60 acast.com Product Game Plan https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/product-game-plan en Heather J Smith Heather J Smith The Product Game Plan is a podcast for enterprise product managers. It’s about how to incorporate soft skill methods and data-forming activities into your existing professional operating model, so that you have consistent stakeholder alignment, and confident, informed decisions that render favorable outcomes.


Join Heather J Smith each week, to learn valuable insights including how to gather customer insights to build or evolve your product , so that you solve your customer’s problems, why relationships matter for getting anything done, and what to pitch to secure product funding so that your customers have what they need to run their businesses.


You can expect workshop-style episodes and interviews with experts to help you have prolific business results.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> The Product Game Plan is a podcast for enterprise product managers. It’s about how to incorporate soft skill methods and data-forming activities into your existing professional operating model, so that you have consistent stakeholder alignment, and confident, informed decisions that render favorable outcomes.


Join Heather J Smith each week, to learn valuable insights including how to gather customer insights to build or evolve your product , so that you solve your customer’s problems, why relationships matter for getting anything done, and what to pitch to secure product funding so that your customers have what they need to run their businesses.


You can expect workshop-style episodes and interviews with experts to help you have prolific business results.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> false Podcast Creator Network alex@podcastcreatornetwork.com 66e8171dd53f4c4a0c5e5105 product-game-plan episodic https://assets.pippa.io/shows/cover/1726486046288-783e549a-8493-4342-8417-38e8c6bdfc2a.jpeg https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/product-game-plan Product Game Plan How are you crafting irresistible product pitches? How are you crafting irresistible product pitches? Wed, 26 Mar 2025 22:12:00 GMT 5:57 67e47b72d6912226b5cd313a false http://listen-evolve-inspire.com 67e47b72d6912226b5cd313a 66e8171dd53f4c4a0c5e5105 full 1 15 Securing funding for your product isn't just about having a great idea. It's about telling a compelling story that resonates with stakeholders and decision-makers.

As product managers, we often get caught up in the technical details and forget the power of narrative. But here's the truth: a well-crafted story can make all the difference in getting your project green-lit.


In my latest podcast episode, I break down the art of creating a persuasive business case. I share strategies for synthesizing customer feedback, market data, and revenue impact into a cohesive narrative that captures attention and drives action.


Key takeaways include:

  • How to structure your pitch for maximum impact
  • The importance of quantifying problems and solutions
  • Techniques for weaving in customer stories and contextual examples
  • Ways to clearly communicate your resource needs and timeline

Remember, your stakeholders weren't present for all those customer interviews and data analysis sessions. It's your job to bring that information to life and make a compelling case for investment.

Does your funding pitch have stack-ranked user problems and aligned stakeholder solutions? If not, this episode will give you the tools to create one that does.



VALUABLE RESOURCES

My free guide

Check out my programs and workshops 


ABOUT THE HOST

Heather has had more than 25 years of experience working with 1000s of customers and securing hundreds of millions of product funding.  Early in her career, she was successful at rapidly growing start-up organizations, and over the past 15+ years she has a record of aligning diverse teams to deliver value for customers and strategies for organizations.  All through having a focus on solving customer needs to achieve business outcomes.


CONNECT & CONTACT

Visit my community on Mighty Networks 

Find me on LinkedIn

Email:  info@listen-evolve-inspire.com


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Securing funding for your product isn't just about having a great idea. It's about telling a compelling story that resonates with stakeholders and decision-makers.

As product managers, we often get caught up in the technical details and forget the power of narrative. But here's the truth: a well-crafted story can make all the difference in getting your project green-lit.


In my latest podcast episode, I break down the art of creating a persuasive business case. I share strategies for synthesizing customer feedback, market data, and revenue impact into a cohesive narrative that captures attention and drives action.


Key takeaways include:

  • How to structure your pitch for maximum impact
  • The importance of quantifying problems and solutions
  • Techniques for weaving in customer stories and contextual examples
  • Ways to clearly communicate your resource needs and timeline

Remember, your stakeholders weren't present for all those customer interviews and data analysis sessions. It's your job to bring that information to life and make a compelling case for investment.

Does your funding pitch have stack-ranked user problems and aligned stakeholder solutions? If not, this episode will give you the tools to create one that does.



VALUABLE RESOURCES

My free guide

Check out my programs and workshops 


ABOUT THE HOST

Heather has had more than 25 years of experience working with 1000s of customers and securing hundreds of millions of product funding.  Early in her career, she was successful at rapidly growing start-up organizations, and over the past 15+ years she has a record of aligning diverse teams to deliver value for customers and strategies for organizations.  All through having a focus on solving customer needs to achieve business outcomes.


CONNECT & CONTACT

Visit my community on Mighty Networks 

Find me on LinkedIn

Email:  info@listen-evolve-inspire.com


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Does your team have efficient productivity touchpoint communication? Does your team have efficient productivity touchpoint communication? Thu, 13 Mar 2025 11:11:00 GMT 7:01 67d1c5592649312dd5d4f992 false https://listen-evolve-inspire.com 67d1c5592649312dd5d4f992 66e8171dd53f4c4a0c5e5105 full 1 14 As product managers, we often focus on the technical aspects of our role, but it's the soft skills that can make or break our success. In this episode of Product Game Plan, I share a recent experience that highlights the critical importance of communication touchpoints for productivity in enterprise product management.


I discuss how a simple check-in with a team member revealed a misalignment in expectations, leading to unnecessary stress and potential burnout. This situation underscores the value of open communication and the need for regular updates, especially in fast-paced environments where priorities can shift quickly.


Key Insights on Communication and Productivity

  • How to identify and address communication gaps that can impact team productivity
  • The importance of resetting expectations across teams and stakeholders
  • Strategies for maintaining open lines of communication in a busy work environment
  • Ways to leverage modern communication tools for swift updates and realignment


I discuss examples that illustrate how proactive communication can prevent misunderstandings, reduce stress, and improve overall team efficiency. By implementing these strategies, you can create a more balanced and productive work environment for your team.

"Managing expectations should be carefully planned between business stakeholders and external customers and their users."


VALUABLE RESOURCES

My free guide

Check out my programs and workshops 



ABOUT THE HOST

Heather has had more than 25 years of experience working with 1000s of customers and securing hundreds of millions of product funding.  Early in her career, she was successful at rapidly growing start-up organizations, and over the past 15+ years she has a record of aligning diverse teams to deliver value for customers and strategies for organizations.  All through having a focus on solving customer needs to achieve business outcomes.


CONNECT & CONTACT

Visit my community on Mighty Networks 

Find me on LinkedIn

Email:  info@listen-evolve-inspire.com



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> As product managers, we often focus on the technical aspects of our role, but it's the soft skills that can make or break our success. In this episode of Product Game Plan, I share a recent experience that highlights the critical importance of communication touchpoints for productivity in enterprise product management.


I discuss how a simple check-in with a team member revealed a misalignment in expectations, leading to unnecessary stress and potential burnout. This situation underscores the value of open communication and the need for regular updates, especially in fast-paced environments where priorities can shift quickly.


