Product Chats Podcast

“If you’re potential customers aren’t aware that they have a problem and you have a solution, your sales cycle is so much longer and so much more painful." Amanda Northcutt, CEO of Level Up Creators Join us for an insightful conversation with Amanda Northcutt, CEO of Level Up Creators, as she dives deep into the world of recurring revenue and subscription-based businesses. Amanda shares her expert knowledge on optimizing customer journeys, reducing churn rates, and leveraging revenue opportunities to ensure sustained business growth.   Key Takeaways: Understand and Optimize the Customer Journey: Amanda emphasizes the importance of mapping out and understanding the entire customer journey to enhance retention and improve the overall experience. Data-Driven Decision Making: Tracking customer behavior and using qualitative and quantitative data to inform decisions is crucial for refining products and services. Consistent Value Addition: Continuously providing value through new features, unique content, and improved offerings keeps customers engaged and reduces churn. Proactive Churn Management: Identifying and addressing the reasons behind customer churn proactively helps maintain a stable and satisfied customer base. Effective Revenue Operations: Implementing robust revenue operations practices ensures optimal management and maximization of various revenue streams. Bonus Discussion: Amanda also delves into the benefits of competition in the market, monetizing personal brands, and why you should be including a category for premium customer experiences.   About Our Guest Amanda Northcutt is a seasoned expert in the subscription business model and recurring revenue strategies. As the CEO of Level Up Creators, she leverages her deep understanding of customer journeys and retention behaviors to help digital thought leaders optimize their businesses. Amanda's insights on pricing strategies, packaging techniques, and marketing tactics are invaluable for anyone looking to succeed in the subscription economy. You can find more of her resources on LinkedIn or through her websites, https://welevelupcreators.com and levelupcreatorschool.com.   About Pragmatic Institute Since 1993, Pragmatic Institute has provided training and professional development for product design and data professionals to accelerate innovation, increase customer satisfaction, and bolster revenue. Through our comprehensive methods and proprietary Pragmatic Framework, we train professionals with the skills needed to accelerate their product management and product marketing careers, increase team efficiency, and boost revenue.   Our online, in-person, and on-demand courses are taught by industry experts with decades of experience at top companies like Microsoft, Cisco, Dell, Hallmark, Quaker Oats, and Dun & Bradstreet.   We offer individual course training in product design and data and certification tracks for Product Management Certifications, Product Marketing Certifications, and the Pragmatic Product Master Certification. All attendees gain access to the Pragmatic Alumni Community, a network of over 30,000 alumni worldwide.   If you’re looking for product management or product marketing training or are pursuing a product marketing certification or product management certification, browse our certification paths at Pragmatic Institute. Courses are available online, in-person, or on-demand to fit your schedule. Want to learn more about becoming a Pragmatic Certified Product Manager? Learn more here.   #ProductManagement #ProductManager #ProductManagementCertification #ProductManagementStrategy #PragmaticInstitute

“There are certain things that product managers sometimes unintentionally do, or things they don't realize they do, that have really negative cascading impacts for engineers." Dan Corbin, Product Management Leader and Instructor at Pragmatic Institute In this episode, we dive deep into the dynamics between product managers and engineering teams with Dan Corbin, an experienced product management professional and instructor at Pragmatic Institute.   Dan shares his recent findings on the behaviors and practices that can either foster collaboration or create friction between these crucial roles.   With extensive experience leading product teams across various industries, Dan provides invaluable insights into building a harmonious and productive team environment.   Key Takeaways: Misconceptions About Engineer Satisfaction: Simple gestures like bringing donuts aren’t enough; effective collaboration requires more nuanced approaches. Common PM Pitfalls: PMs often make unintentional mistakes, such as failing to validate customer needs, allowing scope creep, and not prioritizing effectively. Implementing Effective Changes: Dan emphasizes the importance of servant leadership, continuous learning, and aligning closely with engineering teams. Maintaining Clear Boundaries: PMs should focus on the "what" and "why," while engineers handle the "how" and "when," ensuring each team can work optimally within their expertise.   About Our Guest Dan Corbin is a seasoned product management leader dedicated to improving product strategy and operations for companies across diverse sectors. With a rich background in software development, Dan has a comprehensive understanding of both the technical and product side of the business.   Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a strong passion for his work and a dedication to helping others in the product management field. He is particularly interested in the dynamics between product and engineering teams and is committed to fostering effective communication and alignment within these roles. Dan's approach to product management emphasizes the importance of servant leadership, gratitude, and continual learning.   Dan is also the founder of The Product League and a regular speaker for Agile Austin, initiatives that further his mission of fostering effective product management practices. Always ready for a conversation, Dan Corbin is a regular guest on podcasts and a valuable contributor to discussions on product management best practices. About Pragmatic Institute Since 1993, Pragmatic Institute has provided training and professional development for product design and data professionals to accelerate innovation, increase customer satisfaction, and bolster revenue. Through our comprehensive methods and proprietary Pragmatic Framework, we train professionals with the skills needed to accelerate their product management and product marketing careers, increase team efficiency, and boost revenue.   Our online, in-person, and on-demand courses are taught by industry experts with decades of experience at top companies like Microsoft, Cisco, Dell, Hallmark, Quaker Oats, and Dun & Bradstreet.   We offer individual course training in product design and data and certification tracks for Product Management Certifications, Product Marketing Certifications, and the Pragmatic Product Master Certification. All attendees gain access to the Pragmatic Alumni Community, a network of over 30,000 alumni worldwide.   If you’re looking for product management or product marketing training or are pursuing a product marketing certification or product management certification, browse our certification paths at Pragmatic Institute. Courses are available online, in-person, or on-demand to fit your schedule. Want to learn more about becoming a Pragmatic Certified Product Manager? Learn more here. #ProductManagement #ProductManager #ProductManagementCertification #ProductManagementStrategy #PragmaticInstitute

“Consumers are our most valuable treasure trove of information, along with online reviews and some other data sets.” -Tim Trapp, Director of Quality Engineering at Mattel, Inc. In this episode, Tim shares all about product quality, specifically what can be learned from Mattel regarding the implementation of key product quality measures. Discussion topics include understanding customer feedback, the balance between cost, schedule, and quality, and the importance of monitoring both customer feedback and competitor performance. Don't miss your chance to gain insights from one of the most recognized names in the industry. Key Takeaways: 1. User Testing for Competitive Advantage: Testing products with real users to identify potential issues and improve design is a significant strategy at Mattel. This includes formative testing, which is done early and often to shape the design of products. 2. Active Post Market Surveillance: Once the products are in the market, the quality team looks at post-market surveillance to understand how the products are performing in real life, which can inform future design and manufacturing decisions. 3. Corrective Actions and Continuous Improvement: A well-defined process for corrective actions ensures that any issues are addressed promptly and do not become repeat mistakes. This involves constant checking of products in the market and making necessary improvements. 4. Quality as Everyone's Responsibility: Tim emphasizes that quality is not just the quality department's problem but everyone's responsibility in the company. Striving for the best consumer experience should be a part of everything a company does. ABOUT OUR GUEST: Tim Trapp is a seasoned product executive with extensive experience in managing product quality across a diverse range of products. He has worked with and led multidisciplinary and multinational cross-functional teams, demonstrating his ability to navigate complex global landscapes. His expertise lies in being able to ensure the highest standards of product quality, compliance, and safety. At Mattel, Tim has been instrumental in driving quality initiatives that have significantly enhanced product performance and customer satisfaction. His approach to quality is holistic, encompassing everything from initial design and user testing to post-market surveillance and continuous improvement. His insights have helped shape Mattel's product portfolio and maintain its reputation for excellence. ABOUT PRAGMATIC INSTITUTE: Since 1993, we’ve provided training and professional development for product, design, and data professionals to accelerate innovation, increase customer satisfaction, and bolster revenue. Through our comprehensive methods and propriety Pragmatic Framework, we train professionals with the skills needed to accelerate their product management and product marketing careers, increase team efficiency, and boost revenue.Our online, in-person, and on-demand courses are taught by industry experts with decades of experience at top companies like Microsoft, Cisco, Dell, Hallmark, Quaker Oats, and Dun & Bradstreet. We offer individual course training in product, design and data, and certification tracks for Product Management Certifications, Product Marketing Certifications, and the Pragmatic Product Master Certification. All attendees gain access to the Pragmatic Alumni Community, a network of over 30,000 alumni worldwide. If you’re looking for product management or product marketing training or are pursuing a product marketing certification or product management certification, browse our certification paths at pragmaticinstitute.com/product. Courses are available online, in-person, or on-demand to fit your schedule. Want to learn more about becoming a Pragmatic Certified Product Manager? Learn more here. #ProductManagement #ProductManager #ProductManagementCertification #ProductManagementStrategy #PragmaticInstitute

