Product [Marketing] is Managing Expectations

There’s a natural tension in the act of building a product. We have our projection of who we’re building it for (usually ourselves and not anyone else), what we want to build, what it will do, and how it will be used, etc. Users have their own projection of what they want us to build, who we’re building it for (them and not us), what it will do, how they will use it, etc.

Bridging the gap, finding the middle ground between these perspectives is why product / product marketing exist. It’s a constant effort in calibration, because:

• Who we think we’re building for doesn’t end up being the only, or many times even the biggest, constituent
• What we want to build is rarely exactly what’s wanted by users
• How we think it will be used is only a subset of how people actually use it

Our imaginations are small and the number of “corner cases” large — less like corners and more like whole edges we just can’t conceive of.

Doing this well is a matter of communication. In both directions.

The problem with communication is the illusion that it has occurred. — Jennifer Pahlka, 6th Blitzscaling class

Usually what we’re doing is not communicating. It’s broadcasting. And what we push is for our own utility as sellers-of-goods:

• Who the user and buyer is, so people can rule themselves in/out
• What the value is, so people can be convinced they’ll be better off
• What the product/solution is, so people can compare the thing to other things and categorize it
• What the technology is, so people can be bamboozled by buzzwords or impressed by our engineering chops
• What the use cases are, so people know how they will experience the value
• What the pricing or buying process is, so people know how they will consume it

What we tend not to communicate is expectations.

• How do I think you’re going to use the product?
• What the range of inputs I expect?
• What range of outputs you can expect?
• What have I imagined you doing?
• What have I imagined you not doing?
• Where are the cracks and fissures in the product, in the experience?
• How should you interpret the expected and unexpected outputs?
• How do you think you’re going to use the product?
• What do you expect it to do when you use it?
• What don’t you expect?
• What do you think the value is? Etc.

We can’t manage expectations we don’t communicate

Without communicating and consuming expectations from users, we can’tmanage them. I’ve found this to be one of the central causes of [undesired] friction and poor user experience.

technology analyst 101 for startups - wrapup

It so happens that when I was at Gartner I spent a fair bit of time with startups. Many of whom didn't know what to do with me. Or thought they did and were sorely mistaken. Thus a 101 on tech analysts for startups, finished here. :)

Tech Analyst 101 for Startups

Part One - introduction to analysts / what they do

Part Two - why you want to talk to them / what they can for you

Part Three - how to engage with them / what you should do with them

Part Four - wrapup / tl;dr and tips from analysts

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Part Four - Wrapup 

tl;dr

Analysts are not press.

Analysts serve: end users, vendors, investors.

Analysts provide procurement, product, and investment decision support.

If your customers are other startups or bleeding edge technology companies, analysts are probably useless (unless they’re RedMonk and you care very much about developers).

Otherwise, analysts are used by your customers, acquirers, and investors to understand, evaluate, and position you. Whether you like it or not.

Figure out who the right analysts are that cover what you do and brief them regularly.

The right analysts can help you with strategy, marketing, product, business development, and sales—if you become their customer.

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What other analysts (current and former) have to say about it

Roughly presented in the order in which they were received on twitter. :)

Biggest thing is to accept that you need help, and more importantly, where you need help.

- Steve O’Grady (RedMonk) // @sogrady

(1) Have a realistic perspective on what your place is in the ecosystem, competitive landscape. (2) Analysts are not cheerleaders. (3) Analysts there to give constructive criticism so tell you your challenges and deliver a solution (not just saying you suck).

- Vanessa Alvarez (ex-Forrester) // @VanessaAlvarez1

(1) Make sure your talking to the right analyst - everyone's time is wasted if your not talking to the right guy. (2) Show understanding of your limits, no startup is going to solve everything, understand your limits & sell what makes you different. (3) The best thing you can show me is actual product, not powerpoints (but I'm a tech analyst).

- Gunnar Berger (Gartner) // @gunnarwb

Get your story straight. What market are you in, and how are you different there? You probably won't create a market for yourself.