Key Insights on Communication and Productivity

  • How to identify and address communication gaps that can impact team productivity
  • The importance of resetting expectations across teams and stakeholders
  • Strategies for maintaining open lines of communication in a busy work environment
  • Ways to leverage modern communication tools for swift updates and realignment


I discuss examples that illustrate how proactive communication can prevent misunderstandings, reduce stress, and improve overall team efficiency. By implementing these strategies, you can create a more balanced and productive work environment for your team.

"Managing expectations should be carefully planned between business stakeholders and external customers and their users."


VALUABLE RESOURCES

My free guide

Check out my programs and workshops 



ABOUT THE HOST

Heather has had more than 25 years of experience working with 1000s of customers and securing hundreds of millions of product funding.  Early in her career, she was successful at rapidly growing start-up organizations, and over the past 15+ years she has a record of aligning diverse teams to deliver value for customers and strategies for organizations.  All through having a focus on solving customer needs to achieve business outcomes.


CONNECT & CONTACT

Visit my community on Mighty Networks 

Find me on LinkedIn

Email:  info@listen-evolve-inspire.com



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> The Power of Human Connection in Building Thriving Business Ecosystems The Power of Human Connection in Building Thriving Business Ecosystems Thu, 06 Mar 2025 19:55:00 GMT 6:43 67c9fcc822c74795c3137464 false https://listen-evolve-inspire.com 67c9fcc822c74795c3137464 66e8171dd53f4c4a0c5e5105 full 1 13 In this episode of the Product Game Plan, I share insights from my recent European event that highlight the importance of maintaining strong relationships with customers and partners. We'll explore how these connections can drive product quality, foster loyalty, and ultimately lead to business growth.


Key Takeaways:

  • Discover why product quality should be your top priority
  • Learn the value of human loyalty in business relationships
  • Understand the power of continuous engagement with users
  • Explore strategies for creating effective customer and partner advisory forums
  • Gain insights on building processes that support future strategies


BEST MOMENTS

When you scale up, practice will smooth the edges of your unpracticed self."


"It is your commitment to the process that will determine your progress."


"Goals win you the game, but systems keep you in the game. So fall in love with the cycle of continuous improvement."


VALUABLE RESOURCES

My free guide

Check out my programs and workshops 



ABOUT THE HOST

Heather has had more than 25 years of experience working with 1000s of customers and securing hundreds of millions of product funding.  Early in her career, she was successful at rapidly growing start-up organizations, and over the past 15+ years she has a record of aligning diverse teams to deliver value for customers and strategies for organizations.  All through having a focus on solving customer needs to achieve business outcomes.


CONNECT & CONTACT

Visit my community on Mighty Networks 

Find me on LinkedIn


Email:  info@listen-evolve-inspire.com



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> In this episode of the Product Game Plan, I share insights from my recent European event that highlight the importance of maintaining strong relationships with customers and partners. We'll explore how these connections can drive product quality, foster loyalty, and ultimately lead to business growth.


Key Takeaways:

  • Discover why product quality should be your top priority
  • Learn the value of human loyalty in business relationships
  • Understand the power of continuous engagement with users
  • Explore strategies for creating effective customer and partner advisory forums
  • Gain insights on building processes that support future strategies


BEST MOMENTS

When you scale up, practice will smooth the edges of your unpracticed self."


"It is your commitment to the process that will determine your progress."


"Goals win you the game, but systems keep you in the game. So fall in love with the cycle of continuous improvement."


VALUABLE RESOURCES

My free guide

Check out my programs and workshops 



ABOUT THE HOST

Heather has had more than 25 years of experience working with 1000s of customers and securing hundreds of millions of product funding.  Early in her career, she was successful at rapidly growing start-up organizations, and over the past 15+ years she has a record of aligning diverse teams to deliver value for customers and strategies for organizations.  All through having a focus on solving customer needs to achieve business outcomes.


CONNECT & CONTACT

Visit my community on Mighty Networks 

Find me on LinkedIn


Email:  info@listen-evolve-inspire.com



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> How to forge exceptional customer relationships How to forge exceptional customer relationships Thu, 23 Jan 2025 12:00:00 GMT 10:35 67922f13b121fa01e17e6a83 false https://listen-evolve-inspire.com 67922f13b121fa01e17e6a83 66e8171dd53f4c4a0c5e5105 full 1 12 Building strong customer relationships is the cornerstone of any successful product strategy. As product managers, we often focus on features and functionality, but the real magic happens when we connect with our users on a deeper level.


I've discovered that forging meaningful connections with customers falls into two distinct categories: those we're just getting to know and those we've built a rapport with over time. Let's explore strategies for both scenarios.


KEY TAKEAWAYS

Cultivating New Customer Relationships

When approaching new customers or users, preparation is key. Before any interaction, I make it a priority to:

  • Research their company, industry, and specific use cases
  • Analyze their purchase history and support tickets
  • Identify key stakeholders and decision-makers

This groundwork allows me to enter conversations with context and demonstrate genuine interest in their business.


The Power of Follow-Through

Regardless of the relationship stage, following up on commitments is non-negotiable. After every meaningful interaction:

  • Summarize key points and action items
  • Set clear expectations for next steps
  • Deliver on promises, no matter how small

This consistency builds trust and shows customers that their input is valued and acted upon.


DM me in my community on Mighty Networks, ask me anything!


BEST MOMENTS


“Let them know that the evolution of your product relies on honest and constructive feedback from users like them.”


“Building rich relationships with your various stakeholders, especially your users, will transform you into an expert, shape you into a trusted resource, and actuate the accuracy of your knowledge toward your business's objectives for your customers.”


“If you listen to and solve problems for a broad base of your customers, your investments will become aligned with your business intentions.”


“You may need to carry the conversation with some users. Remind them that you asked for the meeting so that you could listen to their experiences, even if the feedback is not favorable.


VALUABLE RESOURCES

My free customer baseline guide + bonuses

My free tips for conducting customer feedback sessions

Check out my programs and workshops 


ABOUT THE HOST

Heather has had more than 25 years of experience working with 1000s of customers and securing hundreds of millions of product funding. Early in her career, she was successful at rapidly growing start-up organizations, and over the past 15+ years she has a record of aligning diverse teams to deliver value for customers and strategies for organizations. All through having a focus on solving customer needs to achieve business outcomes.


CONNECT & CONTACT

Visit my community on Mighty Networks 

Find me on LinkedIn

Email: info@listen-evolve-inspire.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Building strong customer relationships is the cornerstone of any successful product strategy. As product managers, we often focus on features and functionality, but the real magic happens when we connect with our users on a deeper level.


I've discovered that forging meaningful connections with customers falls into two distinct categories: those we're just getting to know and those we've built a rapport with over time. Let's explore strategies for both scenarios.


