AMA: Zendesk Group Product Marketing Manager, Lauren Hakim on Product Launches

Great question! Success metrics can vary across companies, but in my experience successful product launches consistently hinge on clear planning, targeted goals, strong cross-functional collaboration, and continuous measurement. Here are some key elements to focus on: Set clear goals: Establish and align on specific, actionable, and measurable goals well before the launch so you can measure success immediately post-launch and make data-driven decisions. Organize your team: Identify your core tea ...Read More

At Zendesk, we determine the tier based on business impact, customer impact, and market differentiation. Tier 1 covers major new offerings or significant enhancements with high business and customer impact. These involve extensive go-to-market (GTM) planning, sales enablement, adoption strategies, major communications/PR, and dedicated marketing campaigns. Tier 1 launches are often aligned with major events with significant promotional efforts. Tier 2 covers major new features with medium to low ...Read More

How exciting! This should be super helpful in ensuring your GTM teams can have effective conversations with customers. I've listed some additional elements you may want to consider below. Competitive info: Identify competitors with similar offerings and highlight what sets you apart. This helps your sales teams position your product more effectively and win more deals by showcasing unique advantages. Resources across the customer journey: From my experience, providing resources for GTM teams and ...Read More

I would say this is not necessarily always the case. Adding new features can happen at any stage of the product lifecycle. It could be part of the early stage strategy to iterate or improve the product based on initial customer feedback, or a mid-stage effort to expand functionality and capture a broader target audience. If the product is in it's late stages, new features could be added to help retain existing customers. At Zendesk, we continuously deliver new features within our products to enh ...Read More

One of the biggest mistakes one can make is assuming the work is done once the product has launched. Here are a few things to consider when it comes to maintaining post-launch momentum: Sustained post-launch marketing: Marketing efforts should not stop once the product has launched. Continue to emphasize value and use cases to keep your offering top of mind and relevant to potential customers. Customer education: Customers often need guidance to fully utilize new capabilities or features. Develo ...Read More

Great question. Evaluating launch messaging is crucial to ensure it stands out. Here are a few impactful methods I have found effective: Competitive Analysis: Start with a thorough analysis of competitor messaging. This helps identify gaps and opportunities and can give you insights to differentiate. Customer & GTM Insights: Conduct user testing with a select group of customers. This can help you ensure your messaging is 1) clear and 2) resonates with their needs and pain points. Similarly, ...Read More

Launching from a smaller organization can be challenging, but it also presents some unique opportunities. One of the greatest advantages of being at a smaller organization is the ability to leverage agility. You can pivot more quickly based on market feedback, which is a luxury that most larger orgs often don't have. Additionally, focusing on niche markets enables you to offer specialized solutions that big players can tend to overlook. Building strong and authentic relationships with your custo ...Read More

Great question. With any launch, especially one that's focused on an acquisition, brand alignment is critical. At Zendesk, we work very closely with our brand team to ensure that the acquired product not only retains its unique value but also enhances the overall brand portfolio. The brand team ensures that the acquired product fits within our existing brand narrative and values, so this could involve rebranding efforts (eg logos, web, etc), if necessary, and creating cohesive messaging. Product ...Read More

At Zendesk, we determine product launch tiers based on several factors: business impact, customer impact, and market differentiation. Each tier has a different level of marketing support. Tier 1 covers major new offerings or significant enhancements with high business and customer impact. These involve extensive go-to-market (GTM) planning, sales enablement, adoption strategies, major communications/PR, and dedicated marketing campaigns. Tier 1 launches are often aligned with major events with s ...Read More