Do you tier features in product launches? If so, how do you determine the tier for each feature and what's the difference between each?

Yes, I tier features in product launches. This tiering system helps prioritize our marketing efforts and resources - here's how I determine the tier for each feature and the key differences between them: Tier 1 features receive the highest level of attention across all areas, as they are crucial to deliver on the company's strategy and market positioning. Criteria: Major drivers of company objectives and product vision, as well as newsworthy and highly relevant to current market trends Focus: Hi ...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

Absolutely, tiering product launches is crucial for optimizing their impact and resource allocation. This practice combines elements of both art and science, and several factors should be considered:  Strategic Impact: Evaluate whether the launch significantly advances your company's position in the market. Even a small feature can be strategically important if it differentiates your solution. In such cases, it may warrant a substantial budget and significant marketing and sales resources.  Cust ...Read More

Yes! As you run multiple launches throughout the year, some releases might be major updates that warrant more significant marketing efforts (e.g. if you’re introducing a new product to the market), while others may be minor and require less promotion (e.g. like a product update). Here's an example of a launch tier framework I've used in the past: Tier 1 launches (reserved for the most important product announcements of the year and are typically tied to revenue) Messaging: Core pitch deck update ...Read More