KEY TAKEAWAYS

Cultivating New Customer Relationships

When approaching new customers or users, preparation is key. Before any interaction, I make it a priority to:

  • Research their company, industry, and specific use cases
  • Analyze their purchase history and support tickets
  • Identify key stakeholders and decision-makers

This groundwork allows me to enter conversations with context and demonstrate genuine interest in their business.


The Power of Follow-Through

Regardless of the relationship stage, following up on commitments is non-negotiable. After every meaningful interaction:

  • Summarize key points and action items
  • Set clear expectations for next steps
  • Deliver on promises, no matter how small

This consistency builds trust and shows customers that their input is valued and acted upon.


DM me in my community on Mighty Networks, ask me anything!


BEST MOMENTS


“Let them know that the evolution of your product relies on honest and constructive feedback from users like them.”


“Building rich relationships with your various stakeholders, especially your users, will transform you into an expert, shape you into a trusted resource, and actuate the accuracy of your knowledge toward your business's objectives for your customers.”


“If you listen to and solve problems for a broad base of your customers, your investments will become aligned with your business intentions.”


“You may need to carry the conversation with some users. Remind them that you asked for the meeting so that you could listen to their experiences, even if the feedback is not favorable.


VALUABLE RESOURCES

My free customer baseline guide + bonuses

My free tips for conducting customer feedback sessions

Check out my programs and workshops 


ABOUT THE HOST

Heather has had more than 25 years of experience working with 1000s of customers and securing hundreds of millions of product funding. Early in her career, she was successful at rapidly growing start-up organizations, and over the past 15+ years she has a record of aligning diverse teams to deliver value for customers and strategies for organizations. All through having a focus on solving customer needs to achieve business outcomes.


CONNECT & CONTACT

Visit my community on Mighty Networks 

Find me on LinkedIn

Email: info@listen-evolve-inspire.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> 3 Essentials for your funding pitch 3 Essentials for your funding pitch Wed, 08 Jan 2025 11:00:50 GMT 6:01 677e59fc172a299f31505b7f false http://listen-evolve-inspire.com 677e59fc172a299f31505b7f 66e8171dd53f4c4a0c5e5105 full 1 11 Before I ever book a meeting with my management to ask for funding, lay out a strategy for my product's needs, or ask for sponsorship, I make sure what I'm asking for is grounded in reality. 


Therefore, you will need an accurate and believable pitch. Precise prioritization of what should be in your pitch requires real user data, which means you need a broad enough sampling of user feedback to prove out the story for your pitch. Anything less than hard facts will only embarrass you and risk your credibility.


KEY TAKEAWAYS

  1. The first thing I always do is seek out enough information from end users.
  2. Here's a pro tip: I always ask my users to prioritize what's most important to them before concluding each feedback session. Doing so will reinforce the accuracy of your foundational data
  3. The second action I take is sharing the summarized, prioritized user feedback with my business peers
  4. The second action output will include summaries of prioritized user feedback and business priorities, which were mapped using user data. 
  5. My third action is to share the business output with my stakeholders. This output is aimed at making informed decisions based on a combination of prioritized user and business needs.
  6. The stakeholder analysis's output should include details of resources, effort scoping, timelines, and budget requirements. I like to summarize these details into points within the overall product program pitch


DM me in my community on Mighty Networks, ask me anything!


BEST MOMENTS

“When I prepare for a pitch, I need to anticipate the questions and possible push-back moments from what I'm presenting. The pitch needs to make sense right away to the new listeners.”


“The priorities of what I'm asking for must be rock-solid, or I won't get the business to invest in my strategy.”


VALUABLE RESOURCES

My free guide

Check out my programs and workshops 


ABOUT THE HOST

Heather has had more than 25 years of experience working with 1000s of customers and securing hundreds of millions of product funding.  Early in her career, she was successful at rapidly growing start-up organizations, and over the past 15+ years she has a record of aligning diverse teams to deliver value for customers and strategies for organizations.  All through having a focus on solving customer needs to achieve business outcomes.


CONNECT & CONTACT

Visit my community on Mighty Networks 

Find me on LinkedIn

Email:  info@listen-evolve-inspire.com


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Before I ever book a meeting with my management to ask for funding, lay out a strategy for my product's needs, or ask for sponsorship, I make sure what I'm asking for is grounded in reality. 


Therefore, you will need an accurate and believable pitch. Precise prioritization of what should be in your pitch requires real user data, which means you need a broad enough sampling of user feedback to prove out the story for your pitch. Anything less than hard facts will only embarrass you and risk your credibility.


KEY TAKEAWAYS

  1. The first thing I always do is seek out enough information from end users.
  2. Here's a pro tip: I always ask my users to prioritize what's most important to them before concluding each feedback session. Doing so will reinforce the accuracy of your foundational data
  3. The second action I take is sharing the summarized, prioritized user feedback with my business peers
  4. The second action output will include summaries of prioritized user feedback and business priorities, which were mapped using user data. 
  5. My third action is to share the business output with my stakeholders. This output is aimed at making informed decisions based on a combination of prioritized user and business needs.
  6. The stakeholder analysis's output should include details of resources, effort scoping, timelines, and budget requirements. I like to summarize these details into points within the overall product program pitch


DM me in my community on Mighty Networks, ask me anything!


BEST MOMENTS

“When I prepare for a pitch, I need to anticipate the questions and possible push-back moments from what I'm presenting. The pitch needs to make sense right away to the new listeners.”


“The priorities of what I'm asking for must be rock-solid, or I won't get the business to invest in my strategy.”


VALUABLE RESOURCES

My free guide

Check out my programs and workshops 


ABOUT THE HOST

Heather has had more than 25 years of experience working with 1000s of customers and securing hundreds of millions of product funding.  Early in her career, she was successful at rapidly growing start-up organizations, and over the past 15+ years she has a record of aligning diverse teams to deliver value for customers and strategies for organizations.  All through having a focus on solving customer needs to achieve business outcomes.


CONNECT & CONTACT

Visit my community on Mighty Networks 

Find me on LinkedIn

Email:  info@listen-evolve-inspire.com


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> 5 reflective questions to set you on a productive path 5 reflective questions to set you on a productive path Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:19:05 GMT 4:50 6769a2b125a0b820a21f91d2 false https://shows.acast.com/product-game-plan/episodes/6769a2b125a0b820a21f91d2 6769a2b125a0b820a21f91d2 66e8171dd53f4c4a0c5e5105 full 1 10 As December comes to a close, I like to revisit my year. From a fiscal year perspective, I review the goals of my mid-year in-flight programs.

  1. Are your programs on track, and can you measure their trajectory? 
  2. What must occur from January through June to accomplish your goals? 
  3. Then, what strategic business outcomes can you plan for and fulfill to meet goals between July and December?


KEY TAKEAWAYS

Another way I reflect on my year is to assess if my work compelled me to evolve how I interacted with my customers, partners, peers, stakeholders, and management. 

  1. Did I target and act on my professional development goals to level up my skills and add one new habit to my professional operating model, making my goals a reality?
  2. Did I receive or seek out feedback from others about how I can evolve my techniques for interacting with the teams I work with?
  3. Did I cultivate any new customers and partners into advisory roles this year?
  4. Looking beyond myself, who did I mentor or support with their role or career? 


