A quick way to determine the maturity of your Product Category

(+ how that impacts your messaging ⬇️)

If most people in your target market solve the same specific problem with the same specific product category, then you know that product category is very MATURE.

Here’s two examples of 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 product categories—imagine these are peers talking to each other:

⚫️ Example 1

🟥 Problem

“I live in the suburbs and I need a way to get around — from my house, to the grocery store, to my kid’s school, etc. How should I solve this problem?”

🟪 Product Category

In this instance, the vast majority of people would say “you need a car.”

For suburban dwellers (the segment), the product category of “car” is extremely mature 👴🏻

⚫️ Example 2

🟥 Problem

“I am a business owner and I need a way to keep track of my customers, especially where they are in the deal process. How should I solve this problem?”

🟪 Product Category

Most business owner peers would say “you need a CRM.”

CRM = very mature product category 👵🏻

🤔 So how should you message if you’re a startup in this mature product category?

✅ lead with differentiating features that people wouldn’t expect to see from the category

In the CRM example…

→ folk

CRM can lead with how they sync contacts directly from LinkedIn (which most CRMs don't do)

——————————————

Here’s an example of an 𝙞𝙢𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 product category:

🟥 Problem

“As a product marketer, I need a way to keep track of everything for my upcoming feature launch. How should I solve this problem?”

This is a common problem, but no product category fits it perfectly:

Product Categories

🟪 “I use a task manager + an asset manager”

🟪 “I use use a spreadsheet + docs.”

🟪 “I use a lightweight database like Airtable.”

Derek Osgood has created a solution that is tailor-made for this exact problem:

🟪 “You should use a Go-To-Market platform like Ignition.”

But the fact that most people don’t yet know this platform (and product category) exists means it an immature product category.

🤔 So how should you message if you’re in this IMMATURE product category?

✅ lead with the problems caused by the lack of a specific solution.

Derek has created a really cool page on his site called “why you need a dedicated GTM platform” that outlines the exact issues that result from stringing together solutions that weren’t made to solve that problem.

He knows he can’t say “here’s the reasons why we are the best GTM platform” → so he says “here’s the reasons why you need a GTM platform.”