Questions To Answer For A Practical Product Strategy

Q: "I'm a Product Manager at a company that keeps changing direction. What do I do?"

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First of all, this is a common phenomenon in startup land. As you hustle to find product-market fit, it's natural to have a few twists & turns along the way.

What's important to understand is whether the company keeps changing their vision or product roadmap.

If the vision - their very purpose of existence and the new world they hope to see one day - keeps changing every other week, then that is a genuine cause for concern. It's a sign of flaky leadership that's buckling under market pressure.

If, however, the product roadmap is in a state of flux & ad-hoc features keep chiming in, then that indicates a lack of product strategy.

In this case, there is still hope.

What the heck is product strategy?

It's how you decide the product will support turning the company vision into a reality.

It involves answering things like:

• Who are we primarily building for?
• What recurring, significant problem will we solve amazingly well?
• How will the product solve this?
• How will it blow others out of the water?
• How will customers find & adopt us?
• Why will they remain with us?

Now, a change of priorities is fine if it's based on some evidence.

But if everyone from leadership to sales to marketing is throwing product ideas based on their gut, then that chaos is what needs to stop.

You need to take the wheel.

See more: Product Strategy: What Is a Product Strategy?

How?

You know how when a school teacher is late to class, the students start creating havoc thinking he/she is absent? But when the teacher walks in on them, it all comes to a screeching halt?

Well, that "teacher" in this case is the customer. And you as a PM, need to bring them to the party.

No, not literally.

I mean you need to carry their voice in product discussions.

The more relevant insights you bring directly from prospects, leads & customers, the harder it is for team members to randomly theorize.

If you highlight product opportunities based on quantifiable named customer research, the tribe will let you lead Wakanda.

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Remember:

"Everyone is a gangsta until a bunch of customers tell them to shut up".

Sure, people like the CEO would be getting customer perspectives too. Your research should only confirm their findings. The goal is to make those learnings the central focus to steer product conversations in one direction.

Someone pitches a new direction? Validate it with your intel. Doesn't check out?

"You shall not pass!", cries young Gandalf.

After establishing yourself as the authority of what your customers truly care about, the next part is framing a product strategy & prioritizing your roadmap based on that.

It's easier said than done. But hey, you're a PM.

You didn't sign up for easy.