Repair the Product Marketing Issue by utilizing thematic product launches --

Do you work with a marketing team that is having difficulty coordinating marketing resources to manage the constantly increasing amount of launch dates that have no date for release and an endless number of product managers who want to attract a large amount of attention from the media with every new release? Do you think there is a better method?

• Be sure to pay focus with all the care to new product launches.
• Make sure you create your story in a way that is comprehensive and has more value that is the sum of all elements.
• It is important to ensure that the marketing team is organized and rational so they are able to do the best job of promoting the most recent product.

If you're struggling with over-active product roadmaps, endless "t-shirt" dimensions that you need to use for estimate for your agile project, the slipping date for release of products, or worried that you're ineffective at keeping bosses down, then it's a good time to think about themes for release dates. Learn how on the latest episode on Growth Stage!

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Audio Interview Full: Audio

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Audio Podcast Interview Full: Video

     Transcript    

David Vogelpohl () (00:04)

Hello everyone! You are invited to join the Growth Stage podcast by . I'm your host, David Vogelpohl. I'm a part of the digital product community as part of the role at . and am thrilled to share all the amazing events happening within this community to viewers here on The Growth Stage podcast. This episode, I'll talk to one person who's truly special for me. I'm working with him . We're going to talk about what the method of marketing has been broken and how you can for fixing it with thematic

announcements about new products be delighted to meet at Growth Stage Mr. Braden Steel. Braden, welcome.

Braden (00:39)

Thank you, I appreciate your introduction. I'm excited to talk with you with you about the subject of marketing for products in the coming hours.

David Vogelpohl () (00:44)

Awesome. It's great to work with you at Braden. I was feeling like I had an anxiety issue because I do not pronounce your name publicly. I wondered that maybe there's an odd pronunciation I wasn't proficient in, or had changed over time or something else I'm glad that you're joining the forum. There's no doubt that it's. What Braden is going to discuss are his views about the shortcomings of traditional strategies for marketing, and how we consist of having quarterly launches of themed products.

Braden (00:58)

Yeah. Thank you.

David Vogelpohl () (01:14)

If you want to devote all your attention to launches of new products be sure to create an integrated product story which exceeds the sum of its parts. This will allow marketers become more strategically and precise so that you're able to give your best efforts to any product launches you create. I attended Spryng that was hosted by Wynter, W -Y -N T -E – R I believe as well as P - R – Y - N G. However, it's not a convention.

Discussion focused on diverse challenges and issues that arise from marketing. A question about the marketing of products was also discussed. A lot of people complained about being overwhelmed by every single feature launch and releases of new products, and attempting to create an impact on all of it. The idea of thematic releases of the products was suggested by one of the members of the team that proposed it, and we decided to implement it here a few quarters ago and

And so I thought that it might be interesting to engage in a conversation on this topic in the blog this morning. So that's all there is, Braden, are you interested to start a conversation?

Braden (02:18)

Yeah, let's do it. We're looking forward to discussing the topic. it. it. it.

David Vogelpohl () (02:20)

Alright, good deal. I've been here for awhile but I'm still unable to locate the right answer to your inquiry. Was the first thing that you purchased on the internet?

Braden (02:28)

It's definitely an interesting idea. It took me a while thinking about the subject. This was during the time when I attended junior high. eBay was in its zenith. When I bought it, I received a PlayStation 2 with a bundle of games. The bundle contained sporting games and additional games. After that I debated on whether or not I should purchase the bundle. Then, I purchased the console, and I loved it. I gained lots worth from this console and was having a blast.

The other option was with my own money. One of my first actions was to buy an ostrich. It was the first item I purchased using my own money. It's the third option.

David Vogelpohl () (03:06)

OK, I love the distinction you made between the money you have personal and the money from your parents. How did it compare to the parents' money? What was the method you used to purchase your PSP?

Braden (03:14)

There's a chance that I earned this from weeding my yard or cutting grass or something else. The other was the same as my income from the work I earned by myself.

David Vogelpohl () (03:24)

If you're trimming the lawn, you're earning money. Braden. That's fine. Ok, so I've made it in the intro but could you also let viewers know your thoughts about the work you're performing or related to your work here?