DM me in my community on Mighty Networks, ask me anything!


BEST MOMENTS

“As a professional, it’s essential to constantly assess what’s working and what’s not working so that you can evolve your next opportunity.”


“Challenge yourself to mature a reputable operating model. Then, work it into your daily practice.”


VALUABLE RESOURCES

My free guide

Check out my programs and workshops 


ABOUT THE HOST

Heather has had more than 25 years of experience working with 1000s of customers and securing hundreds of millions of product funding. Early in her career, she was successful at rapidly growing start-up organizations, and over the past 15+ years she has a record of aligning diverse teams to deliver value for customers and strategies for organizations. All through having a focus on solving customer needs to achieve business outcomes.



CONNECT & CONTACT

Visit my community on Mighty Networks 

Find me on LinkedIn

Email: info@listen-evolve-inspire.com


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> As December comes to a close, I like to revisit my year. From a fiscal year perspective, I review the goals of my mid-year in-flight programs.

  1. Are your programs on track, and can you measure their trajectory? 
  2. What must occur from January through June to accomplish your goals? 
  3. Then, what strategic business outcomes can you plan for and fulfill to meet goals between July and December?


KEY TAKEAWAYS

Another way I reflect on my year is to assess if my work compelled me to evolve how I interacted with my customers, partners, peers, stakeholders, and management. 

  1. Did I target and act on my professional development goals to level up my skills and add one new habit to my professional operating model, making my goals a reality?
  2. Did I receive or seek out feedback from others about how I can evolve my techniques for interacting with the teams I work with?
  3. Did I cultivate any new customers and partners into advisory roles this year?
  4. Looking beyond myself, who did I mentor or support with their role or career? 


DM me in my community on Mighty Networks, ask me anything!


BEST MOMENTS

“As a professional, it’s essential to constantly assess what’s working and what’s not working so that you can evolve your next opportunity.”


“Challenge yourself to mature a reputable operating model. Then, work it into your daily practice.”


VALUABLE RESOURCES

My free guide

Check out my programs and workshops 


ABOUT THE HOST

Heather has had more than 25 years of experience working with 1000s of customers and securing hundreds of millions of product funding. Early in her career, she was successful at rapidly growing start-up organizations, and over the past 15+ years she has a record of aligning diverse teams to deliver value for customers and strategies for organizations. All through having a focus on solving customer needs to achieve business outcomes.



CONNECT & CONTACT

Visit my community on Mighty Networks 

Find me on LinkedIn

Email: info@listen-evolve-inspire.com


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> How to lead Product Insight Sprints How to lead Product Insight Sprints Tue, 03 Dec 2024 14:30:00 GMT 17:02 674f14b022a0cb38beb84f7f false https://isten-evolve-inspire.com 674f14b022a0cb38beb84f7f 66e8171dd53f4c4a0c5e5105 full 1 9 This conversation delves into the methodology of conducting Product Insight Sprints, emphasizing the importance of user feedback in product development. I outline the process from planning and preparing for the sprint, engaging users during the sessions, categorizing and prioritizing feedback, for assessing implementation efforts and creating an executive pitch deck. The focus is on fostering genuine relationships with users and stakeholders to drive informed business decisions and enhance product usability.


KEY TAKEAWAYS

The goal of design sprints is to reduce adoption risks and improve a user's experience by:

  • Hearing use case-specific feedback directly from users
  • Getting answers to critical business questions to make informed decisions
  • Coming up with new ideas with users and subject matter experts
  • Aligning teams under a shared vision
  • Developing scope estimates with all teams
  • Prototyping an idea, developing wireframes or workflows
  • Validating it rapidly with users
  • Finally, having a formulated a data-driven, user-validated pitch for your management and stakeholders


BEST MOMENTS

“I consistently check in with users and stakeholders to stay current with what users need and keep my relationships genuine and accessible should I need to make various business decisions.”


“This product insight sprint is a series of sessions in which users of products and employees from various teams share and discuss usability feedback and run ideation sessions that conclude with a nicely formed pile of stack-ranked decisions for a specific product.”


‘In a nutshell, a product insight sprint is a series of time-bound processes that use design thinking activities to help design or redesign a product, service, or feature.’


VALUABLE RESOURCES

My free guide

Check out my programs and workshops 


ABOUT THE HOST

Heather has had more than 25 years of experience working with 1000s of customers and securing hundreds of millions of product funding.  Early in her career, she was successful at rapidly growing start-up organizations, and over the past 15+ years she has a record of aligning diverse teams to deliver value for customers and strategies for organizations.  All through having a focus on solving customer needs to achieve business outcomes.


CONNECT & CONTACT

Visit my community on Mighty Networks 

Find me on LinkedIn

Email:  info@listen-evolve-inspire.com


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> This conversation delves into the methodology of conducting Product Insight Sprints, emphasizing the importance of user feedback in product development. I outline the process from planning and preparing for the sprint, engaging users during the sessions, categorizing and prioritizing feedback, for assessing implementation efforts and creating an executive pitch deck. The focus is on fostering genuine relationships with users and stakeholders to drive informed business decisions and enhance product usability.


KEY TAKEAWAYS

The goal of design sprints is to reduce adoption risks and improve a user's experience by:

  • Hearing use case-specific feedback directly from users
  • Getting answers to critical business questions to make informed decisions
  • Coming up with new ideas with users and subject matter experts
  • Aligning teams under a shared vision
  • Developing scope estimates with all teams
  • Prototyping an idea, developing wireframes or workflows
  • Validating it rapidly with users
  • Finally, having a formulated a data-driven, user-validated pitch for your management and stakeholders


BEST MOMENTS

“I consistently check in with users and stakeholders to stay current with what users need and keep my relationships genuine and accessible should I need to make various business decisions.”


“This product insight sprint is a series of sessions in which users of products and employees from various teams share and discuss usability feedback and run ideation sessions that conclude with a nicely formed pile of stack-ranked decisions for a specific product.”


‘In a nutshell, a product insight sprint is a series of time-bound processes that use design thinking activities to help design or redesign a product, service, or feature.’


VALUABLE RESOURCES

My free guide

Check out my programs and workshops 


ABOUT THE HOST

Heather has had more than 25 years of experience working with 1000s of customers and securing hundreds of millions of product funding.  Early in her career, she was successful at rapidly growing start-up organizations, and over the past 15+ years she has a record of aligning diverse teams to deliver value for customers and strategies for organizations.  All through having a focus on solving customer needs to achieve business outcomes.


CONNECT & CONTACT

Visit my community on Mighty Networks 

Find me on LinkedIn

Email:  info@listen-evolve-inspire.com


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Build Indispensable Stakeholder Partnerships Build Indispensable Stakeholder Partnerships Sat, 30 Nov 2024 22:47:22 GMT 41:49 6748a896c3134162380ae767 false https://listen-evolve-inspire.com 6748a896c3134162380ae767 66e8171dd53f4c4a0c5e5105 full 1 8 Landing programs and messaging are super important, so you want to translate them in a way that will engage folks. Engagement is number one. With it, you will be able to move very quickly. Key to your accomplishments is driving alignment and engagement with your stakeholders, who will be the most important people in implementing those programs.


