Please retweet: 8/22 Recap: NO MABUSHI! Product Marketing w/a Laser w/ @johnsontc http://bit.ly/n6eXxH #prodmrktg #prodmgmt #prodmgmttalk
At our most recent, Aug 22 Global Product Management Talk on Twitter, Tim C. Johnson returned (after laser surgery) to lead us in a discussion to identify and remove MABUSHI. Here is an edited recap - use this as a jumping off point to blog your insights and responses.
Q1 What are the two must-ask questions in your PMM toolkit?
johnsontc 'Who is being impacted and how?. How is it impacting them personally & how impacting the business?'
saeedwkhan A1 Tim says example is simply asking a person how they're compensated & how they're doing against metrics
jidoctor seems the must-ask ?s are situation dependent, but standard would include who, what, why, why not
johnsontc if you don’t understand whats broke or how its affecting them (cust or biz) then you’ll have difficult talk
jidoctor q1: need more context to better respond to this ?; all makes sense but motivation/compensation is not always relevant
brainmates More an approach to understanding value RT @saeedwkhan: re: A1: Can you clarify the question a bit? Its very general question
johnsontc these questions drive the company to understand if they are doing a good job meeting their metrics
johnsontc When you’re trying to understand if you can help customer – if you understand their metrics – can better present your solution
saeedwkhan For Q1 I tend to go into psychotherapy mode -- .tell me about your problems. What are your goals? What keeps you up at night?
saeedwkhan Q1 - objective is to get them talking so I can sit back and listen and direct the conversation
rcauvin @saeedwkhan #prodmgmt interviews are indeed like therapy. Set context initially; not just, "Tell me about your problems."
rcauvin More on #prodmgmt as therapy, and how it guides the questions we ask customers: http://t.co/hj1adn6
johnsontc We’re going between Q1 & Q2 – overall idea of trying to get to heart of what matters, what is valuable to them
Q2 What techniques do you use to understand the value chain?
johnsontc A2: Start with who calls u when something goes wrong - insight on how the rest of the biz is affected
johnsontc A2: Outside of direct cust interaction – keep up on disaster stories you read in IT press to ask if relevant
rcauvin A1/A2: Explore how the prospect currently manages or works around relevant problems they face.
MNOProductMan A2 - 1. Empathy 2. SIPOC's analysis to work out where they are in the E2E value chain-pain origin is normally external to them
MNOProductMan SIPOC is a six sigma tool - engineering approach to pain & probs. SIPOC maps Suppliers, inputs, process, outputs, customers.
johnsontc @bdoctor When u understand the value chain you are not going to talk about the shiny red thingy
Q3 When is your sales team a customer/persona and when are they a partner?
johnsontc From an IT perspective, IT is responsible for entire chain for info from suppliers – processes correct/ outputs to end
jidoctor imho, your sales team is a cust in respect that they absorb info, not a persona and not a partner
brainmates @MNOProductMan Thanks for definition of SIPOC. IT people are responsible for the infrastructure that keeps value chain running
saeedwkhan A3 -- Sales teams map to personae. In smaller companies they can be partners. Need to maintain product/channel fit.
johnsontc @jidoctor sales are a buyer – they have to agree that what you are saying is important & correct
jidoctor they are not buying your solution, only a customer who "buys" the info to sell the solution
johnsontc Exactly! RT @jidoctor: are not buying your solution, only a customer who “buys” the info to sell the solution
saeedwkhan @jidoctor but Sales teams have needs, wants, objectives, goals, influencers etc. Perfect for personae
jidoctor if u r talking about launch material, then sales teams would b a persona; but if you are talking about urlaunch itself, no
brainmates This is when there is an adversarial relationship RT@jidoctor: yes sales CAN, and oftend does, block access/info to customers
brainmates I always include to avoid pain RT @liz_blink: @jidoctoris that because we too often leave them out of the process?
Q4 What makes your sales tools REALLY effective and how do you measure that?
saeedwkhan A4 - Sales tool must be created w/ consumer in mind & map to their buying process. Must understand info supply chain
saeedwkhan A4 -- FYI...consumer in last tweet is consumer of the tools/info and not general economic consumer. :-)
johnsontc to @jidoctor A4 field test it before you role it out to everyone – so they have some input
jidoctor a4: but be careful re: sales calling MABUSHI, it may not be, but since it wasn't designed for them they think it is
brainmates How? RT @johnsontc says "must use their language & metrics applies to both internal & external consumer"
jidoctor examples exist when sales calls MABUSHI simply because they were left out of the process, or their suggestions were not used
jidoctor @liz_blink customer needs to be shown sol'n, sales needs to understand what the customer needs - they are different
MNOProductMan A4 Sales attention span is short, sales are simple folk. Tools need to be simple & relevant to them. Sales need to trust tools
Q5 What self-checks do you use to eliminate MABUSHI?