✅ Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNJI2Tv2yxOLBI02nyJoprA 📚 Learn more about us: https://www.pragmaticinstitute.com/ 🚀 Start your Product Manager or Product Marketer certification here “What you notice is that the real nuggets that you get, the parts of the story that really shed light on a candidate's exceptional fit or lack of fit for a role, it's usually the third, fourth, fifth, maybe even more follow up questions deep.”-      Jordan Burton, Cofounder of Talgo   Join us for a conversation with Jordan Burton, a professional interviewer and co-founder of the training firm Talgo, a company specializing in helping individuals and businesses attract, evaluate, and hire top talent. In this episode, Jordan shares invaluable insights on how to hire the best talent in today's competitive market.   We dive deep into the world of data-driven hiring, where decisions are made based not on emotional responses, but on concrete information about a candidate's past performance and accomplishments. Jordan elaborates on the importance of clarity in understanding a company's needs and the business results they desire from a new hire.   With a wealth of tips for both interviewers and interviewees, this episode is filled with practical advice that can help companies attract and retain changemakers, and help candidates put their best foot forward in interviews. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from one of the best minds in the industry. Key Takeaways:   1. Data-Driven Hiring: Jordan Burton emphasizes the importance of data-driven hiring. This approach prioritizes factual information about a candidate's past performance and achievements over emotional responses, providing a more objective evaluation of potential hires.   2. Clarity in Hiring Needs: Burton highlights the need for clarity in understanding the company's needs and desired business results from a new hire. Rather than focusing on what tasks the candidate will perform, the emphasis should be on what they will achieve or the impact they will make.   3. Value of Follow-Up Questions: One of the key insights from the discussion is the importance of follow-up questions during an interview. These questions allow the interviewer to delve deeper into a candidate's experiences, offering valuable insights that might not surface with surface-level inquiries.   4. Notetaking for Bias Mitigation: Burton strongly recommends notetaking during interviews. Using these notes, rather than relying on memory or emotional responses, can help mitigate bias in the hiring process, leading to more objective and fair hiring decisions. ABOUT OUR GUEST: Jordan Burton is a highly experienced executive assessor and interviewing trainer, and co-founder of the training firm Talgo. With over 17 years in the industry, he has honed his skills in training venture capitalists, private equity investors, and high-growth companies on the art of hiring the best talent. He has trained over 3,000 executives and investors on hiring and interviewing skills.   Before venturing into his entrepreneurial journey with Talgo, Jordan was a Partner at the esteemed leadership advisory firm ghSMART, and a consultant at Bain & Company.Jordan's methods are applied not only in the interviewing processes he conducts but also in his training programs, helping companies to improve their hiring processes. His current portfolio at Talgo includes managing relationships with industry giants like Sequoia Capital, TH Lee, and Palantir Technologies.   ABOUT PRAGMATIC INSTITUTE: Since 1993, we’ve provided training and professional development for product, design, and data professionals to accelerate innovation, increase customer satisfaction, and bolster revenue. Through our comprehensive methods and propriety Pragmatic Framework, we train professionals with the skills needed to accelerate their product management and product marketing careers, increase team efficiency, and boost revenue.   Our online, in-person, and on-demand courses are taught by industry experts with decades of experience at top companies like Microsoft, Cisco, Dell, Hallmark, Quaker Oats, and Dun & Bradstreet. We offer individual course training in product, design and data, and certification tracks for Product Management Certifications, Product Marketing Certifications, and the Pragmatic Product Master Certification. All attendees gain access to the Pragmatic Alumni Community, a network of over 30,000 alumni worldwide.   If you’re looking for product management or product marketing training or are pursuing a product marketing certification or product management certification, browse our certification paths at https://www.pragmaticinstitute.com/product/.   Courses are available online, in-person, or on-demand to fit your schedule. Want to learn more about becoming a Pragmatic Certified Product Manager? Learn more here.   #ProductManagement #ProductManager #ProductManagementCertification #ProductManagementStrategy #PragmaticInstitute

 Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNJI2Tv2yxOLBI02nyJoprA  Learn more about us: https://www.pragmaticinstitute.com/  Start your Product Manager or Product Marketer certification here “It's all about setting up the right expectations with the company or the early user. So, it's not just giving it to them. It’s about being clear about what you expect in return early in the process.” -      Neil Baron, B2B Product Management Consultant, Founder of Baron Strategic Partners Join us for a critical discussion with Neil Baron and Rod Griffith, following their recent article in the Harvard Business Review (read it here) on extracting the full value of early user programs. This episode unpacks the nuances of designing early user programs that go beyond mere functionality checks to validate problem-solving, target accuracy, and accelerate market readiness. The conversation delves into the importance of having a dedicated program owner (not a dictator) and the necessity of involving cross-functional teams to capture diverse perspectives. Neil and Rod outline a five-step process for a successful program, from hypothesis definition and participant selection to setting clear expectations and leveraging feedback for product and go-to-market enhancements. Highlighting the tangible outcomes of well-executed early user programs, Neil and Rod share how these strategies have led to fast revenue times, increased sales confidence, and enhanced media coverage. Key Takeaways: 1. Importance of Early User Programs: The discussion highlights the significance of early user programs in understanding market problems that a product can solve. It emphasizes that these programs should not be viewed in isolation but as part of a holistic approach to product development and market understanding. 2. Cross-Functional Collaboration: For an effective early user program, there needs to be cross-functional input and it should be considered as a critical step in the process. This requires buy-in from senior management and proper incentivization across the organization. 3. Value Proposition and Feedback: Early user programs are not only about the product, but also about understanding the customer experience, the messaging, and the value proposition. It's vital to set up a give-and-get relationship with early users, ensuring they understand the benefits they will get, and the company gets valuable feedback and data. ABOUT OUR GUEST: Neil Baron is the founder of Baron Strategic Partners, a consulting firm that helps B2B companies accelerate growth. He is also involved in running two forums for product executives, the Product Leadership Council in conjunction with Pragmatic, and the Boston Product Executive Forum, which is run in conjunction with the Boston Product Management Association. With a wealth of experience in product leadership and management, Neil is passionate about helping companies create effective strategies for success. Rod Griffith is the Chief Client Officer and Co-Founder of MarketReach, inc., a B2B marketing services company that designs and manages marketing programs, campaigns, and sales tools for a variety of technology companies. With a background in computer industry segment management and product management, Rod uses his experience to help companies translate their strategies into practical and successful market-facing activities. He is deeply involved in sharing his insights and learnings through various forums, including the Product Leadership Council and collaborations with Pragmatic. ABOUT PRAGMATIC INSTITUTE: Since 1993, we’ve provided training and professional development for product, design, and data professionals to accelerate innovation, increase customer satisfaction, and bolster revenue. Through our comprehensive methods and proprietary Pragmatic Framework, we train professionals with the skills needed to accelerate their product management and product marketing careers, increase team efficiency, and boost revenue. Our online, in-person, and on-demand courses are taught by industry experts with decades of experience at top companies like Microsoft, Cisco, Dell, Hallmark, Quaker Oats, and Dun & Bradstreet. We offer individual course training in product, design and data, and certification tracks for Product Management Certifications, Product Marketing Certifications, and the Pragmatic Product Master Certification. All attendees gain access to the Pragmatic Alumni Community, a network of over 30,000 alumni worldwide.If you’re looking for product management or product marketing training or are pursuing a product marketing certification or product management certification, browse our certification paths at https://www.pragmaticinstitute.com/product/. Courses are available online, in-person, or on-demand to fit your schedule. Want to learn more about becoming a Pragmatic Certified Product Manager? Learn more here. #ProductManagement #ProductManager #ProductManagementCertification #ProductManagementStrategy #PragmaticInstitute

