We Are All Sellers—Why Defining Your Product’s True Value Matters for Everyone in Your Organization

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This week, I tuned into the Founders podcast by David Senra—Episode 350, How to Sell Like Steve Jobs. It’s a reminder to all: a clear, simple message isn’t just for the sales or marketing team. Whether you’re a recruiter pitching talent, a product manager building a vision, or an executive sharing with investors, having a straightforward message that everyone can share is essential. It’s about clearly defining, “What are you really selling?”

For product marketers, this question is fundamental. It’s not just about listing features; it’s about being laser-focused on the improvement your product delivers for customers. In previous Leash Lessons, I’ve covered confidence, growth, and building clarity—as a job seeker. Today’s post ties these important concepts together and extends into my passion, product marketing. Here, we underscore the importance of a message that’s simple, memorable, and, most importantly, customer-centered.

You are selling the improvement that your product makes. People do not care about your product. They care about themselves. They only care about what your product does for them.

My approach? I start by speaking directly with customers to uncover the problem they’re trying to solve. Using frameworks like jobs-to-be-done, I dig into what they’re really “hiring” our product to accomplish. What value or outcome does solving this problem bring? These insights often reveal truths about the product that go beyond what we first imagined.

For example, I once worked on a platform where “complete visibility” of assets was an industry buzzword. But customer conversations and proof of concepts showed that most competitors couldn’t fully deliver on this promise. The technology, however, detected a minimum of 30% more assets than customers had accounted for. This insight shifted could have shifted the messaging from the generic “complete visibility” to something verified and specific—visibility that truly delivered where others only promised. This could become more than marketing; it built trust by addressing a real, customer-centered need.

Clear, simple language is essential here. “And so again, for the love of God, no jargon, just use simple and direct language and focus on why [your audience] should care - in explaining what this does for [them].” It’s about focusing on language that’s relatable and accessible to everyone, not “synergizing win-win situations.”

Steve Jobs understood that easy-to-understand ideas spread. When he introduced the iPod, instead of focusing on technical specs, he delivered a single, memorable benefit: “1000 songs in your pocket.” This short phrase captured the transformative value of the product in a way that was both simple and personal. That's the power of clarity: it creates a message that everyone in the organization can adopt and share consistently.

Repetition Makes It Stick

Another insight from Senra’s episode on Steve Jobs? Repetition is persuasive. Once you have a clear message, reinforce it across all channels—sales decks, web copy, customer conversations. Consistency in messaging not only helps customers internalize the core benefit but also empowers every team member to communicate it accurately. This repetition builds clarity, trust, and ultimately, loyalty. For product marketers, this means having a tested, differentiated narrative packaged in a messaging guide that can be universally sourced within the organization.

I recall an article in the Harvard Business Review that stated the audience needs to hear your message a minimum of six times to understand and act on it. I keep this top of mind when creating enablement programs and awareness initiatives.

Repetition is persuasive. And if you can describe your idea in one line, it will be repeated by your audience.

This is vitally important because you want your message to be easily understood and championed within your prospect or customer’s buying team.

“Repeat, repeat, repeat. Human nature has a flaw. We forget that we forget.”

Great product marketing is about refining the message until it resonates on a personal level. The question “What are we really selling?” isn’t a one-time exercise; it’s a guidepost for every campaign and interaction. Customers won’t remember every technical detail—they’ll remember how your product solved a real problem, and they’ll share that story with others.

In summary, this lesson has been transformative in my career, and it’s one I return to time and again. Like the podcaster notes, it’s important to revisit books, articles, and podcasts you’ve read or heard before to serve as a reminder. Quite often, you can take different lessons from the same source.

💡 🐶👟 Leash Lessons: Standout Podcast Wisdom from Walks with Bobby

In Leash Lessons, I share key insights from the podcasts I listen to while walking my dog, Bobby. Covering product marketing, leadership, business strategy, and wellness, I connect these lessons to the challenges leaders and professionals face today. Whether it's a fresh perspective on growth or a strategy for success, these takeaways will help you thrive—one walk at a time.

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