When it comes to your product, tell a story. And here’s an idea – have a point

And by the way, you know, when, when you’re telling these little stories, here’s a good idea. Have a point. It makes it so much more interesting for the listener!

– Planes, Trains and Automobiles 1987

Every product should have a story.  Every story should be told in a way that connects with the buyer. Every product marketer should create a story that maps not only to the buyers’ journey, but also sales process.

Six components of a product story:

1. Market Problem: Our target market’s stated or silent problems stemming from existing inefficiencies, awkward workflows or non-optimal solutions.

2. Business Need: Our target market’s functional or emotional desire to address existing inefficiencies, awkward workflows or non-optimal solutions.

3. Buyer Pain: The emotion our target buyers feel when their specific need, problem, weakness, struggle, or desire remains unsolved / unfulfilled.

4. Product Promise: Our product promise is what we do for our target market and buyer to solve their problems, needs and pains – answering “what would I use you for?”

5. Product Value Prop: Our product value prop is how our product works and what makes us the best solution to address the market problem, business need and buyer pain.

6. Product Proof: Our product proof is the hard evidence that we actually solve the market problem, business need and buyer pain both technically and economically.