When crafting executive messaging, assume you only have five minutes with a senior audience. You must land all the important stuff on that first slide. The first slide needs to make the goal clear. Because senior audiences will be able to look at an excellent summary in two seconds, grock, what they want to know to address your ask for support. You could have 1000 appendix slides, but you need to land the important stuff upfront


They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel. - Maya Angelou. To be a courageous leader, you must lead with the desire to build trust and accept vulnerability. How you show up constructs a foundation of how you make someone feel and that progress can initiate positive or even motivational actions.


KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Building next-level partnerships comes from knowing your colleagues; it will add another dimension to your professional relations.
  • When you develop long-term relationships, colleagues will not hesitate to call you after a meeting because they want to clarify a topic they weren't aware of during a program update, were caught off guard by a specific detail, or sensed frustration due to noticeable body language. Perhaps they could see that everyone wasn't on the same page and reached out to discuss it.
  • If you want to embrace this fail-fast culture, you must be willing to speak up, be vulnerable, and, ideally, have an open culture around you that supports it.


BEST MOMENTS

“You work with two categories of folks. There are the listeners, colleagues who are going to listen and then respond, or there are people who are just waiting to talk and are not actually listening. My challenge to the listeners here today is to think about: Are you a listener? Are you someone who's waiting to talk?”


“Have a solid plan to ground all the stakeholders. If there isn't enough information, they might not be on board. It's important to know early on whether or not everyone involved agrees with how to measure the outcomes and agrees that we've achieved our goal. You need to have people in the room nodding their heads and engaging in the conversation.”


VALUABLE RESOURCES

My free guide

Check out my programs and workshops 


ABOUT THE HOST

Heather has had more than 25 years of experience working with 1000s of customers and securing hundreds of millions of product funding.  Early in her career, she was successful at rapidly growing start-up organizations, and over the past 15+ years she has a record of aligning diverse teams to deliver value for customers and strategies for organizations.  All through having a focus on solving customer needs to achieve business outcomes.


CONNECT & CONTACT

Visit my community on Mighty Networks 

Find me on LinkedIn

Email: info@listen-evolve-inspire.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Landing programs and messaging are super important, so you want to translate them in a way that will engage folks. Engagement is number one. With it, you will be able to move very quickly. Key to your accomplishments is driving alignment and engagement with your stakeholders, who will be the most important people in implementing those programs.


When crafting executive messaging, assume you only have five minutes with a senior audience. You must land all the important stuff on that first slide. The first slide needs to make the goal clear. Because senior audiences will be able to look at an excellent summary in two seconds, grock, what they want to know to address your ask for support. You could have 1000 appendix slides, but you need to land the important stuff upfront


They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel. - Maya Angelou. To be a courageous leader, you must lead with the desire to build trust and accept vulnerability. How you show up constructs a foundation of how you make someone feel and that progress can initiate positive or even motivational actions.


KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Building next-level partnerships comes from knowing your colleagues; it will add another dimension to your professional relations.
  • When you develop long-term relationships, colleagues will not hesitate to call you after a meeting because they want to clarify a topic they weren't aware of during a program update, were caught off guard by a specific detail, or sensed frustration due to noticeable body language. Perhaps they could see that everyone wasn't on the same page and reached out to discuss it.
  • If you want to embrace this fail-fast culture, you must be willing to speak up, be vulnerable, and, ideally, have an open culture around you that supports it.


BEST MOMENTS

“You work with two categories of folks. There are the listeners, colleagues who are going to listen and then respond, or there are people who are just waiting to talk and are not actually listening. My challenge to the listeners here today is to think about: Are you a listener? Are you someone who's waiting to talk?”


“Have a solid plan to ground all the stakeholders. If there isn't enough information, they might not be on board. It's important to know early on whether or not everyone involved agrees with how to measure the outcomes and agrees that we've achieved our goal. You need to have people in the room nodding their heads and engaging in the conversation.”


VALUABLE RESOURCES

My free guide

Check out my programs and workshops 


ABOUT THE HOST

Heather has had more than 25 years of experience working with 1000s of customers and securing hundreds of millions of product funding.  Early in her career, she was successful at rapidly growing start-up organizations, and over the past 15+ years she has a record of aligning diverse teams to deliver value for customers and strategies for organizations.  All through having a focus on solving customer needs to achieve business outcomes.


CONNECT & CONTACT

Visit my community on Mighty Networks 

Find me on LinkedIn

Email: info@listen-evolve-inspire.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Customer Interview Tips Customer Interview Tips Wed, 13 Nov 2024 00:35:58 GMT 18:51 6733f386d2a59a72536f25a1 false https://listen-evolve-inspire.com 6733f386d2a59a72536f25a1 66e8171dd53f4c4a0c5e5105 full 1 7 I recommend going into each interview with a mindset of accurately knowing what your users experience. When you ask 'why' questions amongst the scenarios a user shares with you, you will begin to peel back the onion of reality for each user. They will take note and feel heard. Even when you think you know the answer, ask your users why they do or say things. The answers will sometimes surprise you. Never say "usually" when asking a question. Instead, ask about a specific instance or occurrence, such as "tell me about the last time you. Another good practice to follow is to keep historical records about how you made decisions. What data patterns and use cases led you to make particular decisions?


KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Pay attention to nonverbal cues. Be aware and capture when body language and emotions occur in the context of the conversation.
  • And don't be afraid of silence. Interviewers often feel the need to ask another question when there is a pause. If you allow for silence, a person can reflect on what they've just said and may reveal a deeper insight, share an example, or tell a story. 
  • Gather facts, not opinions. Ask 'why' to get the juicy bits of what's really going on for your users. Don't ask 'Would you…?', Ask 'When was the last time you have…?'. Other good examples are:
  • Ask: "Why do you need to____…?"
  • Ask: why is ____ vital to you?'"
  • Or, Ask: "why is ____ such a pain point…?’"
  • Or ask, 'What are the most significant limitations you are struggling with?'


BEST MOMENTS

‘‘Your goal is to listen and learn, not to inform, impress, or convince your customer of anything. Avoid wasting time talking about your own benefits because it will cost you time, which you can use to learn about your customer.’


‘Clear communication can lead to good relationships and can show your leadership acumen. Follow-through reinforces that you are serious about your partnership and are a leader of your product and career.’


‘After you and your users dig into each question, recap what you heard to verify you heard them accurately. Ask if there are next steps that are important to them. You may not satisfy the subsequent steps, so connect them with contacts who will follow through.’


