AMA: Google Product Marketing Lead, Varun Krovvidi on Messaging

Love this question. Let's discuss the nuances behind defining a compelling message for a product launch. While specifics can vary, the fundamental principle remains constant: Positioning comes first. It is the foundation on which an effective message is built. 1. Start with positioning: Before a single word of messaging is written, it's essential to have a crystal-clear understanding of the product's position in the market. This involves: * Understanding the competitive landscape, identify key players, and pinpoint their strengths and weaknesses. * Understanding your potential customer. Go beyond demographics. Delve into your target audience's pain points, emotional drivers, and aspirations. Understand what truly motivates them. * What makes your product unique and valuable? Articulate its core benefits and how it solves customer problems in a way that existing solutions don't. Quick tip: Sometimes it is not even a product that is an existing solution. A human might be doing it in 5 mins with limited tools. Once you have a firm grasp of positioning, messaging automatically flows from it 2. Moving from positioning to messaging: With positioning as the foundation, messaging forms the story connecting your product's essence to your audience's needs. This involves: * Craft a compelling narrative that resonates with your target audience's emotional drivers. * Distill your narrative into concise, impactful messages that highlight the product's key benefits and tie back to the positioning statement. * Tailor your messaging to different channels and stages of the customer journey. Maintain consistency while adapting language and style for each touchpoint. 3. How is your story different? Do not fall for the "easy" trap when you design the messaging. Let us think through an example. If one of the core benefits your product delivers is "productivity" or "transformation", then think again and think deeper. Every piece of technology is designed for that. What emotional needs does your product fulfill? Does it alleviate anxiety, foster a sense of belonging, or satisfy a craving for recognition? When your messaging speaks to the customer's underlying psychology, it moves beyond generic claims and creates a genuine connection. In a sea of products shouting about features, messaging that speaks to the customer's unspoken desires cuts through the noise. 4. Things to remember: * Messaging is the story that brings your positioning to life. It's about connecting with your audience on an emotional level, not just conveying information. * Positioning should guide every aspect of your messaging strategy, from tagline creation to social media campaigns. * Successful messaging is not about being creative; it's about being "simple". It's rooted in a deep understanding of your market, customers, and product's unique value.

Creating a new product category is like embarking on a voyage to a new continent. While exciting, it's not just about setting sail. It's crucial to first ensure that this new world even exists. The excitement of breaking new ground must be tempered by careful planning and deep understanding of the market. It's about identifying a genuine market need rather than forcing a square peg into a round hole. Here's a breakdown of the considerations: Validation, not assumption: Before diving into the deep end, ensure the need for a new category exists. Extensive market research, competitor analysis, and customer interviews are essential to gauge the potential. Don't mistake a unique selling point for an entirely new category. If it's just differentiation with existing competitors or if it seems like you do more than your competitors, it might be a positioning problem. Fast follower advantage: Being first doesn't always equate to being the most successful. Fast followers, who learn the lessons learned from the starter's journey, often gain the upper hand. Analyze the market, observe initial reactions to a new offering, and strike when the time is ripe. Clear definition: If the market signals are promising, the next step is to define the new category meticulously. Articulate the category's unique value. In this definition, what wins is setting clear boundaries (what it's not) and identify the target audience. This clarity is crucial for internal alignment, external storytelling, and solid positioning. Education, education, education: Creating a new category requires more than launching a product. It involves mainly educating various stakeholders – analysts, internal teams, industry experts, customers, decision-makers, and the media. Each group requires tailored messaging and communication channels. Is there an existing distribution channel? Existing channels and a loyal customer base give you a natural runway for launching a new category. Often we refer to Apple as a good example (Recent example: Spatial computing). But Apple's strongest leverage is its wide distribution and loyal fanbase. If you have something similar, be sure to use it

At its core, the decision between emphasizing core vs. non-core offerings in messaging boils down to alignment with your product's positioning. Remember, the goal is to create a cohesive narrative that reinforces your positioning. Every message you send should contribute to the overall story you're telling about your product and its value to customers. Essentially, there are three types of new product capability innovations: 1. Positioning-creating: These are game-changers. They fundamentally alter how customers perceive your product or even the entire category. Your messaging should boldly spotlight these innovations, using them to establish a new, dominant position in the market. 2. Positioning-advancing: These innovations build upon your existing strengths and reinforce your current position. They enhance your value proposition and demonstrate your commitment to continuous improvement. Your messaging should highlight how these advancements further solidify your leadership and differentiation. 3. Non-core: These innovations, while potentially valuable, don't directly tie into your core positioning. They might appeal to specific customer segments or offer additional benefits, but they don't fundamentally change how customers perceive your product. In your messaging, these should be treated as supplementary benefits, not the main focus.

