As a new product enters the market, the need for training arises. People need to learn how the product works. They want to understand key features, how to install and operate the product, and how to maintain it. In this early stage of the product lifecycle, the product manager is one of the few people involved in every aspect of the product, from development to sales. As a result, it is not surprising that people turn to the product manager for training.
Training is not the core task or skill of a product manager and can take a huge amount of time to prepare and provide. The workload increases as different audiences (sales – customer services – end users) probably will need different information. Still there are some important advantages to developing and providing the initial training:
– Control the message. As a product manager, you know the key advantages and benefits of your product as no other and you want to spread that message in a clear and consistent way.
– Control the branding. Associate your product with a certain look, feel, style and vocabulary throughout all training materials.
– Get early feedback. Giving training is a very effective way to collect feedback from the people you are trying to reach. Getting this information early in the product’s life cycle allows you to make improvements quickly and gain market share faster.
– Motivate your audience. Having spent tons of energy dragging this product through development, defending it in front of management, and fighting for budgets, this is your baby. Now is the time to evangelize and convert your colleagues to become true believers in your product.
– Check the whole product. Making training material – and the stories around it – forces you to think through every aspect of it, from sales to installation to maintenance.
Once sales increase, the product manager can’t provide training for every individual user anymore. Ideally, dedicated trainers create and present materials from then on. However, not every company has a training department, so colleagues from sales, project and support divisions often have to pitch in. With this in mind, it’s important to prepare training materials for internal teams. In other words, you need to train the trainer.
More information on product training and what it should contain can be found in my book “Practical Product Management”. Go to https://www.neobasics.be/product/shop-practical-product-management for a description of the book contents, a preview and how to order it.
Leave a Reply