layoffs in high tech.

Technical Review 244

Technical Review Research Software Systems Review Customer Experience 244

Product Management University

APRIL 4, 2023

Leading Strategically vs. Reacting Tactically There’s a good reason your title changed from account manager to customer success manager. You’re no longer just the tactical laundry list manager. In this training seminar, you’ll learn how to lead your customers strategically to where they ultimately want to go with your products, quantify their success and continue delivering value with additional products and services.

Seminar 130

Seminar Management Management 130

Product Management University

MARCH 30, 2023

If you’re a dog or cat owner and your clothing and furniture are covered in pet hair, do you reach for the generic lint roller, or do you buy the “pet hair pick-up,” a product that’s basically a lint roller with your furry friends on the label? Most pet owners will choose the pet hair pick-up because it speaks to their specific needs.

B2B 130

B2B Marketing Customer Experience Healthcare 130

Product Management University

MARCH 23, 2023

If you’re a pre-sales solution consultant or sales engineer, falling into the trap of telling vs selling can happen before you even know it, even though your intentions are always on the mark to start the demo. Here’s how to avoid the trap. The Difference Between Telling and Selling Demos Telling Demos The telling demo is an overview of the product section by section, a demonstration of the features in each, and an explanation of how those features work and the benefits.

Demo 243

Demo Product Research Systems Review Workshop 243

Product Management University

MARCH 21, 2023

The whole point of creating a sales playbook is to give your sales team “situational sales tools” that make them highly effective in every part of the sales process. The end game is shorter sales cycles where your products and services are the clear choice. What is a Sales Playbook? A sales playbook is a collection of sales tools that help salespeople usher buyers through the sales process with simplicity and greater credibility.

Product Research 130

Product Research Customer Experience Demo Customer Feedback 130

Product Management University

MARCH 20, 2023

Customer success managers are the owners of your customer accounts. If your organization is looking to create or strengthen its voice of customer (VOC) structure and organize the chaos of talking to customers on all fronts, customer success managers have to play the role of quarterback (American football). What is Voice of Customer Structure? There are multiple disciplines and roles that regularly interact with customers for a variety of reasons.

Customer Experience 130

Customer Experience User Testing Customer Feedback Technical Review 130

Product Management University

MARCH 16, 2023

When it comes to innovation and product management, a great idea can only get you so far. In order to make your great idea come to life, you eventually have to prioritize development tasks by collaborating with target customers, stakeholders and other team members. The result is a product backlog, which will take you task-by-task from conception to launch.

Customer Feedback 246

Customer Feedback Customer Experience Roadmap Agile 246

Product Management University

MARCH 15, 2023

Don’t sweat it, product manager purists. Building a product management organization in this manner gets you into your dream job, the strategic product management role you’ve always wanted, and your new title reflects your actual responsibilities. There’s one catch though. You have to love the market dynamics (yours and the customer’s) and the business operations of your target customers way, way more than you love your products or you will fail miserably!

Reporting Tools 246

Reporting Tools Product Research Product Management Product Manager 246

Product Management University

MARCH 14, 2023

One View of the Customer. No Silos. Measurable Customer Value. Today, Product Management University announced the availability of its Customer Outcome Framework for B2B. It’s a simpler approach for bringing quantifiable strategic value to the customer versus the typical approach of focusing solely on customer problems. The Customer Outcome Framework The Customer Outcome Framework employs a top-down view of the customer, their highest-priority business outcomes, and the obstacles standing in the

Framework 246

Framework Customer Experience Product Marketing Product Management 246

Product Management University

FEBRUARY 22, 2023

Product management is one of the hottest careers in high-tech right now with tremendous career growth. If you’re considering a career in this industry, you’ll need to know exactly what will be expected of you as a product manager. Fortunately, we have all the insights you’ll need to succeed. In this post, we’ll look at the nuances of the product manager career path and how to stand out in your role so you can advance in your field.

Positioning 264

Positioning Product Management Product Manager B2B 264

Product Management University

FEBRUARY 15, 2023

Solution selling is like vanilla ice cream. Everyone knows what it is. It’s simple and it meets the most basic criteria for a dessert. Here’s the thing. If you and all of your competitors are serving vanilla ice cream to buyers, you’re missing an enormous opportunity to differentiate and improve your win rates. Aspirational selling is a more tantalizing flavor that separates you from the pack and makes your products the clear choice.

Product Research 130

Product Research Demo Document B2B 130