Braden (03:27)

Sure, yeah, yeah.

Yeah, sure. This is why I'm the director of Marketing Products, the Senior in the company . My responsibilities encompass everything that goes to market across our range of products, as well as our business sectors we are in as well. If a product has been introduced, we're then in a position to manage each aspect of communication which is associated with the product and encompasses the product. I offer assistance for other the products like B2B games and video games, as well as other industries we're keen to connect with. The company is an official retailer.

That means that it is that we look at everything from pressing the buy button and end up in a digital selling experience. We work with SaaS businesses, gaming firms AI-based companies, B2B business businesses and other things like that. that. that. that.

David Vogelpohl () (04:18)

Excellent, excellent. As you went through the presentation you touched on many diverse aspects. Your focus was on the latest products and feature announcements. There was also a discussion of verticals. The B2B SaaS was mentioned as well as video games. The modern marketer is often taking on these positions by focusing on vertically an item. This adds to the difficulty of marketing the products.

So, what's wrong with the marketing of products? Did something not seem to be effective using the previous method?

Braden (04:56)

That's certainly a valid question. The fact is that products' launches are influenced by a variety of aspects that are outside of the control of a manager responsible for marketing. For instance, engineering issues can be a problem if there's customer commits that must be met when sales suddenly have an enormous problem that says"hey, we need finish this product prior to the time the next product is released. There's a myriad of shifting elements to launch. This is why it's important to cooperate with the product teams in order to determine the dates for commit, and also to be able to grasp,

What time do when these products are due to be released? What is the real significance of the word "release? Are you able to access the program in general, or is it still in its Beta stage? It's time for the next question: is it the right time to talk about the software? What is it that we'd be interested in discussing? What can we discuss about the subject since we're looking to evaluate the product? It raises many concerns, and a great deal of ambiguity is generated by this notion of being identical to how manufacturers and engineers operate. This is why I believe that the primary issue is

There's a reason why it's difficult to envision the final product. It's also difficult to determine an exact date to launch it and also plan an item that's ready for launch. What occurs is that product managers such as me are able to grasp the notion that, if they wait a week prior to the launch, and a week prior to GA after which a week before GA the person in charge of the product will say"Hey you need to make sure this gets accomplished. Then, you can complete all the tasks. It's then as if you're holding your breath for a second. There were other tasks I needed to do. There's no doubt that you've discussed about verticals. It's been discussed.

That's right, it takes much of my time, as well. What you need to know I've needed to make a decision and contemplated is how do me handle the launch day for my new product and the other tasks that I have to complete, even though I have no influence over the time frame?

David Vogelpohl () (06:40)

The floating timelines are visible but your software hasn't been up-to-date. There's a glitch that's discovered shortly before the deadline. The company is able to accelerate their release, and they get the release into the marketplace before. They're attempting to connect their marketing with that of different companies, designers and website people and creators of content, as well as others who share similar interests. This coordination with floating dates is what I'm hearing. But what's the reverse aspect? Just like that one I've...

No doubt, I've had a hand in the realm of advertising and marketing products in various ways throughout my career. I'm like, I feel that every time I speak to someone from a product team they'll tell me that they'll release X and that they'll have to put out huge announcements about the release. Are you concerned you're not getting the quantity of work that goes into in the various releases of products are sometimes too high? Is that part of what's lacking from the traditional approach to marketing products?

Braden (07:28)

Yeah, for sure. There is a fact that Product managers are managers with a goal. They're the ones who control the products. They're extremely excited about this. They've been working on these products for understand, all until a couple of years, working to bring the product to the market. Naturally, they'll seek out the most assistance they can from their product. If you find it difficult to have someone from the company's team of product developers talk to the product team and let them know that they are excited by this new technology.

I'm hoping for lots of support and here's the summary of my thinking. I'm making the bold move of saying We'll take the brakes a little off for A, B or C reasons, but I'm not able to assist you or I'm not able to do it, or am annoyed and finding it difficult to maintain a good relationship with these product managers in the sense that they might feel that they aren't willing to help anyone else, but this isn't true, which is why you wish to assist all the people who you can.

