Desiree Motamedi

An example that stands out to me was Steve Jobs’ manifesto on Flash and its security problems. What was fascinating about it was actually Adobe’s response to it. They bought full-page ads in newspapers around the world, including the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times that said “We Love Apple.” I remember thinking it was a bold but weak response, and Flash’s reign ended shortly after. I feel that was an example of not pushing back hard enough, actually.

I have been in this scenario before and I try to focus on the strengths around the product - even when it doesn't have all the bells and whistles that others might have..... 1. Reframe the Value Proposition: * Focus on your strengths: What does your product do well? Perhaps it's easier to use, more affordable, has better customer support, or integrates more seamlessly with existing systems. Identify those strengths and make them the centerpiece of your messaging. * Highlight the "why" behind your product: Why was it created in the first place? What problems does it solve? Even if you don't have every feature, you likely have a core value proposition that resonates with a specific audience. My team created a video series called - the Wow behind the How - it really brought to life the value of the product. * Emphasize your unique approach: Perhaps your product takes a different approach to solving a problem, or focuses on a niche that competitors overlook - one thing we do really well at Salesforce is have domain expertise at the industry layer - a lot of our competitors don't have this, so we bring this to life when we can and then highlight customer examples. 2. Target the Right Audience: * Don't try to be everything to everyone: If you don't have all the competitive features, focus on the audience that will most appreciate your strengths. Who are the ideal customers for your product, even with its limitations? * Tailor your messaging: Craft your messaging specifically for that target audience, emphasizing the benefits that matter most to them. 3. Go Beyond Features: * Focus on outcomes: Instead of just listing features, focus on the outcomes your product helps customers achieve. How does it make their lives easier, their work more efficient, or their businesses more successful? * Tell customer stories: Share real-world examples of how your product has helped customers achieve their goals. This can be more powerful than simply listing features. This honestly is your secret sauce - when you have customer validation - it just helps tell your story without the heavy lift. * Highlight your company values: If your company has strong values around customer service, innovation, or social responsibility, incorporate those into your messaging to differentiate yourself.

AI is rapidly changing the way PMMs work, and I'm excited to see how it's evolving our messaging efforts. Here are a few ways I'm personally using AI, and some trends I'm seeing across the field: * AI as a Thought Partner: We use AI tools like Gemini and Writer.ai as collaborative thought partners. They help me brainstorm ideas, explore different angles, and refine my messaging. It's like having an extra brain in the room or a partner when you want to brainstorm. * Prompt Engineering is Key: The real magic of AI lies in crafting effective prompts. The more specific and detailed your prompt, the more relevant and helpful the output will be. I think of it as giving clear instructions to a colleague - but again - you need to refine and refine until you get what you want out of it. * Generating Creative Content: AI is great for generating creative content, whether it's coming up with catchy names for products or campaigns, crafting compelling analogies, or even suggesting memorable acronyms (like the D-A-T-A example I mentioned earlier). This has been the most helpful for me to think of new creative ideas. * Overcoming Writer's Block: We all have those moments where the words just don't seem to flow. AI can be a great tool for overcoming writer's block and generating fresh ideas. * Tailoring Messaging: AI can help personalize messaging for different audiences and channels. By feeding it information about a specific segment, you can get tailored messaging suggestions that resonate more effectively. This has been a time saver for me especially by industry. * Efficiency and Productivity: AI can automate tedious tasks like summarizing research, creating variations of copy, and even translating messaging into different languages. This frees up PMMs to focus on more strategic work. However, I'm a big believer that AI is a tool, not a replacement for human creativity and judgment. PMMs still need to bring their own expertise, insights, and understanding of the customer to the table. If AI did everything - I think everything would just be beige and boring! :)

