What is a good, tactical tip for building “new feature” content at scale?
In a typical enterprise SaaS startup, new features come fast and furious so scale is key for building content around them. Start with internal enablement (slides) on tier 1-2 features at Alpha, and all features at public beta or GA. Update as features move through stages. This internal material on slides forces pithy, succinct messaging/ICP/GTM plan which you can re-use later. By the way, an added benefit of early enablement is (1) the field can tactically roadmap sell and (2) the field can recruit beta customers/references needed for launch.
This succinct internal enablement material can be reused for dedicated public material when the feature goes GA. This material includes monthly “what’s new” blogs/emails/webinars, dedicated blogs, press releases, social media copy and more. It’s like a train of content that gets re-used as a feature moves through stages. Scalable content re-use for the win!
The key to efficiently creating "new feature" content at scale lies in implementing a structured template and a streamlined process.
1. Template for Consistency & Efficiency:
A template outlines the content's structure and specifies the expected information in each section. This consistency not only expedites content creation but also establishes a unified representation of the brand and style.
2. Process for Efficiency:
A process designates responsibilities for each aspect, such as copywriting, approval, and design. It guides the team through the steps from content creation to publication.
Feature Importance Tiers:
To prioritize efforts, I like to categorize features into different tiers:
Tier 1: Unique, differentiated features with significant impact on customer acquisition or upsells.
Tier 2: Features that bridge gaps, not necessarily differentiated but crucial for customer requirements.
Tier 3: Tactical features for users which would not be visible or supportive in a sales cycle.
I typically recommend to "ignore" Tier 3 features in Product Marketing. These can be covered in product documentation and release notes, with requiring marketing.
For Tier 1 and 2 features, I define MVP content to be systematically built. I'm usually considering the strict minimum (high velocity, limited resources):
A 1-pager to describe the feature and benefits (leave behind PDF)
A 1-slider to share the same information during a presentation
Your team size, the product velocity and additional elements will dictate what can be reasonably planned at scale.