AMA: BILL Head of Product Marketing - Platform Products, Charles Tsang on Product Launches

* Great question. I’d zoom out and look at this in the context of how PMM should collaborate across the broader cross-functional (XF) team involved in GTM—Product, Sales, Customer Success, and Marketing. * Each stakeholder plays a critical role in shaping a product launch, contributing insights that inform messaging, positioning, and GTM strategy. While each team views the launch from a different angle, their inputs help refine the overall approach. For example: * Sales understands how customers talk about their JTBD and who else they’re evaluating. * Customer Success identifies recurring customer questions that should be proactively addressed. * Marketing can help provide signal on how product messaging is landing across different channels, and what messages are performing better vs. not performing better * PMMs can add significant value by establishing strong feedback loops across these teams. Unanticipated questions will inevitably arise post-launch—some may shape future product iterations, while others inform tactical adjustments like new FAQs or sales enablement content. * By synthesizing insights from all stakeholders and turning them into actionable next steps, PMM ensures a more cohesive and optimized GTM strategy.

* I usually think about launch readiness in a few categories: * Product Readiness – Is the product functional and reliable? Does it deliver on its core promise? How does the user experience and onboarding measure up? * Market Readiness – Do you have product-market fit? Is competitive positioning clear? Have pricing and packaging been defined? Do you know your target buyers and users? * GTM Readiness – Has Sales been enabled? Are CS and support teams prepped? Do you have acquisition and distribution channels in place? Have you defined KPIs and feedback loops? * If there are concerns about product readiness, it's critical to establish clear exit criteria for GA (General Availability). This would need to be done in partnership with product management. * Beta launches can be invaluable in bridging the gap. Identifying early adopters—whether existing customers or engaged prospects—allows you to validate readiness, drive early adoption, and reduce uncertainty. * At a previous job at an early-stage startup, I faced a situation where we had a strong hypothesis for a new product but hadn't built it yet. Instead of waiting, we announced our intent (a quasi "product launch"), opened up a waitlist, and engaged interested prospects as design partners. * This helped us try to quickly substantiate the market potential, refine our approach, and build momentum before the product was even built.

* Product launches in multi-product companies sometimes require a more integrated approach compared to those in single-product companies. * For companies with a single product or a narrow offering, launches are often more straightforward—primarily focused on defining the narrative for that specific product. * In multi-product companies, there are instances where a product launch narrative connects the new product with existing ones. For example, customers can derive greater value by using multiple products together (e.g., 1+1=3). This is especially important when the new product enhances or extends the capabilities of an existing solution. * For example, at BILL, we offer accounts payable, receivable, and spend & expense solutions. When we launched our new Spend & Expense API, we needed to ensure it was understood in the context of our other related offering – our Spend & Expense card and software solutions. Our messaging had to clearly articulate how customers could manage spend and expense through our core software—while also leveraging the API for greater scalability and customization.

* I covered most of this in the question regarding balancing speed to market with ensuring the product is ready for launch. * If there is not strong conviction yet on product readiness – that’s typically a good candidate for a contained small (or sometimes beta) launch. This iterative launch approach can help product and PMM squads build greater conviction in readiness for a full scale launch and be a valuable learning exercise. * PMM should always work with product managers to define / understand product readiness criteria which would include some obvious criteria such as (1) if the functionality works as promised, (2) if the user experience meets customer demands and needs, and (3) if beta feedback is positive and/or addressed

* Absolutely. I'm a big proponent of engaging with buyer and user communities as part of a GTM strategy. We often talk about getting the right message to the right customer at the right time—communities are a direct way to do that. They serve as "watering holes" where your audience naturally gathers, making it easier to reach them when they’re actively thinking about their work and exchanging ideas with peers. * During my time at Visa, community-based GTM was a key part of our strategy. One of our target audiences was crypto and fintech companies, so I established a multi-year partnership with a well-established influencer in the space to co-host and sponsor a podcast, coincidentally named Blockchain Insider. This was a powerful channel to shape Visa’s perception in the community and drive adoption of our solutions. * If you're targeting CX professionals, engaging with communities is likely a smart move—just ensure your content is valuable, relevant, and aligns with the conversations already happening in those spaces.