If you can't tell Johnny what your product does. . .

When you're marketing technology, you may find that one of your best marketing consultants is too young to be on your payroll. The greatest danger in technology marketing is being so consumed by the nuances of the technology that you become blind to the broader expression of value the product delivers. As an aid to regaining the appropriate perspective, a child between the ages of four and eight can be a great resource.

Try to describe what your product does in a few sentences that the child can understand. Avoid the obvious non-specific approaches you may have used in the past, such as “stuff that goes inside the computer” or “makes the computer do what it's supposed to do”. Describe the type of customer that buys the product, making sure you describe the customer's business in terms the child can understand. Then, tell the child why that type of customer needs your product—what part of that customer's job is made easier by using the product. As your final challenge, try to explain to the child why your product does the job better than your key competitor's product.

Now, try refocusing the messages in your marketing materials based on this simplified perspective. The simplest statements can be expanded to include appropriate technical detail. This simple exercise is a wonderful tool for removing functional focus and replacing it with clear statements of customer value.

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