走出去！产品经理了解市场的23条建议

There are two roles for product managers in technology companies: expert on the product or expert on the market. As experts on the product, they often are used mostly for important demos, sales training, and managing the tactics of product delivery. But to serve in a strategic role, product managers must be expert on the market.

技术公司的产品经理有两种角色：产品专家或市场专家。作为产品专家，他们通常主要负责重要的演示、销售培训和产品交付战术管理。但要发挥战略作用，产品经理必须是市场专家。

Every marketing treatise implores product managers to “know thy customer” and be expert on the market. But how to do it? What steps should one take to become the market expert?

每一本市场营销论著都恳求产品经理 "了解你的客户"，成为市场专家。但如何做到这一点呢？应该采取哪些措施才能成为市场专家？

New product managers often donʼt know where to begin when they are tasked with knowing their market. Interviewing customers or potential customers is daunting and outside of their comfort zone. As with any skill, the best approach is to break it down into individual activities.

新任产品经理在接受了解市场的任务时，往往不知从何下手。采访客户或潜在客户令人生畏，而且超出了他们的舒适范围。与任何技能一样，最好的办法是将其分解为单个活动。

1、BEGIN WITH THE FIRST VISIT. The scariest thing in life is the unknown. Get over it and just set up an appointment. See # 2.

1、.从第一次拜访开始。人生最可怕的就是未知。克服它，做个预约吧。参见 # 2

2、FIND A FRIENDLY FACE. Call someone you already know.

2、找一张友好的面孔。给你已经认识的人打电话。

3、GO ONSITE. If you found a friendly face, this is easier to arrange. You will learn more face-to-face than over the telephone. (Telephone is good too, just not enough.)

3、去现场。如果你找到了一个友好的面孔，这就更容易安排了。面对面比通过电话学到的东西更多。(电话也不错，只是不够）。

4、GO IN PAIRS. If this is your first visit to the market, bring someone who has done it before. Youʼll each bring different perspectives to the visit and you will both get more out of it. Teams might be two product managers; a product manager and a marketer; a product manager and a developer.

4、成双成对。如果这是您第一次逛市场，请带上以前逛过市场的人。你们每个人都会为这次考察带来不同的视角，你们都会从中获得更多收获。团队可以是两个产品经理；一个产品经理和一个营销人员；一个产品经理和一个开发人员。

5、OCCASIONALLY, BRING YOUR DEVELOPERS. Sometimes, getting your point across about the market is easiest to do if you bring your developers with you.

5、偶尔，带上你的开发人员。有时，如果带着你的开发人员一起去，最容易表达你对市场的看法。

6、BE A CHILD. The rule of consultants is the “5 whys.” Keep asking “why” like a child until you understand.

6、做个孩子。咨询法则是 "5 个为什么"。像孩子一样不停地问 "为什么"，直到你明白。

7、LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN. Even if you think you understand, keep probing. “Tell me more. Iʼm not sure I understand what you mean.” This allows you to get below the surface to in-depth knowledge.

7、听，听，听。即使你认为自己听懂了，也要继续追问。"告诉我更多。我不太明白你的意思"。这可以让你深入了解表面知识。

8、STOP TALKING. Even if you get it, donʼt jump in. This is not about showing them a solution; it is about knowing your market better than they know themselves. God gave us two ears and one mouth so we would listen more than we speak.

8、停止说话。即使你明白了，也不要插嘴。这不是向他们展示解决方案，而是要比他们更了解自己的市场。上帝给了我们两只耳朵和一张嘴，让我们多听少说。

9、IMMERSE YOURSELF QUICKLY. Visit 5-10 sites within a few weeks and you will quickly gain market knowledge. If you spread the initial visits out too thinly, youʼll lose momentum and your insights wonʼt be as profound.

9、迅速沉浸其中。在几周内访问 5-10 个网站，你将很快获得市场知识。如果最初的访问过于分散，你就会失去动力，你的见解也不会那么深刻。

10、BE FRIENDLY. When youʼre at industry events, be “out there.” Donʼt sit in your hotel room during the opening cocktail party. Introduce yourself and ask “Why are you here?” If youʼre terrified of being outgoing, maybe youʼre in the wrong profession.

10、要友好。参加行业活动时，要 "走出去"。在开幕鸡尾酒会上，不要坐在酒店房间里。自我介绍并询问 "你为什么来这里？如果你害怕外向，也许你入错行了。

11、HIDDEN OPPORTUNITIES. At your kidʼs soccer game, at the PTA or your place of worship, a dinner party, Thanksgiving at Momʼs, in line at the grocery store, the food court in the mall. Follow #10 and ask “What business are you in?” Youʼll find customers and potential customers in no time.