Thank you to all the participants! Join us next week on Aug 29 for "What Product Managers must learn from Brand Managers to Succeed w/ @Mack_McCoy "
full transcript: http://slidesha.re/pD63wO
Please welcome @johnsontc Tim C. Johnson, Product Marketing Expert for Discussion On Surgically Removing MABUSHI has 20+ years of sales and marketing experience in software ranging from end-user applications to development tools.
MABUSHI is an Israeli's term (not nice one) for get to the point, don't waste time!
MENTIONED DURING TALK:
- SIPOC Analysis: SIPOC is a six sigma tool - engineering approach to pain & probs. SIPOC maps Suppliers, inputs, process, outputs, customers.
- Product Management as therapy, and how it guides the questions we ask customers: http://t.co/hj1adn6
- What is buying facilitation http://t.co/unVrEuT
- David Meerman Scott gobbly-gook analyzer http://t.co/ahydGD8
- Microsoft redesigns the iPod package. Oldie but goodie. http://t.co/jRU5wcF
- Bull Fighter http://t.co/whLGpRl
Q1 What are the two must-ask questions in your PMM toolkit?
johnsontc 'Who is being impacted and how?. How is it impacting them personally & how impacting the business?'
saeedwkhan A1 Tim says example is simply asking a person how they're compensated & how they're doing against metrics
jidoctor seems the must-ask ?s are situation dependent, but standard would include who, what, why, why not
johnsontc if you don’t understand whats broke or how its affecting them (cust or biz) then you’ll have difficult talk
jidoctor q1: need more context to better respond to this ?; all makes sense but motivation/compensation is not always relevant
brainmates More an approach to understanding value RT @saeedwkhan: re: A1: Can you clarify the question a bit? Its very general question
johnsontc these questions drive the company to understand if they are doing a good job meeting their metrics
johnsontc When you’re trying to understand if you can help customer – if you understand their metrics – can better present your solution
saeedwkhan For Q1 I tend to go into psychotherapy mode -- .tell me about your problems. What are your goals? What keeps you up at night?
saeedwkhan Q1 - objective is to get them talking so I can sit back and listen and direct the conversation
rcauvin @saeedwkhan #prodmgmt interviews are indeed like therapy. Set context initially; not just, "Tell me about your problems."
rcauvin More on #prodmgmt as therapy, and how it guides the questions we ask customers: http://t.co/hj1adn6
johnsontc We’re going between Q1 & Q2 – overall idea of trying to get to heart of what matters, what is valuable to them
Q2 What techniques do you use to understand the value chain?
johnsontc A2: Start with who calls u when something goes wrong - insight on how the rest of the biz is affected
johnsontc A2: Outside of direct cust interaction – keep up on disaster stories you read in IT press to ask if relevant
rcauvin A1/A2: Explore how the prospect currently manages or works around relevant problems they face.
MNOProductMan A2 - 1. Empathy 2. SIPOC's analysis to work out where they are in the E2E value chain-pain origin is normally external to them
MNOProductMan SIPOC is a six sigma tool - engineering approach to pain & probs. SIPOC maps Suppliers, inputs, process, outputs, customers.
johnsontc @bdoctor When u understand the value chain you are not going to talk about the shiny red thingy
Q3 When is your sales team a customer/persona and when are they a partner?
johnsontc From an IT perspective, IT is responsible for entire chain for info from suppliers – processes correct/ outputs to end
jidoctor imho, your sales team is a cust in respect that they absorb info, not a persona and not a partner
brainmates @MNOProductMan Thanks for definition of SIPOC. IT people are responsible for the infrastructure that keeps value chain running
saeedwkhan A3 -- Sales teams map to personae. In smaller companies they can be partners. Need to maintain product/channel fit.
johnsontc @jidoctor sales are a buyer – they have to agree that what you are saying is important & correct
jidoctor they are not buying your solution, only a customer who "buys" the info to sell the solution
johnsontc Exactly! RT @jidoctor: are not buying your solution, only a customer who “buys” the info to sell the solution
saeedwkhan @jidoctor but Sales teams have needs, wants, objectives, goals, influencers etc. Perfect for personae
jidoctor if u r talking about launch material, then sales teams would b a persona; but if you are talking about urlaunch itself, no
brainmates This is when there is an adversarial relationship RT@jidoctor: yes sales CAN, and oftend does, block access/info to customers
brainmates I always include to avoid pain RT @liz_blink: @jidoctoris that because we too often leave them out of the process?