While I don't adhere to a rigid, named framework, my guiding principle for messaging is simplicity and memorability. Especially when dealing with complex or technical concepts, it's crucial to distill the essence of your message into a format that's easy to grasp and remember. One technique I find particularly effective is using acronyms. A well-crafted acronym can act as a mental hook, making it easier for people to recall key information. Here's a recent example: We wanted to communicate the comprehensive value of the Salesforce Platform Advantage, which encompasses a lot of different elements. To achieve this, we created the acronym D-A-T-A: * D: Stands for Data, encompassing not just data itself, but also metadata and the power of semantic search. * A: Represents AI, including generative AI, predictive AI, retrieval augmented generation (RAG), and our Atlas reasoning engine. * T: Highlights Trust, encompassing critical aspects like security, guardrails, compliance, and data residency. * A: Focuses on Action, representing the ability to drive automation, analytics, and seamless integration with our apps. All of this is built on one integrated and open platform. This simple acronym, D-A-T-A, provides a clear and memorable framework for understanding the key pillars of the Salesforce Platform Advantage. It's been incredibly effective in helping our sellers and customers quickly grasp and communicate the platform's value proposition

Crafting effective messaging requires input and alignment from various stakeholders. Here's who I typically involve: * Customers: Ultimately, our customers are the most important stakeholders. Their feedback is invaluable in ensuring our messaging resonates and addresses their needs. I actively seek opportunities to engage with customers through events, focus groups, surveys, and direct conversations. I also attend a lot of events or even our sales meetings to test messaging out. * Sales Teams: Our sales teams are on the front lines, interacting with customers daily. They have firsthand knowledge of customer pain points, objections, and what resonates most effectively. I collaborate closely with sales to gather their insights, test messaging, and ensure it equips them for success. They are also the first to tell you why the messaging won't work - they have heard a lot of feedback or pushback from customers. They can also give you insight to what other competitive products they might be using too and the gaps they might have. * Product Leadership: Alignment with product leadership is crucial to ensure messaging accurately reflects the product vision, roadmap, and value proposition. I work closely with product managers and executives to gain their input and ensure a cohesive narrative. We also spend a lot of time with the product leader who built the product/feature since they also get feedback from customers as well.

To truly differentiate our messaging so it doesn't sound like generic AI, I focus on two key principles: 1. Competitive Differentiation: * Deep Dive into the Landscape: I start by thoroughly analyzing the competitive landscape. What are our competitors saying? What are their strengths and weaknesses? Where are the gaps in their messaging? * Identify Unique Value: This analysis helps me pinpoint what truly makes our product unique. It could be a specific AI capability, a unique data set, a focus on a particular industry or domain expertise, or even a different approach to AI ethics and responsibility. * Craft a Distinct Narrative: Once I have a clear understanding of our differentiators, I craft a narrative that highlights those aspects and sets us apart from the competition. This narrative should be clear, concise, and compelling, avoiding generic jargon and buzzwords. 2. Brand Voice and Tone: * Authenticity over Buzz: I'm very conscious of maintaining our brand voice and tone in all our messaging. This means avoiding overly generic or "fluffy" language and ensuring that our communication feels authentic and genuine. * Humanize the Message: Even when talking about AI, I strive to humanize the message. I focus on how our AI solutions empower people, solve real-world problems, and deliver tangible benefits. * Careful AI Assistance: AI tools can be helpful in generating ideas and refining messaging, but I use them cautiously. I always review and edit the output to ensure it aligns with our brand voice and avoids generic AI jargon. This is where I keep editing and refining to make it perfect for my audience.

Knowing when your messaging is truly 'perfected' is an ongoing process, but for me, it boils down to one key thing: customer validation. Here's how I approach it: * Direct Customer Interaction: I'm a big believer in getting out there and talking to customers directly. Whether it's at industry events, through customer advisory boards, or in dedicated workshops like our Salesforce Innovation Center (SIC) sessions, these interactions are invaluable. * The Pitch Deck as a Testing Ground: We use our pitch deck as a live testing ground for our messaging. We present it to customers, gather their feedback, and observe their reactions. Do they understand the value proposition? Are they excited about the solution? Their responses guide our refinements. * Iterative Refinement: Based on the feedback we receive, we continuously refine our messaging. It's an iterative process, and we're always looking for ways to make it more impactful and resonant. * Broader Rollout: Once we start seeing consistent positive signals from customers – they're engaged, they understand the message, and they're expressing interest – that's when we feel confident in rolling out the messaging more broadly. Ultimately, it's about finding that sweet spot where your messaging clearly articulates the value you offer and resonates with your target audience. And the best way to find that sweet spot is through ongoing dialogue and feedback from your customers.