“Community-driven product development is not just about getting feedback, but about integrating community members and customers into the product development cycle itself.” Jake McKee, Community Driven Product Management Leader In this episode of Product Chats, we welcome Jake McKee, pioneer in community-driven product innovation. Jake delves into the transformative approach of weaving community insights into the product development fabric, aiming for products that resonate deeply with users.He outlines a strategy for seamlessly integrating community members into the development journey. At the heart of this integration is transparency around objectives, coupled with the strategic selection of community contributors based on their expertise and engagement levels. Timing, Jake emphasizes, is crucial in bringing these voices into the fold.   Jake's guidance for companies includes a careful examination of their product development cycles to identify opportunities for community inclusion. He champions the shift towards relationship-building activities, advocating for a move away from transactional interactions to foster deeper connections with the community. This, he argues, necessitates a reevaluation of risk-averse mindsets, encouraging organizations to balance the potential risks with the significant rewards of community involvement.   Jake advocates for a deliberate approach to community engagement in product development, pinpointing ideation and testing as key phases for involvement. Highlighting the importance of seeing these engagements as opportunities to build relationships, he suggests that companies stand to gain immensely by integrating community perspectives, thereby enriching the product development process.   KEY INSIGHTS 1.  Community Integration in Product Development: Jake shares his blueprint for weaving community and customer insights into the product development cycle. Whether on-site visits or individual interviews, the goal is to embrace the community's viewpoint and ensure their feedback significantly influences the project. Jake underscores the necessity of structured engagement throughout the project's lifespan.   2.  Clear Outcomes and Communication: Jake advises on the importance of clear communication with community members regarding the impact of their involvement. Viewing interactions as relational rather than transactional enriches the development process, fostering a collaborative atmosphere akin to internal brainstorming sessions.   3.  Feedback Management and Engagement Activities: Jake points out the crucial role of efficient feedback management and engagement strategies. Activities should balance functional and emotional aspects to maintain community engagement and a positive rapport. From formal presentations to casual team-building events, the aim is to manage feedback without overwhelming the product team, providing structured feedback channels.   4.  Initiating Integration and Overcoming Risk-averse Thinking: Jake motivates listeners to evaluate their product development processes for community integration opportunities. Starting with a small, familiar group or community leaders can pave the way for meaningful engagement. ABOUT OUR GUEST: Jake McKee's background in web development and product design influenced his approach to community-driven product development. It gave him a thorough understanding of the product development process and the factors that can sway the course of a project, including team bias, personal interest, and internal requirements.It also opened his eyes to the power of communities and the potential they hold for product development.   With an impressive career in the community space, he has built communities for renowned brands such as Apple, Lego, and South by Southwest. McKee has spent a significant portion of his career building out community-driven product development and currently runs a consulting practice that works with these methodologies.   His deep understanding of community engagement and product development has led to the creation of his unique approach to integrating community members into the product development process.For more information on Jake McKee and his work, listeners can visit https://jakemckee.com.   ABOUT PRAGMATIC INSTITUTE: Since 1993, we’ve provided training and professional development for product, design, and data professionals to accelerate innovation, increase customer satisfaction, and bolster revenue. Through our comprehensive methods and propriety Pragmatic Framework, we train professionals with the skills needed to accelerate their product management and product marketing careers, increase team efficiency, and boost revenue.   Our online, in-person, and on-demand courses are taught by industry experts with decades of experience at top companies like Microsoft, Cisco, Dell, Hallmark, Quaker Oats, and Dun & Bradstreet. We offer individual course training in product, design and data, and certification tracks for Product Management Certifications, Product Marketing Certifications, and the Pragmatic Product Master Certification. All attendees gain access to the Pragmatic Alumni Community, a network of over 30,000 alumni worldwide.   If you’re looking for product management or product marketing training or are pursuing a product marketing certification or product management certification, browse our certification paths at https://www.pragmaticinstitute.com/product/. Courses are available online, in-person, or on-demand to fit your schedule. Want to learn more about becoming a Pragmatic Certified Product Manager? Learn more here.

