storytelling for product managers
TRANSCRIPT
Storytelling
Storytelling for Product Managers
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Storytelling for Product ManagersVivek BediHead of Product at LearnVest13 years of Product experience at Goldman SachsOver 17 Years of Industry experience
Storytelling is Product ManagementJuly 6th, 2016
1. Tell a joke.
Seth Newell () - [email protected], can you add a slide around our re-login rates based on what you got from Will on the next slide - FYI - [email protected] Tzeng () - Would it be enough just to put the stats directly on this slide? For example, our re-engagement rate is less than 20% after the first log in.Ashley Curran () - I think it's cleaner to put it on one slide. Less is more.Story-Telling is like Joke-Telling!
Know your punch lines.Make people care.Have great delivery!
Everything you are saying is leading to a goal.We are born for stories and love them.It helps us captivate and creates a thrist for us to want to hear more.2 guys at a bar talking about a date example
Whats my story?
I did this for myself and created my own professional story.Whenever anyone asks about me I have my elevator pitch.
Career
Summarize my career of over 15 years in a crisp two minute story!
The elevator pitch is the 2 minute version of your story the time it takes to ride an elevator and if your CEO was on it with you.Tell my career story
Why do stories matter?
Ever been in meeting and have no idea what the presenter is saying?Join the club.
We are impatient.We are selfish.We love drama.
Humans are interesting people and we have done some great things but when it comes to stories we the most fascinating.We are impatient by nature. Our time is precious. If you are story is boring we wont care. Hence most people are half asleep in presentations at work.We are selfish. We will care and listen if you tell us whats in it for me. Unlike our parents that listened to our elementary school stories of the playground with our friends selflessly. The real world is not like our moms If they dont benefit in some way then they dont care for the story.We love drama! Whether its a strange tweet from Trump or office gossip. We love suspense and controversy. If you are story has that well stick around.
Why should we care?
So it might sound like I am trying to be a life coach here but Im not.
The fact is story telling is important for product management as much as it is for our day in and day out lives.
#awesomestoryteller
Tell compelling stories about your products.
PMs will need to tell the story of the product from all points of the journey from it being built to after it is released.The audience will be different in each part of the journey developers, designers, executives, clients, etc.Its important to tell a good story otherwise your product will not be successful.After all the PM is the face of the product.Steve Jobs example.
I usually know if I want to hire someone by one question.
Whats your story?
When I am interviewing someone I know within the first 2 minutes if I will hire them or not.If they cant tell their story and sell themselves they will have a tough time selling products.
#1: Be Yourself!
Show Your True SideNo Fancy WordsKnow Your Audience
This might sound clich but so many times storytellers forget this. Show your true self if youre a jokester be a jokester, if you like small talk use small talk, if you like sports talk about sports, just be yourself.Dont use fancy catch-phrases and words that you dont normally use. Its easy in a session to want to come off as something different but people are very perceptive.Dress the scene do your homework.SalesForce example of dressing strange.
#2: Be A Movie Director!
Storyboards
Stories are like movies with actors, plots, and drama.
1.Stories are like movies act like Steve Speilberg.2. Before you come up with a story think of actors, plot, suspense, and delivery.3. I use a technique called storyboarding. Look myself in a room with sticky notes and markers. I start thinking of the concepts, sequence, and design of my product.4. This helps craft the scenes of the story in my head.5. Plan Online example.
Lets talk ComponentsWhy did we build it?How we build it for?Who built it?Why should people care?Why it matters?How will it affect people?Other products like it?Whats great about it?What sucks about it?How will people access it?
Storyboarding has some questions you need to ask yourself.Dont only think of the positives also look at the negatives.
Find your groove when storyboarding!
No DistractionsNo MeetingsNo PhonesNo Laptops
Find your zone. Put away technology.For me its drake.
# 3: First Impressions Matter!
Thank the audience.Be cool.Be creative.Be true.
Website first 10 secs.Mobile apps 60 are deleted after the first download.Your first few minutes are crucial. Make them count.First and foremost thank the crowd. Its important to set a tone that its about them and not you.Start up example not thanking CEO comments.Be creative use jokes, a personal story, visuals, anything to get the crowd hooked. Its important to start the story strong and get peoples attention.Steve Jobs greatest story teller. Every apple talk starts with a personal story or a demo. Look up his commencement speech for Standford. Talked about how he never graduated college at a college graduation speech!
