Worth The Read

Decide go / no-go before buy vs. build

Unfortunately, sometimes good product ideas can get stopped in their tracks because of a feeling that it will be too hard to build or partner for it, even though truly the investment would be worthwhile. Conversely, bad products can be brought to market because “it would be easy to do” by building or partnering, when the product maybe should not be launched regardless.

The Death Of “Web 2.0″

So why do I say it’s fading? For one, because the number of startups that contact us and include the term Web 2.0 in the subject line or message is visibly dropping (and that’s a good thing), and I hardly ever see it mentioned anymore on other technology blogs and news sites either. That’s not really tangible, so I took a look at the number of mentions of the phrase across the web, and they seem to be decreasing significantly, reflecting my feeling on this.

Be Careful What You Put In Writing

When you post something online, you’re not just talking to one other person – you’re potentially talking to tens, hundreds or even thousands of people. What you write may be out there forever, whether you like it or not.

Marketing Doesn’t Matter THAT Much in the Grand Scheme

How many times can our presentations, press releases, emails, strategy POVs, and everything in between wait until tomorrow morning? In my experience, most of the time there is no difference between the majority of whimsically-proposed end-of-the-day deadlines and first-thing-in the morning – except a date on a time stamp.

Worth The Read

• The Cranky Product Manager – Be the CEO of your product. Be the CEO of your own career

Shut the hell up and show some initiative.  Honestly.  You’re a Product Manager for Cheezus’s sake.  You’re supposed to be this pseudo-entrepreneur with all the responsibility for making your product a success.

• Lifehacker – Top 10 CES and Macworld Announcements

This year’s Macworld and Consumer Electronics Show offered dozens of new product announcements, but only a handful will actually change how you work, play, and live.

• A List Apart – The Discipline of Content Strategy

But until we commit to treating content as a critical asset worthy of strategic planning and meaningful investment, we’ll continue to churn out worthless content in reaction to unmeasured requests.

• Lead On Purpose  – Technology: it’s all about the people

I’ve stated before that – as the product manager – you have to be a leader (in the true sense of the word). You have the responsibility to get products out the door on time, with high quality and under budget. The kicker – and the reason you must be a leader – is the people you rely on to get the job done do not (usually) report you; they report to some other manger in the company.

Worth The Read

• Product Beautiful – Have we Entered the Post-Product Management Economy?

Lazy marketers love to have the leading product in a market because they just need to maintain the status quo.  A great marketer likes the challenge of winning with a product that doesn’t necessarily win on all of the features.

• Influential Marketing Blog – The Rise Of The Shadow Media

But regardless of what you call these new sources of news and information, the indisputable fact is that in 2009 there will be many social media examples to point to where the quality is as good if not better than traditional media sources.

• Michele’s Blog – Everything I Learned About Marketing I Learned from my Garden

Some businesses will be doomed from the start if you don’t know where to put them. English roses are beautiful. I’d be an idiot to put English roses in Austin because we get a fraction of the rain they get.

• Lead on Purpose – Three reason to visit customers

Unexpected information about your product or company always comes out when talking to people in person. You learn things about people when you look them in the eyes. They gain trust in you, which increases the trust you have in your own ability to make tough decisions.

Worth The Read

• Product Management Tips – Secrets of success in 8 words and 3 minutes
• Write That Down – Twitter’s Product Manager
• Ignite Social Media – Top 5 Viral Marketing Campaigns of 2008
• Dave Fleet – Strategic Communications Planning
• Joshua Dilworth – A new breed of Twitter apps
• Wired – Vaporware 2008: Crushing Disappointments, False Promises and Plain Old BS
• A VC – Bits Of Destruction

Enjoy!