“If product managers are supposed to put a product on the shelf, product marketing is supposed to take it off the shelf.” Anubhav Rao, Product Marketing at AWS In this episode of Product Chats, we are joined by Anubhav Rao, Product Marketer at Amazon Web Services (AWS) for a discussion on the implications of AI in product marketing. Anubhav highlights how AI can lower the technical barrier for building products, leading to a cluttered market with numerous solutions. Differentiation and reaching the right audience become crucial for success.   Anubhav believes product marketing will play a key role in helping companies differentiate themselves in a crowded market. Product marketers can use AI to automate operational tasks related to customer insights, feedback collection, go-to-market strategies, and personalization at scale in closed communities.   The conversation explores transparency and authenticity when using AI tools, stressing the importance of maintaining a human touch despite leveraging automation. Rao explores using competitor analysis using AI to understand successful strategies and audience needs for product development. Utilizing advanced analytics powered by AI streamlines reporting and data analysis, allowing product marketers to focus on creativity and differentiation.   Tune in to uncover innovative strategies that blend AI's efficiency with the human insight essential for standout product marketing. Key Takeaways: 1. Leveraging Product Marketing to Stand Out: Rao discusses the potential of AI to simplify product creation and scaling, emphasizing the need for product marketing to differentiate products in an increasingly crowded market. Product marketers can succeed by focusing on niche verticals, unique value propositions, and building strong emotional connections with customers.   2. Chatbots Gone Wrong: Rao explores how AI can enhance personalization in marketing, highlighting the potential of AI in expanding distribution channels and delivering targeted content. He illustrates the power of AI in revolutionizing customer interactions, but how it can also go wrong (see Air Canada’s chatbot fiasco).   3. The Trust Matrix: The conversation steers towards the ethical considerations of using AI, stressing the importance of maintaining authenticity and trust in a world of automated interactions. Despite technological advancements, the basics of understanding your product and audience remain crucial in effective product marketing.   ABOUT OUR GUEST: Anubhav Rao is a product marketing expert at Amazon, with a background in computer science and a passion for storytelling. Rao's unique career trajectory took him from filmmaking to marketing in India's burgeoning content media space, before moving to Los Angeles for his MBA.   His diverse experiences have shaped his approach to product marketing, with a strong focus on differentiation, distribution, and leveraging technology for growth.   Anubhav’s blend of technical knowledge, creative thinking, and business acumen allows him to understand and communicate the value proposition of complex products effectively.   ABOUT PRAGMATIC INSTITUTE: Since 1993, we’ve provided training and professional development for product, design, and data professionals to accelerate innovation, increase customer satisfaction, and bolster revenue. Through our comprehensive methods and propriety Pragmatic Framework, we train professionals with the skills needed to accelerate their product management and product marketing careers, increase team efficiency, and boost revenue.Our online, in-person, and on-demand courses are taught by industry experts with decades of experience at top companies like Microsoft, Cisco, Dell, Hallmark, Quaker Oats, and Dun & Bradstreet. We offer individual course training in product, design and data, and certification tracks for Product Management Certifications, Product Marketing Certifications, and the Pragmatic Product Master Certification. All attendees gain access to the Pragmatic Alumni Community, a network of over 30,000 alumni worldwide.   If you’re looking for product management or product marketing training or are pursuing a product marketing certification or product management certification, browse our certification paths at https://www.pragmaticinstitute.com/product/. Courses are available online, in-person, or on-demand to fit your schedule.   Want to learn more about becoming a Pragmatic Certified Product Manager? Learn more here.

