Product Chats Podcast

This episode is from our latest Product Chat webinar >> watch the webinar When it comes to the planning, execution and effectiveness of a launch, understanding the key components and their function within teams and processes is essential. Each phase of a launch brings its own very specific challenges and being able to execute and navigate while remaining on track can be challenging. So how can you best identify the key elements of a launch and utilize evaluation to ensure you’re building upon each launch successfully. Join us as we welcome Trishna Sharma, Product Manager of Meta for a conversation on how to look at the key components of a successful product launch and evaluation techniques you can utilize to ensure you are driving powerful outcomes. In this conversation Trishna will share: The key components of what drives a successful launch according to a PM How to plan and execute launch strategies that remain streamlined and on track Metrics and Data Insights you can look to, to measure success and efficiency How to conduct evaluation techniques post-launch to ensure you are consistently improving

“There are several things that can challenge a launch, but forgetting about some of the teams that are necessary for a launch can have a massive impact.” - Diane Pierson   In this episode of Product Chats, Rebecca Kalogeris, VP of marketing for Pragmatic Institute, interviews Diane Pearson, founder and chief market strategist for Innovate on Purpose and Pragmatic instructor, about launches.   Rebecca and Diane discuss: The people and teams that should be involved in a launch—but often aren’t Why you should use a launch readiness assessment rather than a launch checklist How to not lose control of a launch Why are product marketing managers often overlooked in the launch process Want to learn more about effective launches from Pragmatic Instructors like Diane? Launch is a course that helps you create a more strategic approach to exceed your business objectives. Learn to execute successful launches that align your entire organization around the same strategies and goals. Enroll Today

“Just because you may be a bigger company or the acquiring company doesn't mean you do everything right. Learn from the people that you're buying from.” - Frank Tait   In this episode of Pragmatic Live, Rebecca Kalogeris, VP of marketing for Pragmatic Institute, interviews Frank Tait about how the Pragmatic Framework can help companies navigate the choppy waters of mergers and acquisitions.   Frank worked in educational technology software for more than 40 years and brought the Pragmatic Framework into approximately 17 different businesses (most of those were acquisitions). Now, he works as a strategic advisor.   Despite the difficulties of M&A, it offers a rare chance to quickly and directly impact an organization's economics. By mastering the Pragmatic Framework, you can boost your career and make a substantial difference to your organization.   During this episode, Rebecca and Frank discuss: When to build, buy or partner in the context of a merger or acquisition The three stages of determining whether or not to buy a company The value of a gap analysis during an acquisition or merger How to apply the Pragmatic Framework to M&A build a shared mission and understanding The role of positioning and segmentation during an M&A process Frank Tait is an active member of Pragmatic’s alumni community. How do you become a member of this growing and thriving product community? All you have to do is take your first Pragmatic course, and you’ll gain a free lifetime membership.   Enroll in Foundations In this course, you’ll learn the ins and outs of the Pragmatic Framework that Frank references during this episode.

Are your market research efforts providing meaningful insights? Have you accurately identified the needs of your market? Do your cross-functional team members understand your market well enough to win their trust – and get the sale? Join us as Pragmatic Institute and Diane Pierson, visiting instructor and founder of Innovate on Purpose welcome Scott Lien, CEO and co-founder of GrandPad. Scott will share how to leverage market research to build powerful positioning and ways to utilize Pragmatic principles in the real world to gain a strategic advantage. In this conversation Scott will also discuss: What kinds of market research will help you build better positioning Practical ways to conduct research with limited budgets and time How to drive market knowledge into every product and marketing decision to drive better results How to align with leadership to successfully jumpstart your positioning workflow

“I am pleading for everybody, working in any job, at the start of every one of your projects to say, ‘are we date-driven or are we scope-driven?’ Then, when something unforeseen comes our way, we will gleefully and joyfully make the adjustments and celebrate and move forward.   And we will take the human nature desire to have a punitive discussion at that moment in time off the table because it ultimately inhibits the workflow and the culture.”   -Kirsten Butzow   In this episode of Pragmatic Live, Rebecca Kalogeris, VP of marketing for Pragmatic Institute, interviews Kirsten Butzow, senior VP at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, discussing the often overlooked and hidden cause of tension and bad culture in organizations—workflows.Kirsten Butzow is a product management enthusiast, passionate mentor, leader, and former Pragmatic Instructor.   During this episode, Kirsten and Rebecca Discuss: How to determine if a perceived cultural issue is actually rooted in a problem with workflow Why unexpected rework is a sign of a workflow problem Why starting with customer data will bring clarity to workflows The importance of agreeing to adjust either scope or date deadlines to better manage resource and time constraints   Additional Resources: Enroll Foundations to take the first step in truly understanding the market and the problems it faces. In this course, you’ll also master the Pragmatic Framework and the activities needed to bring a successful product to market. Learn More

