Finding Balance in Developer Evangelism with Michael Stowe, Senior Director of Developer Marketing at RingCentral
Aug 17, 2023
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Michael Stowe, Senior Director of Developer Marketing at RingCentral, shares the misconceptions of developer evangelists, strategies for justifying developer marketing, and the three pillars of evangelism. They discuss the role of documentation, balancing support for developers and business goals, and enhancing developer education.
Community and empathy play a vital role in developer education and marketing, emphasizing the importance of building strong relationships and trust with developers.
Hackathons serve as valuable channels for brand awareness, product feedback, and talent recruitment within the developer community.
Investing in comprehensive documentation, resource accessibility, and educational tools is essential for building a successful developer program.
Deep dives
The Power of Community and Empathy
The podcast episode highlights the importance of community and empathy in developer education and marketing. It emphasizes the role of the community in shaping the success of a developer program. The guest speaker shares his personal experiences and how the support of an online community fueled his learning journey. The conversation also touches on the impact of developer evangelism and the importance of building trust and relationships with developers. The podcast encourages a holistic approach to developer education and marketing, focusing on creating valuable content, improving documentation, and actively listening to developer feedback.
The Value of Hackathons
Hackathons are discussed as a valuable channel for brand awareness, product feedback, and recruiting. The guest speaker highlights the benefits of participating in hackathons, including increased awareness among developers, opportunities for receiving valuable feedback on product offerings, and the potential for identifying talent for internship and job positions. The podcast emphasizes the importance of leveraging hackathons for relationship building and creating a positive perception within the developer community.
Building a Strong Developer Program
The episode delves into the essentials of building a successful developer program. The importance of investing in documentation, resource accessibility, and educational tools is emphasized. The guest speaker shares his experience in improving developer education by focusing on providing clear and comprehensive documentation, addressing user pain points, and analyzing feedback to enhance the developer experience. The podcast also explores the significance of metrics and stakeholder relationships in building a robust program.
The Role of Empathy and Integrity
Empathy and integrity are highlighted as crucial values in developer relations. The episode stresses the importance of understanding developers' needs, maintaining open communication, and treating developers with respect. The guest speaker emphasizes the value of building trust and genuine connections within the developer community. The podcast encourages developers to prioritize their own well-being, take breaks, and avoid burnout in order to sustain a successful career in developer relations.
The Future of Developer Education
The episode concludes with a discussion on the future of developer education. The guest speaker expresses the desire for more accessible and interactive learning resources. The podcast emphasizes the importance of free resources, hands-on learning experiences, and mentorship opportunities in driving developer education. The guest speaker also advocates for the revival of in-person events and community engagement as a means of fostering relationships, knowledge-sharing, and skill development among developers.
In this episode, Jon is joined by Michael Stowe, Senior Director of Developer Marketing at RingCentral, a leading provider of business cloud communications and contact center solutions based on its powerful Message Video Phone™ (MVP®) global platform. With over ten years of experience in engineering, he is focused on community development, software architecture, API design, security, and usability.
They explore the misconception of developer evangelists, their strategies for justifying the existence of developer marketing, and how Michael approaches building a successful developer program. They also talk about the three pillars of developer evangelism and the importance of balancing supporting developers and achieving business goals in developer marketing and relations. They further delve into the role of documentation and how it can be used effectively to provide information and support to developers.