Product Crusades are Waged by Product Champions

Not every product has the company president or a five-star general as its public champion. For most products, especially in large companies, the great promotional crusades are waged by "unknown crusaders": the product managers.

It is the duty of the product manager to become their product's champion.

The Role of the Product Champion:

• Lead the Crusade: They must lead the charge for their product, inspiring both internal teams and external customers.
• Embody the Message: They are the living embodiment of the product's position and promise.
• Drive the Promotion: They are responsible for ensuring the promotional message is consistent and compelling across all touchpoints.
• Inspire Conviction: They must have an almost religious conviction about their product, a belief that is infectious and makes the promotion a success.

While great promotions are acts of leadership, that leadership does not always come from the C-suite. Most successful products owe their existence to a dedicated product champion who fought for them, believed in them, and led the promotional crusade that made them successful. It is a critical function of the marketing organization to supply the company with talented people to perform this role.