6 challenges in product marketing and how to overcome them

[#1]

Product marketing can be challenging, with difficulties that can overwhelm even the best of us. But with some tricks and strategies, we can turn those hurdles into stepping stones to success.

1. Understanding the Customer - Really Understanding Them

The age-old marketing saga begins with understanding your audience. It's like dating - you can't offer pizza when they want sushi. The solution is to explore user data. Use tools like Google Analytics, Datadog, Hotjar, etc., conduct customer interviews, and gather feedback to truly understand your users.

💡 Create buyer personas as if they were characters in your favorite sitcom (you can use the "Make My Persona" tool from Hubspot). What goals are they trying to achieve? What are their challenges or pain points?

For example, marketing to Ross Geller should emphasize the accuracy, reliability, and educational value of Atlassian products like Jira for research project management and Confluence for knowledge sharing. Marketing to Monica should focus on features that enhance organization and efficiency, such as using Jira for task management and Trello for organizing her home projects.

At SaaSJet, we build Customer Journey Maps for our main products (here is the Confluence template). 

Also, recently we implemented the Jobs-to-be-Done framework. My coworker @Iryna Komarnitska_SaaSJet_ wrote a great article about it: "Transforming Product Marketing Strategies with the Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD)." Do you know what jobs users need to get done and how your product can help?

2. Differentiation in a Crowded Market

Standing out is tough when everyone is shouting for attention. Highlight your unique value proposition. What makes your product the hero among all the others?

💡Focus on the benefits, not just the features.

People don't care if you have a "synergistic data visualization dashboard."

They want to know: Will this make my life easier? Will it save me time? Will it make me look like a rockstar to my boss?

3. Aligning Teams Across Your Company

Marketing isn't a solo sport; it requires the alignment of multiple departments - tech, product, customer service, finance, and so on. Misalignment here can be as disastrous as trying to assemble furniture blindfolded. (We've all been there, and you know what furniture I mean.)

💡While there are many pro tips for alignment, the real MVP is consistent communication. Regular sync-ups are key. Clear, open communication ensures everyone's on the same page.

Our team's dev gurus don't just code – they explain their creations in human language. They show us, the marketing team, demos that highlight the value each new feature brings to our users. In return, they value our marketing research and feedback, ensuring what they build resonates with our audience.

4. Adapting to Changing Market Trends

Market trends can change faster than you can say "pivot." One minute, everyone's all about cutting-edge fitness trackers and the next, they're flocking to AI. Staying agile and informed is not just nice but necessary.

💡Keep updated with industry reports, follow thought leaders on social media, use tools to analyze market trends, and perhaps keep a crystal ball on hand.

For example, we use tools like Google Trends, Serpstat, and Ahrefs for keyword trend research. To discover trends in different marketplaces, our team designed its own tool that allows us to analyze apps, discover trends, and get reports & charts on marketplace data with AI chat. We actively use it to monitor competitors, trends across categories, and top vendors.

5. Optimizing Product Launches

The launch phase can make even the most stoic marketer sweat. Timing, market readiness, competition, global crises (we're from Ukraine, so we know about unpredictable factors everything) - anything can throw a wrench in your plans.

💡 Develop a phased launch plan (here is a helpful template for it). Think of it as a "soft open" for your product. Gather feedback early and often, and adjust your strategy in real time.

6. Sustaining Product Growth

Once the launch confetti settles, the real work begins. Keeping the momentum going without the initial hype is a challenge.

💡 Innovate continually. Run A/B tests, launch new features based on user feedback, and keep the communication lines open. Let your customers know they're heard.

For us, researching support tickets, reviews on our and competitors' apps, and questions on the Atlassian community provides many opportunities and ideas for product, documentation improvements, or needed marketing materials.

Final thoughts

In product marketing, challenges are as inevitable as the 404-error page. But with the right strategies (and a bit of humor), you can navigate them successfully. Let's share our stories and solutions, turning trials into triumphs.

Happy marketing, friends!