Are product managers the sales prevention department?

“I always enjoyed the creative friction between product and sales - in this case Phil and myself. Working with Phil was a pleasure as he would always try to see it from the perspectives of sales and the customer. By doing this he always provided options that were consistently aligned with our strategy and and in parallel solve the customer’s problem.”

— Former Colleague - Head of Sales

Product people can get a bad rap from the sales team. Slurs such as the ‘sales prevention team’ are liberally thrown around in times of inter-office conflict. The underlying insinuation is crystal clear; the two departments are working at odds and failing to synchronise their efforts to succeed. However, since sales and product have different targets, this revelation should hardly come as a surprise.

Within this post, we’re going to take a deep dive into this area and analyse strategies that product people can utilise. We will start by reviewing a post by Des Traynor of Intercom based around the 12 reasons people justify saying ‘yes’ to changes. These reasons are often employed by sales when making their case to product, these justifications typically aren’t as convincing or persuasive as they initially appear. Throughout the course of this post, we will share wisdom relating to:

·      The ‘Bad’ Reasons to Say ‘Yes’

·      Cultivating a Balanced Viewpoint

·      The Saturated Market of ‘Good Ideas’

·      Varying Perceptions of Saying ‘No’ and ‘Yes’

Ultimately, decisions relating to curating what makes it into the product come is your job as product people. While sales and marketing will attempt to lead the way, it is your duty to temper their inputs to ensure you are delivering the most customer and business value. With that in mind, this post will strengthen your ability to stand your ground and make tough calls. While doing so may be uncomfortable in the moment, if it’s for the greater good of the product, it’s worth it.

How do you say no, and protect your product strategy?

Whilst it has someone else’s name on the by-line I was the ghost writer behind the original post here.