11、隐藏的机会。在孩子的足球比赛中，在家长教师协会或你的礼拜场所，在晚宴上，在妈妈家过感恩节，在杂货店排队，在商场的美食广场。跟着 10 号问 "你是做什么生意的？你很快就能找到客户和潜在客户。

12、WRITE IT DOWN. Youʼll forget what you heard (see #7) if you donʼt write it down. Later when someone wants more details, youʼll have contact information and your credibility will start skyrocketing.

12、写下来。如果你不写下来，你就会忘记你听到了什么（见第 7 条）。以后，当有人想了解更多细节时，你就有了联系方式，你的可信度也会直线上升。

13、READ IT. Go back and read the call reports and start looking for patterns if you havenʼt already discovered them.

13、阅读。回头阅读通话报告，如果还没有发现规律，就开始寻找规律。

14、WHERE’S WALDO? Look for the problem hidden in what people tell you. They wonʼt automatically tell you their problems. If youʼre onsite, if you asked “Why” and “Tell me more,” youʼll start seeing problems before they are articulated.

14、沃尔多在哪里？在人们告诉你的事情中寻找隐藏的问题。他们不会主动告诉你他们的问题。如果你是在现场，如果你问 "为什么 "和 "告诉我更多"，你就会在他们说出问题之前发现问题。

15、FIND THE PAIN. Everyone has problems, but not all of them are big enough pains to do anything about.

15、找到痛苦。每个人都有问题，但并不是所有的问题都是足以让人束手无策的大痛点。

16、LOOK FOR THE MOTIVATION. An individualʼs motivation might be money, recognition, ambition, positive reinforcement, fitting in, impressing the boss, blending in, or not being fired. Learn it at all levels – buyers, users, technical reviewers.

16、寻找动机。一个人的动机可能是金钱、认可、野心、积极强化、融入、给老板留下深刻印象、融入或不被解雇。在各个层面学习--买家、用户、技术审查员。

17、SHOW ME. Ask how they do it today. Then, see #6 and #7.

17、展示出来。问问他们今天是怎么做的。然后，查看 #6 和 #7。

18、GET THE TOUR. The tour of their facility or operation provides insights into what they are proud of. Ask “What are they doing over there?” See #6 and #7 when appropriate.

18、参观。通过参观他们的设施或业务，可以了解他们引以为豪的东西。询问 "他们在那里做什么？请酌情参阅第 6 和第 7 项。

19、BE CONFIDENT. If you are reticent and apologetic for asking for their time, you probably wonʼt get it.

19、要自信。如果你缄默不语，抱歉地向他们索要时间，那么你很可能得不到他们的时间。

20、EXUDE ENTHUSIASM. Enthusiasm masks lack of experience which will allow you to get the experience you need to get really good at this. And stay enthusiastic. Itʼs more fun.

20、散发热情。热情会掩盖经验的不足，从而让你获得真正擅长此道所需的经验。保持热情。这样会更有趣。

21、SHARE. Keeping what you learn to yourself does not give you job security. Share the knowledge first by doing #12 and then aggregate what you learned into patterns and facts. If you donʼt transfer the knowledge, you arenʼt scalable and you wonʼt be promotable.

21、分享。将所学知识留给自己，并不会给你的工作带来保障。首先通过做 #12 来分享知识，然后将学到的知识汇总成模式和事实。如果你不传播知识，你就无法扩展，也无法晋升。

22、GET A BUDDY. Calling on customers is good for your career, your product, and your company. Have a friend check on your progress while you check on hers. Just like when youʼre on a diet.

22、找个伙伴。拜访客户对你的事业、产品和公司都有好处。让朋友帮你检查进度，你也帮她检查进度。就像你节食一样。

23、Reward yourself. Your bonus program should have an element of reward to customer visits. But if not, bonus yourself. When you make your ten calls this quarter, buy yourself an iPod, a TiVo, a subscription to Netflix, a gift to reward yourself for doing what you know you should do.

23、奖励自己。您的奖励计划应包含对客户访问的奖励元素。如果没有，那就奖励自己吧。当你在本季度打出 10 个电话时，给自己买一个 iPod、一个 TiVo、一个 Netflix 订阅，奖励自己做了你知道应该做的事情。

Which role do you want? The tactical or the strategic? The janitor or the president? Only the expert in the market can define product strategy. Product managers must be the expert on their market. To do this, you have to be in the market.1 Make this a personal goal.

你想要哪个角色？战术还是战略？看门人还是总裁？只有市场专家才能确定产品战略。产品经理必须成为市场专家。要做到这一点，你必须进入市场。