- Jenny Sussin (Gartner) // @JSussin

Don't say, "Oh, you're a woman. We just assumed you weren't technical." Really nothing beginning with "Oh, you're a woman..."

Also, the startup should assume the analyst understands the area they cover. Explaining the basics is a waste of time.

- Lydia Leong (Gartner) // @cloudpundit

Do your homework. Don't waste time brainwashing (doesn't work). Understand that my goal is not trashing you but protecting my clients.

Don't expect that I suggest or recommend slideware to my clients.

- Alessandro Perilli (Gartner) // @a_perilli

Whenever I speak to traditional vendors, they are always interested in partnering/acquiring disruptors. Make [my] list.

I WANT to hear from more startups. Rarely hear innovation coming from "traditional players”. Show me how you solve real probs.

Be prepared, you only have one chance to make the first impression. Have seen some terrible presos from startups.

- Rick Holland (Forrester) // @rickhholland

I have clients (end user & vendor) who tell me they want to hear about you. Some want to partner, etc. Others may participate in a beta.

Use briefings, twitter, email, LinkedIn messages, informal chats via phone, and meet up at an event/conference.

- Heidi Shey (Forrester) // @heidishey

Keep it real. No ass kissing BS.

- Chris Wolf (Gartner) // @cswolf

I loved hearing from founders who were pissed off about the way something worked/cost/etc and how they wanted to fix the problem.

Get the problem space and market failures identified before feature/function or speeds/feeds or at least understand that I could help validate/refute/ adjust the start-ups assumptions on that front.

- Abner Germanow (ex-IDC)// @abnerg

Why should a customer talk to you? Don't play to the analysts ego!

- Matt Eastwood (IDC) // @matteastwood

If you don't understand the value of analysts, find a trusted third party who does and ask them.

- Donnie Berkholz (RedMonk) // @dberkholz

Unfortunately, a lot of people see analysts as an extension of marketing #wrong!

- Floyd Strimling (Platen Report) // @platenreport

Why? Messaging review, collateral review, product strategy, competitive analysis, trends, futures.

- Jonah Kowall (Gartner) // @jkowall

Shed assumptions, reach out and touch someone. (Not all) analysts bite!

- Jarod Greene (Gartner) // @jarodgreene

The more forthcoming you are, the better. If you're just giving us marketing BS, save your breath.

- Wendy Nather (451) // @451wendy

Analysts are usually micro or macro focused. Figure out which type they are. Act on your goals for interacting with them, not theirs.

- Michael Cote (451) // @cote

Don't tell me how you are special for reinventing the wheel. Highlight competitors and what makes you different/worthwhile.

- Trevor Pott // @cakeis_not_alie

Do you have time to keep track of the market? You’re not working hard enough. Hire us.

- Merv Adrian (Gartner) // @merv

Make it a regular conversation instead of a PR pitch at the time of need. Medium has changed. With blogs and twitter, more non traditional avenues are available through the "independent" analysts—easier access to these analysts than the traditional ones. Journalists prefer a quick check with them than the trad path to trad analysts.

- Krishnan Subramanian (ex-analyst) // @krishnan

Don’t be shy. Just reach out and build a relationship with us.

- Ben Kepes (independent) // @benkepes

Be open. Inform with proof points. Do it often.

- Eric Goodness (Gartner) // @EFGoodness

Quick answers to questions don't guarantee inclusion, but slow answers guarantee exclusion.

- Eric Knipp (Gartner) // @erichknipp

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Suggested reading

From RedMonk: The Startup’s Guide to Working With RedMonk

From Jeremiah Owyang: What an Effective Analyst Briefing is Like

From Chenxi Wang (Forrester): Be A Good Marketer And Win Over Your Analyst In 8 Slides

From Michael Cote (RedMonk, 451): Dealing with industry analysts for startups 

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Have questions? Need advice? Etc? Feel free to ping me on the twitters: @aneel