product managers need to know things no one else knows. how?
TRANSCRIPT
The Product Mentor Presents:PMs Need to Know Things No One Else
Knows. How?
Jordan BergtraumProduct Management Consultant
Who is Jordan Bergtraum?
Who is Jordan Bergtraum?
7 years leading Product Management teams
Who is Jordan Bergtraum?
Education, Manufacturing, Pharma, Legal, and Facilities Management verticals
Who is Jordan Bergtraum?
10+ years of B2B SaaS experience
Who is Jordan Bergtraum?
Twice introduced Product Management to an organization
Who is Jordan Bergtraum?
In-bound market research and outbound product marketing
What to expect from this presentation?
What to expect from this presentation?
What “knowing more” means
What to expect from this presentation?
What “knowing more” meansWhy “knowing more” is important
What to expect from this presentation?
What “knowing more” meansWhy “knowing more” is importantHow to “know more” than everyone
Do I need to know more than…
Do I need to know more than…
…my boss?
Do I need to know more than…
…my boss?
Do I need to know more than…
…the Head of Client Success?
Do I need to know more than…
…the Head of Client Success?
Do I need to know more than…
…the Head of Sales?
Do I need to know more than…
…the Head of Sales?
Do I need to know more than…
…the CEO?
Do I need to know more than…
…the CEO?
Do I need to know more than…
…the CEO?
You get the idea
What does “knowing more” mean?
What does “knowing more” mean?
Knowing your market / product space better than anyone
What does “knowing more” mean?
Greater depth
What does “knowing more” mean?
Greater breadth
What does “knowing more” mean?
Know your customers & prospects better
What does “knowing more” mean?
Having more data
What does “knowing more” mean?
Understanding what the competition is up to
What does “knowing more” mean?
A greater aggregate knowledge
Why is “knowing more” important?
Why is “knowing more” important?
Build the “right” product. It’s Hard.
Why is “knowing more” important?
Defend the “right” product. Even Harder.
Why is “knowing more” important?
The product needs to be “Right”. You do not.
Why is “knowing more” important?
“Wrong” = a great idea at the wrong time
Why is “knowing more” important?
“Right” = the great idea most valuable to the company
Why is “knowing more” important?
“Knowing more” instills confidence
Why is “knowing more” important?
“Knowing more” = defend the “right” product
Why will I need to defend my roadmap?
Why will I need to defend my roadmap?
You will be challenged by……Sales. Client Success. The CEO.
Why will I need to defend my roadmap?
They have their needs……and biases
Why will I need to defend my roadmap?
Sales, Client Success, and the C-level will have different ideas of “right”
Why will I need to defend my roadmap?
Defend what you know is “right” for the business
Why will I need to defend my roadmap?
Defend with facts & data. Not opinions.
What’s wrong with opinions?I value my opinion!
What’s wrong with opinions?I value my opinion!
Opinions have little value……and hence are always challenged
What’s wrong with opinions?I value my opinion!
Title trumps opinions
What’s wrong with opinions?I value my opinion!
Breadth, depth & data trump ALL
What’s wrong with opinions?I value my opinion!
A roadmap based on breadth, depth & data is easy to defend
What’s wrong with opinions?I value my opinion!
This allows you to stick to the “right” product
What’s wrong with opinions?I value my opinion!
Building the “right” product makes you a “Rock Star”
What’s wrong with opinions?I value my opinion!
Building the “right” product makes you a “Rock Star”“Rock Stars” get acknowledged
What’s wrong with opinions?I value my opinion!
Building the “right” product makes you a “Rock Star”“Rock Stars” get acknowledged
“Rock Stars” get promoted
Can I “know more” leveraging internal knowledge?
Can I “know more” leveraging internal knowledge?
Not really
Can I “know more” leveraging internal knowledge?
Internal knowledge is what your company already knows
Can I “know more” leveraging internal knowledge?
It’s possible to know more by aggregating
Can I “know more” leveraging internal knowledge?
But that’s not as valuable as knowing things no one internally knows
Can I “know more” leveraging internal knowledge?
PMs are researchers… not order takers
Can I “know more” leveraging internal knowledge?
PMs are researchers… not order takersOrder takers are a dime-a-dozen
Can I “know more” leveraging internal knowledge?
PMs are researchers… not order takersOrder takers are a dime-a-dozen
Order takers don’t often get recognized
How do I “know more”?
How do I “know more”?
Research
How do I “know more”?
Research your market / customer / usersMore often
More depthMore variety
How do I “know more”?
Advisory BoardsKnow the ideas of your thought leaders Collect data on priorities
How do I “know more”?
Know your prospectsAttend sales engagements
How do I “know more”?
Know your prospectsWin/Loss analysis
How do I “know more”?
Know your prospectsTalk to more prospects
How do I “know more”?
Know your prospectsGo deeper
How do I “know more”?
Research Competition
How do I “know more”?
Conferences
How do I “know more”?
Aggregate all this infoHave the most holistic view
The Summary
The Summary
Opinions have little value
The Summary
Breadth, depth & data trump all
The Summary
Breadth, depth & data allow you to create the “right” roadmap
The Summary
Breadth, depth & data allow you to defend the “right” roadmap
The Summary
The “right” roadmap = the “right” product
The Summary
The “right” product makes you a HERO!
Thank youJordan Bergtraum