Question Page

What is a good way to create product positioning and messaging when launching a platform of multiple products? In this case, launching product #2 jointly + integrations to create a true platform.

Also looking for reference materials to help guide this process
4 Answers
Sarah Lambert
Sarah Lambert
Symphony Talent Head of Product MarketingOctober 20

This is a tough one but I would suggest doing a messaging framework for each product and then the platform as whole. This will help to determine what the true value of the platform might be - is it purely that you have the products together in one place or are you mitigating risk by integrating them in a single platform? Are these products talking to each other? Or is it the integrations that make it special? Why should customers care? What about your platform is making their lives easier? If you've already done the messaging framework for each product and then complete the same process for the platform, you'll see where there are gaps as well as where you are strong which makes the messaging and positioning easier for a customer to see.

1524 Views
Ajit Ghuman
Ajit Ghuman
Twilio Director of Product Management - Pricing & Packaging, CXPNovember 13

One of the most effective tactics here is to build a product marketecture. Building a marketecture will help you keep the integrity of the two products intact while being able to create a framework for the entire platform.

I've written a detailed blog on this topic, here: https://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2020/09/15/polish-up-your-product-how-to-win-with-marketecture.html

In addition, the way to utilize the marketecture is to come up with the following levels of positioning and messaging. 

Top-level: Platform positioning (marketecture is in service of this) - Here you describe how your platform will unlock value across multiple use cases for your target buyers in a single unified platform. Then follow up with why you can solve their problems uniquely better than other platforms. 

Product 1 and Product 2 level: At this level, you can maintain somewhat independent positioning and messaging for your discrete products as long as the larger message still trickles down into the positioning for these products. 

For some enterprise buyers, you may find starting with the platform story helps to set the stage in first call situations. For other smaller companies, the specific products may seem more attractive for an initial sales discussion - and a platform discussion may be counter-productive. As a PMM you will need to provide guidance to your sales team on when to leverage which positioning, platform vs product. 

1399 Views
Julia Szatar
Julia Szatar
Tavus Head of MarketingDecember 3

Since you will have a lot of different messages with potentially different audiences building some sort of matrix can help you make sure everything is cohesive. I personally love using tables for this kind of thing (a spreadsheet works, or building out tables in a doc, you can even make the page landscape to digest it more easily). 

You would start with what is the overall narrative for the platform? 

  • Who is it for?
  • What is the problem statement?
  • What is the value prop?
  • What are the key benefits?

Then below that break it out into the various products and ask the same questions:

  • Who is it for?
  • What is the problem statement?
  • What is the value prop?
  • What are the key benefits?

You can find templates online, but I usually end up making a custom matrix because each launch is so different, especially if it's a platform. 

802 Views
Albert Qian
Albert Qian
SAS Product Marketing ManagerAugust 18

This is always a tough one, because multiple products means multiple use cases and multiple lines of positioning. If anything, I think of creating positioning and messaging that wraps around the entire product so you can go to market in a unified manner, and then look at messaging and positioning for individual modules to fit the use cases that your product team has identified as most useful.

195 Views
Product Launches
Thursday, May 23 • 12PM PT
Product Launches
Virtual Event
Han-Yu Tu
Pelak Desai
JoAnn Courtney
+32
attendees
Top Product Marketing Mentors
Sarah Din
Sarah Din
Quickbase VP of Product Marketing
Mary Sheehan
Mary Sheehan
Adobe Head of Lightroom Product Marketing
Dave Steer
Dave Steer
GitLab Vice President of Product Marketing
Jeffrey Vocell
Jeffrey Vocell
Panorama Education Head of Product Marketing
Jenna Crane
Jenna Crane
Klaviyo Head of Product Marketing
Alex Lobert
Alex Lobert
Meta Product Marketing Lead, Facebook for Business & Commerce
Kevin Garcia
Kevin Garcia
Anthropic Product Marketing Leader
Abdul Rastagar
Abdul Rastagar
GTM Leader | Marketing Author | Career Coach
Christine Sotelo-Dag
Christine Sotelo-Dag
ThoughtSpot Senior Director of Product Marketing
Amanda Groves
Amanda Groves
Crossbeam Senior Director Product Marketing