Building User Focus Products

My experience working on digital products has driven home the critical role product marketers play in building successful solutions. Integrating a product marketing professional from development all the way to launch and beyond isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s becoming increasingly crucial.

Neglecting this integration leads to a common pitfall: tons of back-and-forth scrambling. Why? Because the product gets built, but the user gets left out in the cold. Sure, users might download it, but getting them to actually use it – and keep using it – is a whole different world.

Why Product Marketers Belong at the Table from Day One

The product marketer is the intermediary between the product and the user. See the product marketer as an advocate for the user. He, based on research, understands the user, knows what they want. He then relates this to the development team to ensure that the recommended features are placed well in the product.

Think of it like this: Imagine filling your gas tank only a third of the way, knowing you have a long journey ahead. A third of a tank might get you 10 miles, but every gas station on your route is at least 15 miles apart. Not exactly ideal, right?

Building User Focus Products - A Product Marketer's Diary

You’ll still need to refuel, but now it’s more time-consuming, frustrating, and potentially more expensive. You might need a tow truck, a ride to the gas station, or (worst case scenario) a grueling push to the next station. Just thinking about it is stressful.

That’s exactly what happens when product-led companies wait to hire a product marketing managers (PMM) until close to launch. The PMM who has been hired to launch the product is now also tasked to deal with the aftermath of something that could have as well been avoided Now all of those skipped steps during ideation, development and prelaunch phases would now have to be done.

Here’s the data to back it up – Building User Focus Products :

According to a Product Marketing Alliance:, companies with strong product marketing practices achieve a 34% higher average win rate and a 20% faster sales cycle.

So, how can you leverage product marketing from the get-go? Here are some key ways:

User research and insights: Product marketers conduct thorough user research, providing valuable data on target demographics, needs, and behaviors. This informs product features and messaging right from the start.
Competitive analysis: They identify competitor strengths and weaknesses, helping your product stand out and resonate with the target audience.
Messaging and positioning: Product marketers craft compelling messaging that positions the product for success, ensuring users understand its value proposition.

By integrating product marketing from your development process through to launch, you build a product that users actually want and need, achieving product market fit in good time.This translates to smoother launches, faster adoption, and ultimately, a successful product with a loyal user base.