Market Your Products Internally

Harley-Davidson Headquarters in Milwaukee, WI

Have you ever walked into a corporate headquarter where you immediately know what the company produces, how the company got started, and the values of the company based on pictures on the wall, framed newspaper clippings, and products on display? At Harley-Davidson, you don’t even have to walk in the door. Their products are on display in the parking lot where motorcycles have preferred parking spots.

Having the workplace filled with reminders of why the company exists and the problems they solve for their customers is a great motivator. It also helps all employees constantly keep the needs of the customer in mind.

In the software industry, it isn’t quite as easy to put your products on display or on photographs around the wall. Therefore, it is even more important to come up with a good strategy for making sure that all employees understand what the company does and what solutions it provides to its customers.

I have found that doing an internal product roadshow from time to time is a great way to get people excited about what the company is doing and also get a better understanding of the company strategy. This is especially important if the company is geographically distributed. Here are some simple steps for making an internal roadshow a reality:

Get Buy-in

It is key to have executive support so that you can make the roadshow sessions mandatory. Start with your department. If you work with multiple product managers, it may make sense to do this as a joint effort. Present the idea to your boss and then continue to sell it to the remaining decision makers. If you point out the benefits of having everybody on the same page as it relates to your product strategy, I can’t think of an executive who would say no to this.

Plan Ahead

You will want to make sure to get the roadshow scheduled several weeks in advance to make sure that calendars do not fill up. Also, plan it so that it doesn’t fall at a time when a lot of people might be on vacation, like around a major holiday. Finally, if you have to travel, you will get cheaper flights if you plan ahead.

Prep Time 

Follow the guidelines in “Presentation Zen” to create and prepare for a fabulous presentation. Make sure to spend adequate time here. You are taking up the time of valuable resources and a compelling presentation is key to making it worthwhile. Also, if you are going to demo your product, make sure that you prepare well for this and think about your audience. Some people may have never seen the product before and may not understand the problem it is solving.

Introduce Personas

My favorite part about internal product roadshows is introducing a couple of personas to the audience. This is an excellent way to clue your co-workers in on the problems and goals of your existing and potential customers. And for the folks who interact with the customer on a daily basis, you get to see them nod along and smile as you hit the characteristics right on the head. This is a good verification process! In addition, by introducing personas, you create empathy for your customers. By creating a culture of empathy, you will provide your customers with a better overall experience, which benefits everyone involved.

Leave Time For Questions/Ideas

People have a lot of questions and great ideas. Some of them might want to ask/propose them in a group, while others may prefer to talk to you privately. Give an opportunity for both. I always make sure that I am free for at least 30 minutes after the presentation to answer questions and discuss new ideas that were triggered during the session. Encourage the audience to take advantage of your process for submitting enhancement requests, if they have ideas in the future.

Have Fun!

This doesn’t have to be a serious conversation. Liven it up with fun pictures, anecdotes, and jokes. People like to have a good time and they are more likely to listen and remember your message if you can engage them in this way.

What other ways do you promote your product strategy internally? Let me know!