All related (9)
VP of GTM & Strategy at Novi
I don’t have any direct experience in this sector, but I’d encourage you to start by better understanding the segments of your market. Whether through interviews, surveys, or product usage analysis (ideally some combination), you’ll need to identify the common threads between segments of your seemingly-fragmented base, and then create personas based on those segments. Some dimensions to consider that span across job titles/industries/buyer types: “jobs to be done” (see Clayton Christensen’s work), decision criteria, substitutes, level of pain, willingness to pay, etc.
VP, Product at Barracuda Networks
Disclaimer - I've never marketed to this segment.
That said, I find it very hard to believe that you can't pick our four or five comon archetypes among your buyers. You're solving a few common problems. What are those? How are you solving their problems? Go out and talk to 20, 30, 50 customers. If you can't pick out four or five common patterns among your buyers, you might want to consider whether this is a market you even want to be in.
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Chief Marketing Officer at Hopin
Great question, and one that I’ve done some writing on (see link below).
http://www.categorydev.com/category-branding/
There are SEO, branding, PR/AR and many other implications to selecting a
category name – so it’s important to get this right.
I believe new categories and markets are created when a person / job title
exists that is not being served in a meaningful way by an existing vendor.
Categories that speak to that person, rather than the product, tend to better
resonate. Analysts will suggest archaic category naming conventions that will
undoubtedly result in an acronym – Enterpr...more
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GTM Leader | Marketing Author | Career Coach
I think the biggest mistakes with starting a formal VOC program are 1) to do it without truly knowing what the goal is, and 2) to not secure CEO-level buy-in. If you don’t do the first one, then how will you know where to focus or how to measure the impact? And second, if you don’t get that commitment from the CEO, then you risk turning it into a temporary pet project that ends as soon as the exec sponsor departs the organization. I’ve seen it happen first-hand.
VP, Product Marketing at UiPath
Hi - yes - I definitely recommend sharebird's resources. I also love a few books on positioning. First the classic book here is from Al Ries and Jack Trout and it's called "Positioning: The Battle for your Mind." I also recommend "Obviously Awesome: How to Nail Product Positioning so Customers Get It, Buy It, Love It" by April Dunford
VP of GTM & Strategy at Novi
If you’re looking for specific titles, I think the approach you laid out makes
sense. The screener survey is super important for making sure you’re find
representative folks to talk to (based on your customer base or intended
customer base), and not wasting your time. For sourcing the initial list, I try
to make them a mix of current customers (sourced from our database) and
potential prospects. For prospects, I use an intercept on some of our web
content, and sometimes tap into panels like Google Surveys. For specific
titles, you could also try LinkedIn targeting which I think allows ...more
Head of Marketing at Atrium - Data Driven Sales Management
Assuming the right answer for you is to indeed switch categories (and I’d really
make sure to get this answer right), I’d recommend by laying out your point of
view on the market problem, why it needs to be solved, and your positioning
(ability to solve that problem in a unique way).
I’d also be careful to consider what it means for you in the original category.
Is it the case that the “category” is evolving given changes in the market and
user behavior? Or is it something new entirely.
I’d imagine that you’re not abandoning the old category entirely so you need to
connect the dots for cu...more
VP of Product Marketing at Observe.AI | Formerly Clari, Vendavo, Amdocs
Have a strong point of view on the market and don't be afraid to reframe the current definition, but be prepared to invest heavily in education and thought leadership. Rely on proof points to support your narrative in the form of customer advocates that evangelize your definition and why it drives value. The good and the bad news is that someone has already created the initial interest - invest in execution and authority marketing to grab market share.