David Vogelpohl () (08:26)

Yeah. This means that you are, managing a most-used marketing campaign in combination with a launch. dealing with floating dates which are part of the normal procedure, along with any other manager, like you said, considering the length of the time and money they're putting into and the fact that they're planning to make a statement regarding this. There are so many demands and the date swaying about, it's as if you're not performing the highest standard job you are able to. There's a lot of pressure on you to complete these things and it's becoming difficult to do the best job. That's something I'm getting. Do you think that's reasonable?

Braden (09:01)

Yeah, yeah, that's right. This is an area in which a lot of aspects fall down all at once. It is now your responsibility to figure out ways to achieve all the above. Only one day in which you are able to work without contemplating work stress for the entire days of the week, along with the anxiety of trying to manage all these thoughts, you should adopt this highly technological approach and.

Condense them into something that is market facing. There are numerous problems to be faced.

David Vogelpohl () (09:35)

It was brought up only a few minutes ago as we discussed supporting product managers and their relationship with PMs and PMs. If you believe this is the standard form of marketing to products? Is it plausible to conclude that this could be a source of tension between PMs and PMs?

Braden (09:58)

In all honesty, I'm convinced of that. There have been times when, certainly it's awkward to admit that I do not have enough money to assist you in the direction you'd like things to go. You know the moment that this happens you must listen and comprehend what is being said by you can from the person the boss is saying, yet it can result in tension. You must be aware that the most effective way to effectively communicate is when in situations that require you to be aware that required to be present within the space and attentive.

Be clear, be good at tracking your progress in addition to when you are launching with a theme-based approach in order to stay clear of a lot of issues that can arise in traditional software.

David Vogelpohl () (10:41)

Now you're getting managers of the product looking for the best megaphone for their announcements. They're also the marketers saying"Can we be more organized in order to perform better? You've also discussed switching to thematic releases. Let's start with a basic query. What is a thematic release?

Braden (10:59)

Yeah, great question. Thematic releases refer to an assortment of products that are grouped with a common subject. For example, B2B as the umbrella. The entire assortment of products support this theme.

David Vogelpohl () (11:16)

If we're talking about theme-driven releases, it's likely that there isn't one release every week. It could be, when you're very aggressive But is it the case that you release these regularly, in a quarterly manner or in a month-long manner?

Braden (11:30)

Good question. We do a spring, summer, autumn release. The market isn't huge when the season is at its peak and we release it only at the conclusion of the year, which is the reason we don't release the album at this time. We do however each year release three albums and occasionally release ad-hoc tracks so sometimes in between.

David Vogelpohl () (11:45)

The team responsible for product development at the company intends to make announcements every quarter that we'll introduce this theme-based enhancement to this product and, if we are capable of integrating it into our product marketing, we'll make it a reality by launching a massive campaign. What is the totality of parts of each of the areas and how is it planned to be launched within the context of this subject?

Braden (12:08)

It actually does. It incorporates those aspects. Then, we look over the plans and ask"OK What are plans we have for the upcoming year? It allows us to organize this information into groups. That means that we don't have to think in a downward direction and saying, we have to determine the themes A. What products are related for theme A? We also consider what products we'll introduce during the next year?

What's the primary theme that every one of them could be categorized under in these seasons.

David Vogelpohl () (12:44)

You'll see that the only thing you need to do is increase it. There's a chance that you'll have missed by one quarter, or perhaps the date of release happens to be another thing, but it might be a delay that you didn't notice prior to you realizing you've missed the release. Yeah. It means that you're splitting the GA when you want to and the promotional.

Braden (12:51)

That's correct, yeah.

That's correct. Yeah. This is a method, and that's why we've taken the initiative as well as GA actions that we carry out as these capabilities must be promoted after they are operating. Therefore, we're engaged in a process called thematic. This is why we're in a position to participate in GA activities and then themes which we can apply in all of our offerings.

David Vogelpohl () (13:18)

Every release, or product launch, kind of gets to follow the theme released. It is possible to have a smaller versions for the same reasons, for instance the GA release which is a success. You'll get an extra dip here in the sense that it is.