“The whole point of doing a positioning document is to clearly and concisely say, ‘who are we solving problems for? What are those particular problems, and why do those people care so much that we solve those problems for them?’”   In this episode of Pragmatic Live, Rebecca Kalogeris, VP of marketing for Pragmatic Institute, interviews Pragmatic instructor Dan Corbin about positioning.   Dan explains that positioning helps to align the organization by clearly communicating the target audience, their problems, and the solutions to those problems. This is particularly important for product management teams, often at the organization's center and playing a pivotal role in driving alignment.   During this episode, Dan and Rebecca Discuss: Why position documents are essential for the entire organization and why it makes the product team’s job easier What to include in a positioning document and why the order of the sections is so important How many positioning documents should you create per product Who should own the positioning document Additional Resources: Enroll Foundations to learn more about positioning from expert instructors like Dan Corbin. Take the first step in truly understanding the market and the problems it faces. In this course, you’ll also master the Pragmatic Framework and the activities needed to bring a successful product to market. Learn More

“I think every company should be thinking about is create a product-led growth strategy. You don't have to implement it. You don't have to say, "this is how we're going to run our company." But I think if you step back to think about what it would look like if we use product-led growth in our company, you would probably build much better products.” - Mark Stiving   What trends will shape the future of pricing? In this episode of Pragmatic Live, Rebecca Kalogeris, VP of marketing for Pragmatic Institute, interviews pricing guru Mark Stiving about pricing trends and predictions for 2023.   They discuss: Companies moving toward usage-based pricing What is product-led growth Why net-dollar retention is the single most important KPI The importance of compensation for the sales team that grows customers Pricing and AI Additional Resources:   Enroll in the Pragmatic Price course today to learn how to evaluate the competitive and market environment, create effective price segmentation strategies, and implement and measure pricing strategies that support your organization's goals.   Is your subscription business stuck in neutral? Shift into high gear with the on-demand course, Accelerate Your Subscription Business. Led by pricing expert Mark Stiving, this course will help you streamline your business for success and give you the clarity and certainty you need to drive growth.   Keep Learning About Pricing From Mark Stiving Pricing Case Study: Why Disney Should Charge MORE for Their $6,000 Hotel Room Pricing Case Study: The Housing Market Teaches Why Cost Plus Pricing is a Bad Idea Pricing Case Study: When Will You Unsubscribe to Netflix? Pricing Case Study: Shrinkflation and Why You’re Getting Less but Paying More

In this episode, Rebecca Kalogeris, VP of marketing for Pragmatic Institute, hosts Sandy Orlando, the senior VP of product management at CDK Global, an automotive retailing software company. Sandy explains that her objective with NIHITO visits is to listen to the customer rather than to talk to the customer, and to test a hypothesis without trying to inform it. She said that while building personas people try to prescribe a conclusion and then prove it rather than exploring. When done well, personas can lead a product team to create solutions that lead customers to desired outcomes. At times, she said she's received feedback from customers that she didn't deliver one single thing the customer asked for but instead delivered exactly what they needed.

This episode is from our latest Product Chat webinar >> watch the webinar With 2022 coming to an end and rumbles of the macro environment creating some potentially tough hurdles for businesses in 2023, companies must be laser-focused on what is most important for success in the coming year. This is why product managers and leaders must hone in on areas that create resilience and deliver the highest value and greatest impact for their organizations, employees and, most importantly, their users and customers. Join us as we welcome Kirsten Van Detta, senior product manager at LinkedIn, for a conversation on what key concepts product professionals should be focusing on to fuel their 2023 and how being ruthless in your prioritization can serve as your biggest ally.

“What I also have noticed is without clarity, people are literally moving in very different directions, in the wrong direction. They're moving fast, but it's not really making an impact on where they want to go.” - Yasmeen Turayhi   In this episode of Pragmatic Live, Rebecca Kalogeris, VP of marketing for Pragmatic Institute, interviews Yasmeen Turayhi, founder of the consultancy firm Modern Product and author of Product Marketing Debunked.   They Discuss The importance of the product marketing role How to manage pressure and the importance of mental health Strategies to build clarity and prioritize tasks Why the best product marketers are curious and diversify their knowledge Follow Yasmeen Turayhi on Medium   Additional Resources Market. This course helps you gain a thorough understanding of your buyers and how they like to buy so you can build the product marketing strategies that deliver results. Learn More