Q4 What makes your sales tools REALLY effective and how do you measure that?
saeedwkhan A4 - Sales tool must be created w/ consumer in mind & map to their buying process. Must understand info supply chain
saeedwkhan A4 -- FYI...consumer in last tweet is consumer of the tools/info and not general economic consumer. :-)
johnsontc to @jidoctor A4 field test it before you role it out to everyone – so they have some input
jidoctor a4: but be careful re: sales calling MABUSHI, it may not be, but since it wasn't designed for them they think it is
brainmates How? RT @johnsontc says "must use their language & metrics applies to both internal & external consumer"
jidoctor examples exist when sales calls MABUSHI simply because they were left out of the process, or their suggestions were not used
jidoctor @liz_blink customer needs to be shown sol'n, sales needs to understand what the customer needs - they are different
brainmates But sales want more sales. If customer needs r met so r sales needs. @jidoctor @liz_blink
liz_blink Too true RT @Brainmates sugg to not do that! @jidoctorsales calls MABUSHI simply because they were left out of the process
MNOProductMan A4 Sales attention span is short, sales are simple folk. Tools need to be simple & relevant to them. Sales need to trust tools
Q5 What self-checks do you use to eliminate MABUSHI?
rcauvin @jidoctor Before customer can consider solution, must be helped to navigate change management issues: http://t.co/unVrEuT
jidoctor sales needs to not only understand cust language, but SPEAK cust language
bdoctor A5) best tool - Bull Fighter http://t.co/whLGpRl
johnsontc A5 I run it past my spouse – if she can’t figure it out, then I know I’ve failed
brainmates WOW. That would be great. That is what #prodmkgt is for RT @jidoctor: sales needs to not only understand cust language, but SPEAK cust language
ErikaLAndersen Can this be taught? RT @jidoctor: sales needs to not only understand cust language, but SPEAK cust language
Cindyfsolomon Eliminate jargon!
jidoctor @brainmates: THAT is the responsibility of #prodmktg; to help sales understand & speak the cust lang so WITH them, not AT them
johnsontc David Meerman Scott has a gobbly-gook analyzer
bdoctor the @dmscott reference is http://t.co/ahydGD8
Cindyfsolomon results of this week’s press release put through @dmscott analyzerhttp://bit.ly/n8xa9u
brainmates Another test of Mabushi - if you get crickets from your audience
jidoctor “crickets” australian or american technical term?
brainmates Aussie terms = crickets, thingy
rcauvin A5: Examine communication & whether it mentions "features" instead of problems & what the user accomplishes.
liz_blink Or connection to ensuring you engage all! "@brainmates: "Bu..s..t" RT @liz_blink: maybe I don't understand Mabushi!
johnsontc Another definition of MABUSHI “hogwash” English term is “codswallop” or simply “rubbish”
jidoctor @johnsontc, "hogwash" is not what you call it on your blog post that defines it. nor is rubbish the word you use
brainmates "Bu..s..t" RT @liz_blink: @cindyfsolomon @johnsontcmaybe I dont understand Mabushi!
Cindyfsolomon MABUSHI (not actually an Israeli term!) is more politically correct than what comes out of your horse’s back end
Q6 What are your favorite examples of bad product marketing?
johnsontc anything that says leading provider of... always smells of mabushi. words such quickly, easily, next generation - examples of mabushi
cindyfsolomon A6: My old school favorites: “state of the art”, “user friendly” “cutting edge” “world class” and these days “lean agile” “customer driven” “lower cost of ownership”
ErikaLAndersen Microsoft redesigns the iPod package. Oldie but goodie. http://t.co/jRU5wcF
jidoctor Q6: bad if your doc uses: faster, easier, more productive or reliable, scalable, stronger performance...used 95% of time!
JohnsonTC Any properly implemented current tech will always perform better than old, “So What!”
brainmates When you write Mabushi terms - Got to ask yourself 'so what?' Get to the point. What parts of the biz is improved by the stuff
rcauvin @cindyfsolomon Ha! Funny when company touts their use of agile or lean methods. Irrelevant to customers.
schmediad Add tailored to your needs RT @brainmates:@johnsontc says anything that says leading provider of. always smells of mabushi
brainmates @schmediad Yes. 'Tailored' has to be a Mabushi word
liz_blink Ta Light bulb moment! "@brainmates Mabushi got to ask yourself 'so what?' Get to the point. What parts of biz is improved
brainmates Too funny.. Going to check out the brainmates website to see if we use any Mabushi words!
prodmgmttalk Please join us again @JohnsonTC to slice deeper – he could go into techniques next time
JohnsonTC: Thanks to everyone. Great fun
bdoctor: thanks @johnsontc, @brainmates & @cindyfsolomon for another great #prodmgmttalk
rcauvin Really appreciate @cindyfsolomon & @brainmates for bridging the gap between product managers around the world.
Please retweet: 8/22 Recap: NO MABUSHI! Product Marketing w/a Laser w/ @johnsontc http://bit.ly/n6eXxH #prodmrktg #prodmgmt #prodmgmttalk
Global Product Management TalkTM is a weekly mini-product camp Socratic discussion (on Twitter) of pre-posted questions (on Facebook) with live audio of thought leader and co-hosts commenting (on Blogtalkradio).
Global Product Management TalkTM is a weekly mini-product camp Socratic discussion (on Twitter) of pre-posted questions (on Facebook) with live audio of thought leader and co-hosts commenting (on Blogtalkradio).