Braden (13:31)

Yeah, that's right. Yeah. It's helped make sure that all employees within our organization are able to access GA. Therefore, customer satisfaction isn't just suddenly being greeted with comments from customers. Customers are saying"Hey, I'm using this fantastic product. I'd like to know more about this product. The Customer Success team did not exist. It's not the case anymore as it was the case at GA we're constantly releasing details on FAQs and Value Messages in order to ensure that our team members know what's going on.

Additionally, the most popular advertising campaigns in fact, you've pointed out, sometimes delayed. If you're planning the product in January, but do not get a theme-driven release out in April, your product may not receive enough attention by marketing in the initial stages. It will, however, be to be part of the larger campaign later in the year.

David Vogelpohl () (14:17)

If you were thinking that this was very tactical, would you to add an X you might have an improved release which was in between other releases that dealt with thematic issues If you know anything concerning GA will be slated to release a similar super strategic object you've been keeping your eyes on?

Braden (14:30)

Yeah, absolutely. Also, we have occasional releases that we support. We attempt to limit them to a couple of releases when we can. We've devised a method which we've created in conjunction with our product team. We are able to discuss to consider, okay we're aware of this amazing feature. The subject isn't important yet, however, it's essential for the purposes of A B, C and. And so we plan to discuss the topic together so that everyone is informed of what we're attempting to achieve. It's true that these topics receive separate attention.

That means there's no need to worry about a flurry of 15 products falling apart at the end of a quarter. This is usually because the products are delivered in a single day.

David Vogelpohl () (15:08)

Thank you.

One of my best-known business jokes is not joke, but observation is that the executives Q3 is the best time to start Q3, whereas the engineering team Q3 happens the time to end Q3. So it sounds like the engineers are all evidently, getting in around the end of the quarter's OKRs. Yeah. Okay. I've got you.

Braden (15:33)

Yes, precisely.

David Vogelpohl () (15:38)

This theme is due to launch in the current quarter or in the following quarter, however there's a potential announcement that's notable of a feature or item that doesn't match the theme. Are you referring to any that we mentioned as exclusive? were discussing that you might be able to see after the theme's release?

Braden (15:55)

Absolutely, exactly as you'd expect. To illustrate this I'll provide you with an example of the manner we're working. The due date for payments is at the beginning of this year. There were many interesting payment alternatives. One payment option that didn't reach the stage of engineering did not make it to the point at which it was launched. The one that was launched in Google Pay and everyone knows Google Pay. We looked at the service and asked: How do we promote Google Pay? It's not a B2B product. Therefore we released a version of this feature to Google Pay.

These documents were designed to serve as FAQ documents for blog posts, blog posts or posts that are promoted through social media networks, for instance.

David Vogelpohl () (16:29)

Then what happens if you have this kind of product which anchors to a theme release that falls? It seemed like it was an anchor product. It is likely that it was the reason for that release. Apple Pay slipped from or Google Pay slipped from. What do you have to do? Do you have to delay this theme announcement until anchors have been installed? If so, what else do you have to do?

Braden (16:54)

Yeah, I mean, it depends. It is often a matter of just waiting to see. It is possible to do the. True, I was having discussions with the team responsible for product the other day, who informed me that B2B may be a good option to hold off until it will happen later during the year. The benefit of an event based on a theme is It's not a timeline-bound date. The deadline is determined by us. If we have to move it back just a slightly to meet the timeframes for engineering or manufacturing, we have the ability to do that.

You can change the theme at any point. If it happens that the main event for the year isn't being launched anymore, perhaps you can pick up a few or two of the items to form a collection which is in line with the theme, but with a different style. There's also the possibility to adjust the system so that it allows the possibility of adjustments all during the season.

David Vogelpohl () (17:47)

That's logical. When you think of the typical promotion for an announcement release this is similar to an announcement blog or possibly a press release with some publicity on social media, or even emailing our customers, contact our potential customers, or even potential customers. What's the distinction between thematic releases and their the structure?

Braden (18:07)

I've talked about this subject before. The majority of these situations still occur. At present, they are still happening, but we also are dealing with what we'll call GA tasks. There is also plenty of similar internal enablement, by way of notifications in the app. If a user is able to connect to this particular piece of software or technology and we're giving them access, and also the internal groups within our. This is distinct from publication that's specific to.

