How to be a good product manager

For the product managers of enterprises in China, on the one hand, it is necessary to combine the environmental and institutional problems of enterprises, on the other hand, it is necessary to reasonably set the responsibilities and rights of product managers and establish a product-centered management process and system.

1. role: basically a consultant and consultant, not a decision maker;

2. Responsibilities: Establish a strategy formulation and inspection procedure, so as to define a scope of responsibilities for the product manager's activities, and allow the product manager to veto inferior marketing schemes with only a large number of statistical data and no reasonable strategy;

3. Task: When determining the respective tasks of product managers and functional experts, we should consider the possible contradictions between them, and make clear which ones should be done by product managers, which ones should be done by functional experts and which ones should be worked out in cooperation;

4. Process: Establish a formal procedure so that conflicts of interest between product management departments and functional departments can be reported to the top management through this procedure. The specific process is as follows: the consumer research department or professional market research company provides quantitative and qualitative surveys of consumers, and the product manager extracts an idea of a new product from it, and then contacts the product development department to tell them that there is still a great consumer demand in the market that has not been met, so as to carry out breakthrough technology research and development; The product manager takes the new product as a concept test and returns to the market to see whether the concept positioning is accurate, how many consumers will like it and how much business volume it can bring; Only after passing the test can it be put into production and let the production department produce products; Then consider how to sell the products to the market, and what channels the sales department will suggest, such as big stores, supermarkets or convenience stores; The public relations department is responsible for dealing with the outside world, establishing the image of products and brands, helping to resolve disputes or conflicts and dealing with the media.

5. Evaluation: Establish a system of measurement results consistent with the responsibilities of the product manager. If product managers are responsible for profits, they should be given more power to control the factors that affect sales and profitability.

Product manager: It must be difficult to strike while the iron is hot.

Because the product management system takes the product as the core, relevant departments cooperate with each other to support the operation of the product. Then, as professional managers of product management-product managers, how do they cope with a high pressure and high competition environment? Especially in the immature soil and environment of China, how can you bear fruit when you plant apples? How are apples cooked? Faced with an unsystematic system and organization, the product manager needs to strike while the iron is hot, but not hard, otherwise it will only sow the dragon seeds and collect fleas.

First, insight and support for consumers.

It takes some effort to really understand consumers. The product manager should not only study all the consumer reports, but also deeply study the whole process. For example, observe focus group discussions and listen to telephone interviews, and sometimes even conduct research or visit in person. At the same time, the product manager personally read the letters from consumers, went to the store to observe the behavior and process of consumers' product selection, talked with consumers about the topic of product selection, and tried to understand the psychological process of consumers' choice.

Second, a deep understanding of product knowledge.

The product manager should know the product better than anyone in the company.

Your knowledge of product chemical composition will not be higher than that of R&D personnel, your sales situation in a certain area will not be clearer than that of regional business managers, and your knowledge of product cost will be lower than that of purchasing personnel. However, your knowledge of product chemical composition must be higher than that of purchasing staff, your knowledge of product cost must be clearer than that of regional business managers or R&D staff, and even your knowledge of sales in a certain region must be higher than that of R&D staff.

Besides, you'd better know your products better than your boss, because your knowledge will be tested at any time. Business conversations are based on facts, so you must have facts.

Third, actively create

In P&G, product managers must be active and make achievements in order to get promoted. The primary standard of career development performance evaluation, how to complete the task is the key to promotion.

One of the key factors to be a successful product manager is to be able to publicize it vigorously. As a successful on-the-job product manager said: "As an excellent product manager, he should not only have the will to go forward, but also need to be personally and realistically led."

Fourth, the art of leadership

Leadership is to define problems and help others complete tasks. The success of a product manager depends on his ability to win the support and cooperation of others and successfully complete the task. Personnel responsible for product creativity, production, packaging, promotion planning and retail business need not report to the product manager. The product manager has no right to make any demands on employees, but he must use all means to complete the task-usually adopting a win-win strategy. The product manager is like a window for senior cadres and employees.

Five, the spirit of the tumbler

The "tumbler" is a life-size clown with the center of gravity at the bottom. You can knock it down, but it will still stand up. A successful product manager must have the charm of "tumbler".

As a P&G product manager said, "If your suggestion is approved by the boss, it will be returned. And you still don't give up after canceling the discussion memorandum with you seven times in a row. Everything depends on you. Even if you have to wait until 9 pm to accompany your boss to the parking lot to find a chance to talk, you have to wait.

Flexibility of intransitive verbs

Although successful product managers never break the rules, in fact, there are occasional examples of breaking the rules. If a specification, procedure or indicator conflicts with the right decision, a successful product manager will always find a way to avoid the obstacle-without losing his job. Of course, don't forget to consider alternatives.

Seven, dare to say no.

If you can't play because of the boss's constraint, that's your problem. Because of your stagnation, the leader failed. If you don't agree with what the boss asks you to do, things will fail in the end, which is also your problem. You must have the courage to say no to your boss.

Eight, encourage creativity

Anything related to products is related to creativity. Especially packaging, design, advertising and promotion. Moreover, creativity is subjective, and it is not easy to analyze and evaluate reality. A new idea is usually fragile and vulnerable to attack. At the same time, its advantages are not immediately visible, and its advantages will only be clearly revealed after some evolution or near completion.

What product managers have to do is to rely on creative providers to encourage creativity. Of course, the process of encouraging creativity is a very important skill