"Just start! People are going to hate your product at the start, but you will learn, and you will get better. Failure is a way of learning." - Sean Gigremosa, Product Leader and CEO of Claritiv In this episode of Product Chats, we are joined by Sean Gigremosa, a product leader, agile expert, innovation enthusiast, self-described product management ninja and CEO and founder of Claritiv. The conversation delves into the challenges and opportunities in product management, the importance of understanding customer needs, and the role of AI in extracting valuable insights from conversations. Key Takeaways: Talking Points: The conversation emphasizes the crucial role that dialogue plays in acquiring knowledge and generating insights. Sean underscores that 70% of knowledge is learned through conversation. However, notes from a conversation are like a game of telephone where each summary incorporates layers of potential bias. This is an issue because the actual problem could get lost. That’s why he started Claritiv – an AI powered tool that listens and analyzes conversations across clients, prospects, and departments, allowing you to both pull analysis on specific topics, and find out what emerging topics are important. Bias in Disguise: Sean shares the importance of removing personal bias in interpreting customer conversations, arguing that AI can provide a more objective analysis of these interactions. AI is only as good as the data being used to train, so believability and accuracy need to be regularly and continually reviewed. Just like children, AI can take on our biases. Digital Twins, Not Identical: Digital twins are extremely valuable for product managers due to their capacity for detailed simulation and scenario testing. A digital twin is a virtual model that replicates a physical product or system. It can be used to run simulations to predict how a product or system might behave under different conditions. Digital twins can also be used to model and understand user behavior, helping product managers to better design products that meet user needs. ABOUT OUR GUEST: Sean Gigremosa is a product leader with expertise in agile methodologies and a passion for innovation. His journey from product manager to CEO provides him with unique insights into the challenges and opportunities in the field. Known for his ninja-like approach to product management, Sean is the CEO and founder of Claritiv, a company that strives to extract valuable insights from conversations using AI. Discover more about Sean's work and Claritiv at Claritiv.ai for a free trial and experience how AI-powered tools can prioritize product insights from customer conversations. ABOUT PRAGMATIC INSTITUTE: Since 1993, we’ve provided training and professional development for product, design, and data professionals to accelerate innovation, increase customer satisfaction, and bolster revenue. Through our comprehensive methods and propriety Pragmatic Framework, we train professionals with the skills needed to accelerate their product management and product marketing careers, increase team efficiency, and boost revenue. Our online, in-person, and on-demand courses are taught by industry experts with decades of experience at top companies like Microsoft, Cisco, Dell, Hallmark, Quaker Oats, and Dun & Bradstreet. We offer individual course training in product, design and data, and certification tracks for Product Management Certifications, Product Marketing Certifications, and the Pragmatic Product Master Certification. All attendees gain access to the Pragmatic Alumni Community, a network of over 30,000 alumni worldwide. If you’re looking for product management or product marketing training or are pursuing a product marketing certification or product management certification, browse our certification paths at https://www.pragmaticinstitute.com/product/. Courses are available online, in-person, or on-demand to fit your schedule. Want to learn more about becoming a Pragmatic Certified Product Manager? Learn more here.