In the meantime, rather than being focused on a huge portion of things that are more alike to these attributes, when this feature is made available as bits and pieces and we can create an even more convincing story of the positives of all of those components. This is a significant difference that I've seen that's impossible in a single release across some time or over the course of a year.

David Vogelpohl () (19:04)

Yeah. Also, I feel that it enhances the story. As I am fond of my most favorite instance of a rise in living quality, which is extremely difficult to engineer However, it doesn't mean you'll get more value from the product. That's because do you understand what I mean? Someone who's on the outside doesn't realize the problem exists. It's not easy, since Phil is an employee at the company that sells products to walk out and say"Hey everyone, we've solved this. In reality this fix proved beneficial for the company and for the customers.

Braden (19:08)

Yeah.

David Vogelpohl () (19:34)

Thematic releases don't just give you an opportunity to use the megaphone. They help in telling the story to life by providing additional upgrades in quality and high-resolution.

Braden (19:43)

It's possible that various functions benefit from this, which would otherwise not be able to benefit from marketing, or even a an announcement that is quick via Pendo. Instead, they're positioning the information on a site which functions as an online shop which is supported by other features. Therefore you should allow them to utilize this megaphone. Utilize the megaphone. There's plenty to gain from this, but not the lastly, but it will improve your quality of life.

David Vogelpohl () (20:08)

So, once you've learned this method, how do you know? What is the number of quarters you have?

Braden (20:13)

It's our third theme. We'll announce our third theme in the month of July.

David Vogelpohl () (20:20)

Now, three quarters on do you feel that this has helped you control marketing and sales resources, as well as support launch of new products, or is it still too early to judge?

Braden (20:33)

I would say that it's sure that I've improved my efficiency. The difference I've seen isn't only that I've now got the ability to support better the team that is behind this product. I also assist the team out and collaborate with other departments of marketing, particularly demand generation. They do receive lots of lead time which they did not have before regarding the product.

Additionally, we can incorporate elements that we previously struggle to accomplish. This is perhaps the biggest advantage. The second advantage is that it has given us the possibility to work on different vertical games, as well as other sports, that we might not have the time or resources required to push the verticals ahead.

David Vogelpohl () (21:28)

You mentioned the video games section some time long ago, but it had customers who play video games for a long period of time right from the beginning of the company. It's becoming more entangled within this area. Do you think that segmentation could be a major factor in thematic films Do you believe they are more like elements?

Braden (21:51)

Segments are definitely playing an important part. Like I've mentioned, the coming release is focussed around B2B. It's a vertical that we want to market into and which we're looking forward to expanding into. It's possible in the future in which we're doing this within the gaming industry as well. We've already mentioned the improvements we've made in Our Apple Pay and implemented Google Pay. This is why expanding, the vertical theme not only allows for this possibility however, it also gives users the ability to...

The benefits are the same for the theme launch but there are also the advantages in integrating elements, such as giving an example of the launch. It's difficult to incorporate the traditional launch. And so you can gain more, and possibly an even greater boost for the marketing effort and get the benefits of this kind of launch for your overall company.

David Vogelpohl () (22:44)

Excellent. This was a lot of fun, Braden. I am grateful that you appeared onto the air to talk about this. The discussion was interesting and took place at Spryng in Austin. The plan was the occasion presented. this was fantastic. Thank you for your time.

Braden (23:01)

Yeah, absolutely. Thanks for having me to join you. It was truly enjoyable.

David Vogelpohl () (23:04)

Awesome. If you'd like find out the latest information about the work Braden is working on and maybe his upcoming thematic album go to .com. We thank you for being part of this show of The Growth Stage. The host for this show this week is David Vogelpohl. I am a huge fan of the internet community of product owners as part of my job . It's my pleasure to share the best suggestions from this community here at the stage of growth. We appreciate everyone's support.

David Vogelpohl David is the CMO of . For more than 25 years, David Vogelpohl has led teams to create top-quality engines for growth as well as applications for the top brands like WP Engine, Genesis, AWS, Cloudflare, and many more.

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