VALUABLE RESOURCES

My free guide

Check out my programs and workshops 



ABOUT THE HOST

Heather has had more than 25 years of experience working with 1000s of customers and securing hundreds of millions of product funding.  Early in her career, she was successful at rapidly growing start-up organizations, and over the past 15+ years she has a record of aligning diverse teams to deliver value for customers and strategies for organizations.  All through having a focus on solving customer needs to achieve business outcomes.


CONNECT & CONTACT

Visit my community on Mighty Networks 

Find me on LinkedIn

Email:  info@listen-evolve-inspire.com



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> I recommend going into each interview with a mindset of accurately knowing what your users experience. When you ask 'why' questions amongst the scenarios a user shares with you, you will begin to peel back the onion of reality for each user. They will take note and feel heard. Even when you think you know the answer, ask your users why they do or say things. The answers will sometimes surprise you. Never say "usually" when asking a question. Instead, ask about a specific instance or occurrence, such as "tell me about the last time you. Another good practice to follow is to keep historical records about how you made decisions. What data patterns and use cases led you to make particular decisions?


KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Pay attention to nonverbal cues. Be aware and capture when body language and emotions occur in the context of the conversation.
  • And don't be afraid of silence. Interviewers often feel the need to ask another question when there is a pause. If you allow for silence, a person can reflect on what they've just said and may reveal a deeper insight, share an example, or tell a story. 
  • Gather facts, not opinions. Ask 'why' to get the juicy bits of what's really going on for your users. Don't ask 'Would you…?', Ask 'When was the last time you have…?'. Other good examples are:
  • Ask: "Why do you need to____…?"
  • Ask: why is ____ vital to you?'"
  • Or, Ask: "why is ____ such a pain point…?’"
  • Or ask, 'What are the most significant limitations you are struggling with?'


BEST MOMENTS

‘‘Your goal is to listen and learn, not to inform, impress, or convince your customer of anything. Avoid wasting time talking about your own benefits because it will cost you time, which you can use to learn about your customer.’


‘Clear communication can lead to good relationships and can show your leadership acumen. Follow-through reinforces that you are serious about your partnership and are a leader of your product and career.’


‘After you and your users dig into each question, recap what you heard to verify you heard them accurately. Ask if there are next steps that are important to them. You may not satisfy the subsequent steps, so connect them with contacts who will follow through.’


VALUABLE RESOURCES

My free guide

Check out my programs and workshops 



ABOUT THE HOST

Heather has had more than 25 years of experience working with 1000s of customers and securing hundreds of millions of product funding.  Early in her career, she was successful at rapidly growing start-up organizations, and over the past 15+ years she has a record of aligning diverse teams to deliver value for customers and strategies for organizations.  All through having a focus on solving customer needs to achieve business outcomes.


CONNECT & CONTACT

Visit my community on Mighty Networks 

Find me on LinkedIn

Email:  info@listen-evolve-inspire.com



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Being intentional about change Being intentional about change Tue, 05 Nov 2024 19:00:58 GMT 14:13 672a67788e194291078189d5 false https://listen-evolve-inspire.com 672a67788e194291078189d5 66e8171dd53f4c4a0c5e5105 full 1 6 Commitment to your professional evolution by developing a powerful operating model requires intent. How you change the interactions with your internal and external stakeholders influences the consistency in your achievements.  I'll talk about how two specific books and their authors have helped me consider what to incorporate into my systems and why I would consider changing my operating model.


KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Have you ever been so inspired by a book, podcast, or speaker because the topic resonated with who you are and want to be more of in the future that you began to act on that idea or feeling? 
  • You may have even begun taking action. Writing down critical points of what you heard and jotted down a list of ways to keep that feeling in motion and move in that direction of change. 
  • Dedication to follow through is the ultimate challenge, turning that inspired feeling into a habit long enough to become a practiced pattern, ultimately bringing the initial feeling full circle into a reality.


BEST MOMENTS

‘I don't know about you, but I already have a life of habits that make up how I operate. If I want to add a new way of operating, I must first work out how to harness that feeling and turn it into an endured action.’


‘Choosing to 10X yourself to that higher level of operating is how you unlock your next level of thinking and freedom.’


‘Pay attention to what inspires you to be more of your authentic self.’


VALUABLE RESOURCES

My free guide

Check out my programs and workshops 


ABOUT THE HOST

Heather has had more than 25 years of experience working with 1000s of customers and securing hundreds of millions of product funding.  Early in her career, she was successful at rapidly growing start-up organizations, and over the past 15+ years she has a record of aligning diverse teams to deliver value for customers and strategies for organizations.  All through having a focus on solving customer needs to achieve business outcomes.


CONNECT & CONTACT

Visit my community on Mighty Networks 

Find me on LinkedIn

Email:  info@listen-evolve-inspire.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Commitment to your professional evolution by developing a powerful operating model requires intent. How you change the interactions with your internal and external stakeholders influences the consistency in your achievements.  I'll talk about how two specific books and their authors have helped me consider what to incorporate into my systems and why I would consider changing my operating model.


KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Have you ever been so inspired by a book, podcast, or speaker because the topic resonated with who you are and want to be more of in the future that you began to act on that idea or feeling? 
  • You may have even begun taking action. Writing down critical points of what you heard and jotted down a list of ways to keep that feeling in motion and move in that direction of change. 
  • Dedication to follow through is the ultimate challenge, turning that inspired feeling into a habit long enough to become a practiced pattern, ultimately bringing the initial feeling full circle into a reality.


BEST MOMENTS

‘I don't know about you, but I already have a life of habits that make up how I operate. If I want to add a new way of operating, I must first work out how to harness that feeling and turn it into an endured action.’


‘Choosing to 10X yourself to that higher level of operating is how you unlock your next level of thinking and freedom.’


‘Pay attention to what inspires you to be more of your authentic self.’


VALUABLE RESOURCES

My free guide

Check out my programs and workshops 


ABOUT THE HOST

Heather has had more than 25 years of experience working with 1000s of customers and securing hundreds of millions of product funding.  Early in her career, she was successful at rapidly growing start-up organizations, and over the past 15+ years she has a record of aligning diverse teams to deliver value for customers and strategies for organizations.  All through having a focus on solving customer needs to achieve business outcomes.


CONNECT & CONTACT

Visit my community on Mighty Networks 

Find me on LinkedIn

Email:  info@listen-evolve-inspire.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Product experience and facilitation leadership Product experience and facilitation leadership Tue, 29 Oct 2024 16:10:00 GMT 54:22 67210824fab47fdf26161e22 false http://productgameplan.com 67210824fab47fdf26161e22 66e8171dd53f4c4a0c5e5105 full 1 5 What does experience mean for users, employees, leaders, and companies? Some companies are beginning to think about the interconnectedness of business, users, and communities. What does that mean and how can businesses evolve to change their ecosystem and opportunities, to create a shift in how employees think about their role in an organization?


VALUABLE RESOURCES

Download my free guide

Check out my programs and workshops 


EPISODES TO CHECK OUT NEXT

Andy Hagerman Pt 1


ABOUT THE HOST

Heather has had more than 25 years of experience working with 1000s of customers and securing hundreds of millions of product funding.  Early in her career, she was successful at rapidly growing start-up organizations, and over the past 15+ years she has a record of aligning diverse teams to deliver value for customers and strategies for organizations.  All through having a focus on solving customer needs to achieve business outcomes.