While there are similarities, there are definitely key differences between crafting messaging for new products versus new features. Here's how I approach each: New Products: * Establish a Foundational Narrative: With a new product, you're often starting from scratch. You need to establish a foundational narrative that explains what the product is, why it exists, and what problems it solves. This involves defining the target audience, the value proposition, and the key differentiators. I always start with a MPD - Messaging and Positioning Doc. * Build Awareness and Excitement: Launching a new product requires generating awareness and excitement in the market. Your messaging needs to capture attention, pique interest, and drive consideration. This often involves bolder, more impactful messaging that highlights the innovation and disruption the product brings. I also ask my team to do a mock press release - this helps refine the narrative and messaging for it. * Focus on Education: Since it's a new product, you'll likely need to educate the market about its capabilities and benefits. Your messaging should be clear, concise, and informative, helping potential customers understand how the product can solve their specific needs. I also like to get customer feedback - we have a few key customers that we can go to and ask for what is working and not working with how we position the new product. New Features: * Build on Existing Narrative: When introducing a new feature, you're building on an existing product narrative. Your messaging should clearly articulate how the new feature enhances the product's value proposition and addresses customer needs or pain points. * Highlight Value and Benefits: Focus on the specific value and benefits the new feature delivers. How does it improve efficiency, productivity, or user experience? How does it help customers achieve their goals better? * Drive Adoption: Your messaging should encourage existing customers to adopt and utilize the new feature. This might involve showcasing use cases, demonstrating ease of use, and highlighting the positive impact it can have on their workflows. We always try to put goals in place when it comes to adoption - I push my team to look at the full funnel and what metrics we want to drive for each step.

Even experienced product marketers can sometimes struggle to find the perfect words to capture their product's unique value. I've found that AI tools like Gemini or ChatGPT can be incredibly helpful in those situations. Here's how I use them to strengthen my messaging and positioning: * Competitive Analysis: I'll provide the AI with asking questions about my competitors and their offerings, and then ask it to analyze how they position themselves. This helps me understand the overall market landscape and identify potential gaps or opportunities. * Unique Value Proposition: I'll ask the AI to help me articulate my product's unique value proposition by comparing it to the competition. This can be especially helpful when I'm feeling stuck or need a fresh perspective. * Crafting Messaging: I might give the AI some key points I want to convey and ask it to help me craft compelling messaging that resonates with my target audience. It can suggest different angles, tones, and formats to experiment with. * Refining and Editing: I can also use the AI to refine existing messaging, making it more concise, impactful, and engaging. I probably spend most of my time in this area. Sometimes AI might give you a good starting point, but you need to keep refining to make it perfect to what you know works for your audience. The key is to remember that AI is a tool to augment your own skills and knowledge. You still need to provide the context, the product information, and the strategic direction. But by using AI effectively, you can overcome any writing challenges and create truly compelling messaging that sets your product apart.

PMs are like your close family. There are lots of heightened emotions throughout a launch—good and bad. It’s a partnership that must stay rigid because they truly are your partner in crime. Some of the best PMs I’ve worked with have challenged me and honestly, I value that. Making sure that you hear everyone’s perspectives is the only way to be sure that you’re covering all of your bases in a launch. I encourage PMMs and PMs to push each other in the right ways for this exact reason. You’ll ALWAYS come out stronger on the other side. Also, it’s quite rewarding when the customer success team is then able to help you understand how impactful your work is, as well as the story behind it. I love contributing to an impactful storyline that truly influences people to buy our products, and that type of influence isn’t created by just one person—constructive criticism in collaboration is vital.