“Are we better than the competition, equal to the competition, or not as good as the competition? Do we know? Sales teams can help us answer these questions.” Steve Gielda, President and co-founder of Ignite Selling In this episode of Product Chats, we are joined by Steve Gielda, President and co-founder of Ignite Selling, a global sales training, simulation and consulting organization dedicated to helping customers build world class sales teams.   Steve opens the discussion by addressing the inherent tension between product marketing and sales groups, emphasizing their critical interdependence despite contrasting personalities. He highlights a staggering insight: the vast majority of new products fail to meet their first-year revenue targets, often due to misguided assumptions (detailed in the Whitepaper “5 Assumptions that Cause New Products to Fail”).   Steve identifies three common assumptions that lead to these failures: sales teams knowing which accounts to target, identifying the correct contacts within these organizations, and understanding the unique value of the product to these buyers. He argues that it's the responsibility of product teams to equip sales with the knowledge and tools to overcome these challenges, thereby not just shortening time to market but ensuring a quicker path to significant market share.   For targeting the right accounts, Steve suggests providing sales teams with both quantitative and qualitative criteria to identify the most promising leads. He stresses understanding the value of unique product capabilities and how that varies depending on the audience. To address this, he recommends interactive learning map sessions that involve both sales and marketing teams. These sessions explore the implications of not having the product, the consequences thereof, and how the product's unique capabilities offer solutions. Key Takeaways:   1. Understand Your Sales Team's Needs: Both product managers and marketers need to comprehend that their sales team requires more than just product information. They need to know how to target the right accounts, engage the right individuals within those accounts, and articulate the unique value the product offers to each stakeholder.   2. Value Communication Is Crucial: Value is positional based on the individual to whom it's being communicated. Product teams need to train sales teams on how to translate product features into unique, stakeholder-specific value propositions. This will ignite their selling abilities.   3. Perform a Product Launch Review: It's important to review the first 90 days post-product launch. This review should assess whether sales representatives have been able to engage targeted accounts, and if they can articulate the unique selling propositions of the product. This will help the product team to understand if they're arming the sales team effectively.   4. Organize Collateral Intelligently: Product marketers often provide sales teams with a lot of collateral. However, they need to guide sales teams on when and how to use each piece of collateral at different stages of the sales process. This guidance can increase the effectiveness of the sales team and ensure that the collateral is utilized optimally. ABOUT OUR GUEST: Steve Gielda is the president and co-founder of Ignite Selling, a global sales training, simulation, and consulting organization dedicated to helping customers build world-class sales teams.   With his extensive background in value-based selling, Steve brings a wealth of expertise to the field of sales and customer support, with a focus on accelerating revenue growth. He is passionate about helping organizations find new ways to boost sales.   Steve, along with his business partner Kevin Jones, recently released his latest book, "Ignite Your Sales Strategy," a comprehensive guide aimed at helping sales teams think and act more strategically, quantify, and unlock the true value of the solutions they deliver. His insights and innovative approaches make him a valuable contributor to sales strategy conversations.   ABOUT PRAGMATIC INSTITUTE: Since 1993, we’ve provided training and professional development for product, design, and data professionals to accelerate innovation, increase customer satisfaction, and bolster revenue. Through our comprehensive methods and propriety Pragmatic Framework, we train professionals with the skills needed to accelerate their product management and product marketing careers, increase team efficiency, and boost revenue.   Our online, in-person, and on-demand courses are taught by industry experts with decades of experience at top companies like Microsoft, Cisco, Dell, Hallmark, Quaker Oats, and Dun & Bradstreet. We offer individual course training in product, design and data, and certification tracks for Product Management Certifications, Product Marketing Certifications, and the Pragmatic Product Master Certification. All attendees gain access to the Pragmatic Alumni Community, a network of over 30,000 alumni worldwide.   If you’re looking for product management or product marketing training or are pursuing a product marketing certification or product management certification, browse our certification paths at https://www.pragmaticinstitute.com/product/. Courses are available online, in-person, or on-demand to fit your schedule. Want to learn more about becoming a Pragmatic Certified Product Manager? Learn more here.   #ProductManagement #ProductManager #ProductManagementCertification #ProductManagementStrategy #PragmaticInstitute

Author Diane Pierson discusses the importance of innovation in organizations and outlines four phases of innovation: reactive, responsive, inventive, and disruptive. She highlights the need to align innovation with market needs and leadership vision. Key takeaways include defining innovation within your organization and navigating the innovation process efficiently.