CONNECT WITH ANDY



Visit my community on Mighty Networks 

Find me on LinkedIn

Email:  info@listen-evolve-inspire.com


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> What does experience mean for users, employees, leaders, and companies? Some companies are beginning to think about the interconnectedness of business, users, and communities. What does that mean and how can businesses evolve to change their ecosystem and opportunities, to create a shift in how employees think about their role in an organization?


VALUABLE RESOURCES

Download my free guide

Check out my programs and workshops 


EPISODES TO CHECK OUT NEXT

Andy Hagerman Pt 1


ABOUT THE HOST

Heather has had more than 25 years of experience working with 1000s of customers and securing hundreds of millions of product funding.  Early in her career, she was successful at rapidly growing start-up organizations, and over the past 15+ years she has a record of aligning diverse teams to deliver value for customers and strategies for organizations.  All through having a focus on solving customer needs to achieve business outcomes.


CONNECT WITH ANDY



Visit my community on Mighty Networks 

Find me on LinkedIn

Email:  info@listen-evolve-inspire.com


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> <![CDATA[Implementing co-creation & co-design into your operating model to deliver customer value, with Guest Andy Hagerman]]> Tue, 22 Oct 2024 12:05:00 GMT 45:53 671793f830187dfb6c6734d1 false http://www.productgameplan.com 671793f830187dfb6c6734d1 66e8171dd53f4c4a0c5e5105 full 1 4 Andy Hagerman and Heather talk about how powerful the business and user outcomes are when co-creation and co-design are implemented into an organization. You can expect to learn how important debriefs are after each customer conversation and how they can inform next-level decisions, and alignment with stakeholders.


VALUABLE RESOURCES

Download my free guide

Check out my programs and workshops 


ABOUT THE HOST

Heather has had more than 25 years of experience working with 1000s of customers and securing hundreds of millions of product funding.  Early in her career, she was successful at rapidly growing start-up organizations, and over the past 15+ years she has a record of aligning diverse teams to deliver value for customers and strategies for organizations.  All through having a focus on solving customer needs to achieve business outcomes.


CONNECT & CONTACT

Visit my community on Mighty Networks 

Find me on LinkedIn

Email:  info@listen-evolve-inspire.com


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Andy Hagerman and Heather talk about how powerful the business and user outcomes are when co-creation and co-design are implemented into an organization. You can expect to learn how important debriefs are after each customer conversation and how they can inform next-level decisions, and alignment with stakeholders.


VALUABLE RESOURCES

Download my free guide

Check out my programs and workshops 


ABOUT THE HOST

Heather has had more than 25 years of experience working with 1000s of customers and securing hundreds of millions of product funding.  Early in her career, she was successful at rapidly growing start-up organizations, and over the past 15+ years she has a record of aligning diverse teams to deliver value for customers and strategies for organizations.  All through having a focus on solving customer needs to achieve business outcomes.


CONNECT & CONTACT

Visit my community on Mighty Networks 

Find me on LinkedIn

Email:  info@listen-evolve-inspire.com


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> What no one tells you about stakeholder alignment What no one tells you about stakeholder alignment Tue, 15 Oct 2024 09:04:14 GMT 12:14 670e2e81e4b532016e07678f false https://shows.acast.com/product-game-plan/episodes/670e2e81e4b532016e07678f 670e2e81e4b532016e07678f 66e8171dd53f4c4a0c5e5105 full 1 3 Lack of stakeholder alignment and commitment are the 1 and 2 reasons why programs delay, break down before reaching the desired achievements, or fail altogether.


Your internal stakeholders can assist with your success when you build partnerships with them and include them as part of your extended team. When I look back on the products I was building, I always had a smoother experience getting my product built or orchestrating a pivot when I kept my stakeholders in the loop from the beginning.


KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Are you getting your stakeholders involved from the beginning of your project and keeping them socialized about what you are doing? Or do you throw requests 'over the wall,' asking for their commitment and alignment?
  • Do they fully appreciate why you are asking for their alignment and commitment? 
  • Do they understand the value you are creating for customers and their business? 
  • Why should they commit to you and your program?


VALUABLE RESOURCES

Download my free guide

Check out my programs and workshops 


EPISODES TO CHECK OUT NEXT

Episode 04 - Coming soon!

Guest Andy Hagerman: A conversation about implementing co-creation and co-design into your operating model to deliver customer value.


ABOUT THE HOST

Heather has had more than 25 years of experience working with 1000s of customers and securing hundreds of millions of product funding.  Early in her career, she was successful at rapidly growing start-up organizations, and over the past 15+ years she has a record of aligning diverse teams to deliver value for customers and strategies for organizations.  All through having a focus on solving customer needs to achieve business outcomes.


CONNECT & CONTACT

Join the community on Mighty Networks 

Find me on LinkedIn


Email: info@listen-evolve-inspire.com


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Lack of stakeholder alignment and commitment are the 1 and 2 reasons why programs delay, break down before reaching the desired achievements, or fail altogether.


Your internal stakeholders can assist with your success when you build partnerships with them and include them as part of your extended team. When I look back on the products I was building, I always had a smoother experience getting my product built or orchestrating a pivot when I kept my stakeholders in the loop from the beginning.


KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Are you getting your stakeholders involved from the beginning of your project and keeping them socialized about what you are doing? Or do you throw requests 'over the wall,' asking for their commitment and alignment?
  • Do they fully appreciate why you are asking for their alignment and commitment? 
  • Do they understand the value you are creating for customers and their business? 
  • Why should they commit to you and your program?


VALUABLE RESOURCES

Download my free guide

Check out my programs and workshops 


EPISODES TO CHECK OUT NEXT

Episode 04 - Coming soon!

Guest Andy Hagerman: A conversation about implementing co-creation and co-design into your operating model to deliver customer value.


ABOUT THE HOST

Heather has had more than 25 years of experience working with 1000s of customers and securing hundreds of millions of product funding.  Early in her career, she was successful at rapidly growing start-up organizations, and over the past 15+ years she has a record of aligning diverse teams to deliver value for customers and strategies for organizations.  All through having a focus on solving customer needs to achieve business outcomes.


CONNECT & CONTACT

Join the community on Mighty Networks 

Find me on LinkedIn


Email: info@listen-evolve-inspire.com


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Why customer profiles matter Why customer profiles matter Tue, 15 Oct 2024 09:02:15 GMT 6:43 670e2c97d21580773f8d18fa false https://shows.acast.com/product-game-plan/episodes/670e2c97d21580773f8d18fa 670e2c97d21580773f8d18fa 66e8171dd53f4c4a0c5e5105 full 1 2 This episode is about building customer trust and knowing what information you should collect so that your customers feel that you understand them well when you meet with them for specific results


Doing your homework to create a profile of each customer's relationship with your company means you need a 360 view of each customer. Listen to this episode for my tips.