#4: Get Personal!
We crave the emotional connection. 90%of purchases are madeON EMOTION
The reason we love movies is they spark our emotions. Whether we like to admit or not humans love when their emotions are sparked.90% of HBR study shows 90% of people buy based on emotion or subconscious.When telling your story about your product put yourself in their shoes, live their life as a customer, share your own personal experiences.Digital website experience my own usage of the site.
Talk about your family.Mention your friends.Discuss failures.
Its great to talk about your own personal experiences.Myswapp example.
#5: Make fun of it!
Failed MVPs.First versions.Geeky code release names.
I know this sounds strange but its a great tactic!It shows your softer side and also makes the client more comfortable with you and your story.It also reminds them that you are going to keep it real when talking about your product and arent just bsing them.Myswapp TV interviews do it with strangers logo. First version of our MVP and how the code releases were star wars characters.
#6: Be a Politician!
Its not about you!Its about the team.Its about the journey.
Its not about you. It never was and it never will be. Dont use words like I, mine, etc.Its important to keep perspective that the PM is just the spokesman for team. The best PMs or Ted Talks always use words like we or the team.Obama example.Star PM example.
#6: Show & Tell!
100%MORE ATTENTION WHEN 2 SENSES50%OF BRAIN ACTIVITY DEDICATED TO SIGHT
We loved show and tell in Kindergarden. We didnt realize it then but we were great story tellers.Most presentations are boring because they use one of our senses hearing. Mostly someone is talking about bullets and showing words, words, and more words.Get visual! When you invoke two senses humans become 100% more attentative.
ADD VISUALS ADD HUMOR DO DEMOSADD SCREENSHOT SHOW EARLYTALK ABOUT
Use product demos, visuals, or interactive experiences.Showing your product is a better story then talking about it. Also show it early. The early you show the quicker you get them engaged.SOTU example what an amazing show your team put on.I inspire for every story to be a show.
#6: Use Peeps!
Engage ConvoUse PausesFind An Actor
Storytelling is not presenting its engaging. The most important people in the room are the listeners of the story. So use them!Engage in a conversation dont make it one sided. Nobody wants to listen to you talk for an hour.Use pauses after major moments (delivery dates, demo, a feature discussion) literally stop and say things like how does that feel? Are we on the right track with the product? What do you think is missing?Find an actor when telling your story find a familiar face and use them by name. Example of global product talk asia voice products adventures
#8: Dont be Old School!
Turn Data into Drama
Its important to use data to support your case but quickly find the emotional connection.
Data, charts, graphs are great and very left brained but its important to quickly tie those states to the creative right brained side.The personal side is going to make the product sell.Uber & Facebook examples.The left side is just supporting the case you are building.Whether its sad, happy, mad, scared its important to have the user feel something. It makes the product come alive.The data is irrelevant if it doesnt make an emotional connection.Jayden travel soccer example.
#10: Dont Over practice!
Dont be a robot.Immerse your audience.Leave a mark.
Dont over practice and sound like a robot. Plan for improvised moments.You want to make your story memorable and leaves a mark on the audience.The more your rehearse the more robotic you will sound.Besides your audience will be different every time its hard to rehearse for that.The key is to immerse your audience into the storyWhat you can practice is to stay lose and on your toes and find ways to incorporate the audience into the storyChicago banker video chat example rehearsal to improvised pizza shop video chat
Lets Create a Great Story!
Now lets create a great story together!
Situation:
We work for a big fortune 100 company that has been around for over 100 years.
Product:
We are about to release their first ever mobile app.
Team:
A team of developers, designers, subject matter experts and us (the product managers) have been working on this for months.
Presentation:
Before the launch we are going to present the product to a group of clients.
Elevator Pitch:
Lets discuss what a 2 minute pitch would be for your story.
Reminder:
1. Be Yourself2. Be a Director (Storyboarding)3. First Few Minutes4. Get personal5. Be a political6. Show & Tell7. Make fun of it8. Use Peeps9. Data to Drama10. Dont over-practice
Thanks
Email: [email protected]: @blaqindoBlog: bediweb.com/career
The elevator pitch is the 2 minute version of your story the time it takes to ride an elevator and if your CEO was on it with you.Tell my career story
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