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AMA: Airbnb Head of Global Product Marketing, John Gargiulo
on Product Launches
November 30 @ 10:00am PST
View AMA Answers
Product Launches With John Gargiulo, Head of Global Product Marketing at AirbnbTop Questions
There is often a huge emphasis on analytical skills, instead of brand marketing skills, when it comes to product marketing job descriptions. What role does brand marketing play in product marketing?
Head of Global Product Marketing at Airbnb
It's funny, I've been working on a deck looking at exactly this question.
It's fascinating how much it varies from company to company. We're moving to a
place where the distinctions between product marketing and brand marketing are
becoming increasingly blurry. Think of it as simply different pro...more
What are some best practices for a successful product launch targeting a B2B audience? What about B2C?
Head of Global Product Marketing at Airbnb
B2B
- The foundation of any successful launch is a compelling insight. This is
especially true in B2B. To get to that golden nugget, even if you have a
research group and/or an awesome, collaborative sales team - meet the customers.
There is nothing like first-hand experience when it comes to...more
How and when do you integrate qualitative research throughout your product development and launch cycle?
Head of Global Product Marketing at Airbnb
Research is so important. The closer you are to your customer, the more
credibility you have. If you're fortunate enough to have a research org at your
company, even better. My first weeks at Airbnb were in large part spent sitting
in with the research team as they interviewed our users.
In ...more
What are some innovative launch activities you've done that were successful (or not so successful)?
Head of Global Product Marketing at Airbnb
SUCCESSFUL:
- At Bluestacks in 2011, we were gearing up to launch software that let you run
any Android app on a Windows PC. I had letterpressed wedding invitations made
for the union of Android and Windows and sent them to around 100 thought-leaders
in tech including Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, ...more
What strategies do you recommend for driving adoption of a new product, post-launch? What is the role of Product Marketing compared to other parts of the business in driving adoption?
Head of Global Product Marketing at Airbnb
Great question. Post-launch is the most underrated parts of the cycle.
You've spent months aiming the rocketship, putting fuel in the tank and blasting
off - now you've got to steer. Let's break it down into three steps:
1) ANALYZE
The first thing is to immediately begin watching not just us...more
How do you leverage insights and prioritize qualitative vs quantitative as you build-out product messaging recommendations?
Head of Global Product Marketing at Airbnb
Great question. Having a compelling insight into why a product is truly worth
using is arguably the most important part of a launch. A launch is like building
a tower. If the ground underneath is soft, it's not going to end well. Finding
solid ground is easier said than done. Sometimes there is n...more
How much emphasis is put on creating messaging/driving adoption for a new product with existing clients versus focusing on using that product to drive new business?
Head of Global Product Marketing at Airbnb
It's always easier to sell in new things to an existing audience than try and
build a new one. It also depends on your philosophy. If it is like Airbnb's
original, "Get 100 people to love you rather than a million people to sort of
like you," you should focus on your existing users. If you feel l...more
Ask John About
- How to time a launch for greatest impact
- How to measure your product launch results
- What people get wrong about product launches
