Exceptional product managers don’t just manage their products – they champion them. They inspire their teams, prospects, and customers with a compelling product narrative. Over recent years, the concept of authentic storytelling in business has gained significant traction. There’s a good reason for this: our minds are naturally inclined towards stories. Cognitive biases like embodied cognition, salience bias, and anchoring all contribute to this propensity. When we hear a powerful story, we don’t just listen; we mentally simulate it and feel its impact emotionally.
Industry leaders affirm the power of storytelling:
“Brands are built on what people are saying about you, not what you’re saying about yourself.” – Guy Kawasaki
“The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller – they set the vision, values and agenda of an entire generation.” – Steve Jobs
“Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the stories, you tell.” – Seth Godin
A compelling narrative surrounding your product can make the difference between a hit product and an also-ran. Even aspects like pricing can benefit from a well-crafted narrative.
Tips for Building a Product Narrative:
- Understand Your Users: Deeply understand your users’ and buyers’ motivations. What are their aspirations and fears? Use these insights to shape your narrative.
- Incorporate Storytelling: Use the power of storytelling to make your product relatable and memorable. Build a story that goes beyond the product’s features and functionalities.
- Convey a Clear Value Proposition: Make sure your narrative clearly communicates the value your product offers and how it solves users’ problems.
- Use Emotion: Use emotion to create a connection between your product and the user. This can significantly increase engagement and buy-in.
Common Challenges and Solutions:
- Lack of Customer Understanding: If you don’t understand your customers well enough, your narrative may not resonate. Regularly gather customer feedback and conduct market research to better understand your customer’s needs and preferences.
- Inconsistent Messaging: If your narrative isn’t consistent, it can confuse customers. Make sure all your communication, across all channels, supports and reinforces your product narrative.
- Failure to Engage Emotionally: If your narrative doesn’t touch your audience emotionally, it may not stick. Use storytelling techniques to make your narrative more engaging and memorable.
At Curious Cognition, we can help you understand your audience’s motivations and assist you in crafting compelling narratives that appeal to their aspirations and address their fears. We can also help you sell your vision to stakeholders and investors and train your team in the art of storytelling and persuasive presentation.