Very interesting question. I'll be honest that I do not have a ton of experience in B2C messaging, but I wanted to dive deep into "why" it might be more similar or different. Let's do this together by digging into the foundation of effective messaging and its constituent parts: * The story: This is the core narrative you're crafting, the essence of your message. It involves the problems you're addressing, the solutions you offer, and the transformation your product or service enables. * The context: This encompasses where and how the message is consumed. It's the channel, the format, the surrounding noise, and the user's mindset at that moment. * The audience: This is about more than just demographics. It's about understanding their expectations, their situation, their pain points, their aspirations, and their psychological drivers. Now, let's explore how these elements differ and converge for the same consumer in a B2B vs. B2C context. Differences: * In B2B, we tend to define the story in slightly more logical and ROI terms, emphasizing tangible benefits. In B2C, it's often more emotionally driven, focusing on personal aspirations. * B2B buyers are typically making decisions on behalf of their organizations, prioritizing things like risk mitigation and long-term value. B2C consumers are driven by personal needs and desires, often seeking emotional satisfaction. Convergences: Despite these differences, there are crucial areas of overlap. * Even in B2B, decisions are influenced by emotions. Trust, confidence, and the feeling of being understood play a significant role. Successful B2B messaging often incorporates elements of storytelling and emotional appeal. * In a world saturated with marketing messages, authenticity is more important than ever. Regardless of the context, consumers crave authenticity. Brands that can communicate their values, mission, and impact in a transparent and relatable way stand out, regardless of their target audience.They want to feel a connection with the brand, believing in its values and its commitment to delivering on its promises. * Both B2B and B2C messaging should be centered around the customer's needs and pain points. It's about providing solutions, not just selling products. * The internet and social media have blurred the lines between personal and professional lives. B2B buyers now research and engage with brands in similar ways to B2C consumers. (For ex: Is LinkedIn a B2B or a B2C channel?) This has led to a shift in B2B messaging, becoming less formal and more conversational. While there are inherent differences between B2B and B2C messaging, the lines are blurring. As consumers become more discerning, successful messaging, regardless of the context, needs to be authentic, emotionally resonant, and customer-centric.

Let's look at this in 2 different stages Influencing the product: In an ideal scenario, marketing and product teams operate in lock step, making sure product strategy and positioning are intertwined. But, that's just ideal ;). A robust product strategy, informed by a deep understanding of customer needs and market gaps, can lead to a naturally differentiated position. However, the validating this positioning through market research and customer feedback will necessitate revisiting the product strategy, ensuring a continuous loop of "influence". This allows you to bake differentiation into the product and its narrative's DNA. Working with existing differentiators: Even with an existing product, effective messaging is a way of telling your story in a different sense that's only authentic to you. * Reframe the narrative: Find a new angle or a fresh perspective to highlight your product's benefits. Focus on the outcomes. It's vital to move beyond a siloed view of product features. We need to consider the entire customer experience - the emotional journey, the touch points, and the overall impact the product has on their lives. For example, both whatsapp and meta messenger are messaging apps. What's different? It isn't just about sending texts; it's about who you text, who are forming a connection with, and in what context your mind is in. * Use emotional triggers: Understand the deeper psychological needs of your audience and tailor your messaging to resonate with their aspirations and anxieties. * Go beyond what your product does; articulate why it matters to your customer's life. What change in behaviour does it enable? What aspirations does it fulfill? Tie all 3 aspects above to your differentiators. That in essence, becomes your messaging. Lastly, remember that the cornerstone of messaging lies in building an authentic human connection. By understanding the psychology behind customer needs and aspirations, we can create a differentiated message that resonates on a deeper level, establishing a brand identity that stands out.