How Product Marketers Can Drive Feature Changes That Actually Matter
An Ex-Google PMM's take on product marketing.
Imagine this: You’re a product marketer at a company, and you know there’s something in the product that just doesn’t make any sense. You bring it up, and suddenly—boom—the company makes a change that leads to more revenue, happier customers, and a better product.
That’s exactly what happened to me, and today, I’m going to show you how product marketers can influence feature changes that drive real impact.
Why Do Companies Introduce Feature Changes?
There are three main reasons why a company might decide to update or add a feature. If you want to advocate for a change, understanding these reasons will help you build a strong case.
1. Solving a Customer Pain Point or Need
If customers are constantly complaining about something or requesting a specific change, that’s your golden ticket. This is the strongest case for a feature update, and you can back it up with data.
Qualitative data: Customer reviews, feedback emails, support tickets
Quantitative data: Drop-off rates, low conversion metrics
For example, if you notice users consistently abandoning a particular step in the onboarding process and leaving comments like, "This is frustrating. Please fix it," then it’s time for a change.
2. Differentiating from Competitors
If you’re losing customers because a competitor has a feature that you don’t, it’s worth investigating. But here’s the catch—you need to confirm that it’s actually a product issue and not just a marketing problem.
To validate this, conduct interviews with churned customers and ask:
Why did you choose a different solution over us?
What was missing that made you switch?
Sometimes, it’s not about missing features—it could be poor positioning or lack of awareness. Make sure you’re solving the right problem before advocating for a change.
3. Improving Usability
This one is tricky because every product can be improved in some way. The key question is: Does this impact retention and customer satisfaction in a meaningful way?
One way to test this is by running usability studies. If users are struggling with a key workflow, it’s worth addressing. But if it’s just a minor inconvenience, the engineering resources might not be justified.
How to Advocate for a Feature Change
Before pushing for a change, evaluate these three key factors:
Customer Case: Are customers actively asking for this? How critical is it to them?
Business Case: Will this feature improve revenue, retention, or sales?
Trade-offs: How much engineering effort is required, and is the impact worth it?
If the answer is yes across the board, bring it up with the product, sales, and leadership teams to get buy-in.
Final Thoughts
Driving feature changes as a product marketer isn’t just about having good ideas—it’s about making a compelling case backed by data and business impact. If you can align customer needs with business goals, you’ll be able to influence product decisions effectively.
If you found this helpful, check out the Product Marketing School for more real-world examples of how product marketers shape product development. See you next time!