KEY TAKEAWAYS


  • By running this activity with 15+ customers, you will begin to see data patterns. 
  • That data can help you determine if your roadmap has user-centric decisions about what to fix, potential new additions to your product to stay relevant, or what to retire that will surprise and satisfy your customers. 
  • The ripple effect is that your business will grow in the right direction, as forecasted, or even exceed your expectations.


VALUABLE RESOURCES

Download my free guide

Check out my programs and workshops 


EPISODES TO CHECK OUT NEXT

Check out Episode 03 - What no one tells you about stakeholder alignment


ABOUT THE HOST

Heather has had more than 25 years of experience working with 1000s of customers and securing hundreds of millions of product funding.  Early in her career, she was successful at rapidly growing start-up organizations, and over the past 15+ years she has a record of aligning diverse teams to deliver value for customers and strategies for organizations.  All through having a focus on solving customer needs to achieve business outcomes.


CONNECT & CONTACT

Visit my community on Mighty Networks 

Find me on LinkedIn

Email: info@listen-evolve-inspire.com



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> This episode is about building customer trust and knowing what information you should collect so that your customers feel that you understand them well when you meet with them for specific results


Doing your homework to create a profile of each customer's relationship with your company means you need a 360 view of each customer. Listen to this episode for my tips.


KEY TAKEAWAYS


  • By running this activity with 15+ customers, you will begin to see data patterns. 
  • That data can help you determine if your roadmap has user-centric decisions about what to fix, potential new additions to your product to stay relevant, or what to retire that will surprise and satisfy your customers. 
  • The ripple effect is that your business will grow in the right direction, as forecasted, or even exceed your expectations.


VALUABLE RESOURCES

Download my free guide

Check out my programs and workshops 


EPISODES TO CHECK OUT NEXT

Check out Episode 03 - What no one tells you about stakeholder alignment


ABOUT THE HOST

Heather has had more than 25 years of experience working with 1000s of customers and securing hundreds of millions of product funding.  Early in her career, she was successful at rapidly growing start-up organizations, and over the past 15+ years she has a record of aligning diverse teams to deliver value for customers and strategies for organizations.  All through having a focus on solving customer needs to achieve business outcomes.


CONNECT & CONTACT

Visit my community on Mighty Networks 

Find me on LinkedIn

Email: info@listen-evolve-inspire.com



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Would your customers organically recommend your product? Would your customers organically recommend your product? Tue, 15 Oct 2024 09:00:00 GMT 23:04 670e2a6c6f9303e354dc945a false https://productgameplan.com 670e2a6c6f9303e354dc945a 66e8171dd53f4c4a0c5e5105 full 1 1 I'll dissect what you can do now to begin forming a profile of your product. Including where to gather indirect and direct information about what your users think of your product, and why both perspectives are powerful. 


Then I’ll get into what’s essential when building relationships, who can round out the profile of your product, how to know when to engage with your various stakeholders, and why any of those activities are worth performing.


KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Know how to build a profile of your product
  • Use my go-to methods for engaging with sale teams and customers
  • Learn how to turn customer feedback sessions into useful data
  • Formulate a pitch that is grounded on solving user-centric needs


VALUABLE RESOURCES

Download my free guide

Check out my programs & workshops


EPISODES TO CHECK OUT NEXT

Check out Episode 02 - Why customer profiles matter


ABOUT THE HOST

Heather has had more than 25 years of experience working with 1000s of customers and securing hundreds of millions of product funding.  Early in her career, she was successful at rapidly growing start-up organizations, and over the past 15+ years she has a record of aligning diverse teams to deliver value for customers and strategies for organizations.  All through having a focus on solving customer needs to achieve business outcomes.


CONNECT & CONTACT

Join the community on Mighty Networks

Find me on Linked In

Email:  info@listen-evolve-inspire.com



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> I'll dissect what you can do now to begin forming a profile of your product. Including where to gather indirect and direct information about what your users think of your product, and why both perspectives are powerful. 


Then I’ll get into what’s essential when building relationships, who can round out the profile of your product, how to know when to engage with your various stakeholders, and why any of those activities are worth performing.


KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Know how to build a profile of your product
  • Use my go-to methods for engaging with sale teams and customers
  • Learn how to turn customer feedback sessions into useful data
  • Formulate a pitch that is grounded on solving user-centric needs


VALUABLE RESOURCES

Download my free guide

Check out my programs & workshops


EPISODES TO CHECK OUT NEXT

Check out Episode 02 - Why customer profiles matter


ABOUT THE HOST

Heather has had more than 25 years of experience working with 1000s of customers and securing hundreds of millions of product funding.  Early in her career, she was successful at rapidly growing start-up organizations, and over the past 15+ years she has a record of aligning diverse teams to deliver value for customers and strategies for organizations.  All through having a focus on solving customer needs to achieve business outcomes.


CONNECT & CONTACT

Join the community on Mighty Networks

Find me on Linked In

Email:  info@listen-evolve-inspire.com



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Product Game Plan Product Game Plan Mon, 16 Sep 2024 11:44:15 GMT 0:55 66e81a1095e78938e6d9c839 false https://shows.acast.com/product-game-plan/episodes/66e81a1095e78938e6d9c839 66e81a1095e78938e6d9c839 66e8171dd53f4c4a0c5e5105 trailer 1

Welcome to The Product Game Plan – a podcast for enterprise product managers. You’ll learn how adopting soft skill methods can expand your existing professional operating model. In order to have a consistent data-driven roadmap, stakeholder alignment and commitment, and knowledge of your funding priorities. 


You'll discover how to gather customer insights to build or evolve your product to solve customer problems, why relationships matter for getting anything done, and finally, what to pitch to secure product funding so that your customers have what they need to run their businesses.


I'm your host, Heather J Smith, with over 30 years of experience innovating start-up and fortune 500 companies as a product manager and leader. I'll bring on guests who actively use these techniques to share why their methods work to make their businesses prolific and inspiring. I'll also deliver some workshop-style episodes to give you my proven techniques, habits, and tips for modernizing your professional work so that you can accomplish more with less friction.


Follow The Product Game Plan on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Welcome to The Product Game Plan – a podcast for enterprise product managers. You’ll learn how adopting soft skill methods can expand your existing professional operating model. In order to have a consistent data-driven roadmap, stakeholder alignment and commitment, and knowledge of your funding priorities. 


You'll discover how to gather customer insights to build or evolve your product to solve customer problems, why relationships matter for getting anything done, and finally, what to pitch to secure product funding so that your customers have what they need to run their businesses.


I'm your host, Heather J Smith, with over 30 years of experience innovating start-up and fortune 500 companies as a product manager and leader. I'll bring on guests who actively use these techniques to share why their methods work to make their businesses prolific and inspiring. I'll also deliver some workshop-style episodes to give you my proven techniques, habits, and tips for modernizing your professional work so that you can accomplish more with less friction.


Follow The Product Game Plan on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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