AMA: Amazon Product Marketing at Fire TV (Smart TVs), Amey Kanade on Go-To-Market Strategy

Product marketing is both an inward and outward facing role. It's important to talk to customers, understand their needs, and deliver the product to them. Equally important is bringing customer insights back to the product team. In my various role as a product marketer, I have tried to incorporate a feedback loop to get insights/concerns from customers and bring this back to our product teams and then back to customers: 1. Chat with Customers: Collect insights through online research, surveys, interviews, and feedback sessions. 2. Share Insights with the Team: Communicate customer needs to the product team, using relatable, data-driven stories. 3. Collaborate on Development: Work closely with the product team to incorporate customer feedback into new features. 4. Support Customer Success: Keep an eye on customer reactions after launch and share any concerns with the product team. 5. Close the Loop: Let customers know about the improvements made based on their feedback to build trust and keep them happy. Reward customers who gave you the feedback (a simple customink T-shirt will convert this customer into your biggest advocate in most cases :) ) This process ensures customer insights shape our product development and align with our GTM strategy.

As a GTM lead at various companies, I've found that the role can be quite ambiguous, with responsibilities varying widely. I would say that pretty much all role (~5 or so) were significantly different in many ways. Because of this, I approach each new PMM role with an open mind. Understanding the Landscape: My first step is always to get to know the organization, build trust with other allied teams, and identify where PMM can lead Vs support. Key Responsibilities: * Positioning and Messaging: Defining the product's market position and creating compelling messaging. * Product Launch: Planning and executing impactful product launches. * Customer Education: Ensuring customers understand the product and its benefits. Flexible Role: Beyond these core tasks, the PMM role can include: * Sales: Defining demand gen strategies can sometimes be a core PMM or you may have to partner with a sales team. * Pricing: Same as above. In some situations, we had an "economics" team responsible for pricing, PMM was a more of an consultant. * Core Marketing: PMM could lead or per in a support role on marketing campaigns. I focus on where PMM can add the most value, whether leading initiatives or supporting other teams. Flexibility and adaptability are key to success in the GTM role.

That's a great question! This reminds me of my time as a PMM lead for a 360-degree camera company almost a decade ago. Not only were we launching a new brand of consumer electronic cameras, but we were also creating a new product category that was unfamiliar to most people. Here’s how we approached our GTM strategy: 1. Education-Focused Marketing: A significant part of our strategy was educating potential customers about what 360-degree cameras were and how they could benefit from them. We ensured that every marketing tactic had an educational component. 2. Demo Stations: We set up demo stations at every Best Buy, allowing customers to experience the technology firsthand. This hands-on approach helped demystify the product and demonstrated its unique value. 3. Content Creation and Sharing: We created and shared a wealth of content aimed at educating customers about the technology. This included blog posts, videos, and social media content that explained the features and potential uses of 360-degree cameras. 4. Customer Support and Handholding: We provided extensive customer support, making sure there was plenty of handholding to guide new users through the learning curve. This helped build trust and confidence in the product. 5. Resource Allocation: Recognizing the challenge of creating a new category, we allocated a substantial portion of our marketing resources to education. This ensured that customers not only knew about the product but also understood its benefits and how to use it effectively. Creating a new product category is a tough challenge, but focusing on educating your customers is crucial. It helps build awareness, understanding, and ultimately, adoption of the new technology.

Although I currently work for a large corporation, I have spent most of my career at small to medium-sized startups. I'll primarily draw from my startup experience to answer this, while also noting some differences I've observed during my time at Amazon. These high-level points reflect the key elements I've included in the GTM plans I've developed at various startups. 1. Market Research and Analysis: Understand your market, customer, and competition. 2. What is your Value Proposition: Understand your USP/selling-points and define your messaging. 3. Product Positioning: Define your product positioning and tailor the message for each market/customer your are going after. Think how this fits your overall brand (particularly important for big established brands). Work closely with your product team here. 4. Sales Strategy: Define your sales channels, your demand gen strategy, pricing strategy. Work closely with your Sales team here. 5. Marketing Plan: How are you going to market your product digital and offline, launch tactics etc. 6. Metrics and KPIs: Define a set of key metrics you are going to use to measure your success. 7. Timeline, Resources: Define your timeline, budget, roles and responsibilities. I hope this helps. If there's anything I've missed that you've included in your GTM document, please let me know!