Marketing Needs Crusaders, Not Just Managers or Champions

The mindset required to win in the fiercely competitive world of high-tech marketing is not that of a manager or a champion, but that of a crusader.

The Wrong Mindsets:

• The Manager: This term implies a "clean hands" approach of getting things done through others. It can lead to a sense of detached responsibility, where the product manager feels they do not truly own the success or failure of the product.
• The Champion: This is a clean-cut, healthy term that implies a fair fight with a clear set of rules. It is a naive view of a business world that is often brutal and unforgiving.

The Crusader Mindset:

A crusader is someone with a fanatical belief in their cause, a willingness to fight dirty, and a recognition that business is a form of civilized warfare.

• They Believe in the Cause: They have an unwavering, almost religious conviction in their product and its success.
• They are Willing to Fight: They understand that competitors are trying to drive them out of business and are willing to do what it takes to win. This includes using a competitor's weakness against them and ensuring customers know the facts about the competition's shortcomings.
• They Put Themselves on the Line: They put their professional careers and corporate reputations on the line for the success of their product.

If you have too many "nice" people, managers, or champions in your marketing department, you are probably headed for trouble. To win, you need crusaders with fire in their eyes and blood on their swords.