You have a product, I need a solution
As a product manager, we read a lot about the need for a solution by the customer. So when we build a product, why does it not just work. The general reason that comes back is that the customer needs a solution. Wait, didn’t we just build that? Not quite. There is a subtle difference […]
How did management consulting help me as a B2B PM
Consider early career in management consulting. Hi PMs, Hope my US friends had a good long Labor day weekend. As I mentioned in my previous newsletter, I am on vacation with family in Europe. As you are reading this, we are in Florence. Staying at a villa in Tuscany. Prior to being a product manager […]
Hallmarks of good and poor B2B product teams
What makes a good product team You read a lot about how you should become a good product manager. But what about how to be a good product team. In this article, I’ll focus on what it means to be a good product team. I will restrict to B2B since that is my domain, but […]
The ugly truths of Enterprise B2B sales
How to mitigate pitfalls of early sales by startups In my Big 5 consulting years, I had worked with many large enterprises. My clients had ranged from Fujitsu, Agilent, Cisco, Freescale Semiconductors, Epson, Microsoft, Expedia and others. As a junior I was responsible for strategy, design, implementation and got to learn a lot about how […]
B2B startups guide to the first customer pitch
You only need 9 slides, and one is blank. The First Pitch The first customer pitch is a crucial stepping stone for a startup trying to land an enterprise deal. Crafting a compelling and effective pitch requires a combination of clear communication, understanding the prospect, and showcasing the unique value your startup brings to the […]
Product Manager’s Guide to Commanding Presentations
The importance of crafting and delivering impactful presentations Mastering the art of presentation is a valuable skill that can elevate your communication prowess and captivate any audience. In this guide, discover essential tips to enhance your presentation skills and leave a lasting impact. The Slide That Killed Seven People We often hear about death […]
How technical should a B2B Product Manager be?
Levels of technical proficiency for a B2B product manager Frequently, product managers wonder how technical they should be in order to be effective. There is no right answer. It depends. (As my MBA professor said, if you say “it depends”….you must clarify. Here goes. ) Product managers do a number of things in order to […]
Becoming a whole product manager
B2B product managers should embrace whole product thinking As a B2B product manager, you are primarily responsible for building the right product for your ideal customer that provides them value. In order to ensure that your customer is able to extract the desired value, just relying on the core product features is not enough. You […]
Becoming a whole product manager
B2B product managers should embrace whole product thinking As a B2B product manager, you are primarily responsible for building the right product for your ideal customer that provides them value. In order to ensure that your customer is able to extract the desired value, just relying on the core product features is not enough. You […]
Sources of Competitive Analysis for B2B product managers (Part 2)
Where and how to gather competitive information Part 2 In the first part of this article series on competitive analysis, we discussed the importance of conducting competitive analysis and what type of information to gather. In this article, we discuss where and how to get the relevant competitive information. How to obtain competitive information? So […]
