When Offline-oriented Marketing Manager becomes Product Manager: Pain Points & How to Overcome it”

Intro

In the 90s, when the average customer lacks the info (info disparity) and taste to distinguish between good and bad, then the marketing department is the shining star. The effectiveness of how sales and marketing promote a product largely determines how well it sells.

While the pain starts when offline-oriented marketing manager becoming the product manager. Being self-aware at work and in business is difficult, especially for high rank people.

Let’s start by discussing the pains.

Pains

When X feature is required for success mentality

The statement of “We must launch X feature in order to conquer Y market, many people are wanting X” is frequently heard from marketing side.

After X feature fails, become irresponsible by pushing the faults to production team where it’s not properly execute.

Replicating an offline success story to online

without doing any analysis or understanding of its fundamentals.

“The Company ABC is gaining 200% of growth by doing this , we must do this too.” Success stories are never about one side or one person; rather, they are the result of the interaction of many different elements.

Lack of technical, financial, operational, and other emphasis and visibility.

When a marketing manager lacks technical, financial, operational, and other emphasis and visibility, it can result in a failure, operational challenges, and poor communication and coordination between different technical teams and stakeholders. Result in excessive focus on marketing at the expense of other units.

How to Overcome it?

Do validation & take accountability

Validation and accountability are both crucial components of a good product. Validating your ideas with your target audience can help you avoid costly mistakes and pivot your strategy before it’s too late. However, accountability is also essential. Taking ownership of your decisions and actions and making necessary changes is imperative to creating a strong foundation for success and growth in your product.

Do a reality check and do relevant knowledge transfer

Doing a reality check and relevant knowledge transfer are critical components. A reality check helps us assess our situation objectively, identify areas for improvement, and adjust our strategy accordingly. Relevant knowledge transfer involves learning from others who have experience in areas we lack, which can accelerate our growth and help us avoid costly mistakes. Both practices are essential for achieving the goals of the product.

Willing to learn, collaborate and adapt

collaboration is a vital skill that involves effective communication, understanding of strengths and weaknesses, compromise, and respect for different perspectives. The ability to understand & collaborate with other units and departments can lead to better outcomes.

Or easy solution:

Simply don’t let offline-oriented marketing manager dictate every features.