Here's how you can convey technical information to non-technical audiences as a product marketer.

You need to be customer obsessed first of all. This means clearly understanding your audience and how they like to communicate. From that perspective, make sure that you're not using any terminology that your audience is not familiar with. In this case being non technical people, it's unlikely that they will recognize any technical acronyms or jargon. It's also likely that they will accept words that are way too technical.

I like April Danford's approach to the sales pitch, which focuses on value rather than features. Non-technical audiences are often more interested in how a product can solve their problems or improve their lives rather than the technical specifics. Emphasise the benefits of your product. Instead of detailing the technical specifications of a new software update, highlight how it will make their tasks faster or more efficient.

Use language that is simple, easy to understand and relatable to your audience. For example, instead of saying 'cloud-based solution', you could say 'online storage system'. Use analogies or examples to make complex ideas relatable by connecting them to familiar concepts. Focus on the product's benefits and how it improves the user's life. For example, instead of detailing the technical features of a smartphone's camera, highlight the benefits, like 'Capture high-quality photos even in low light, perfect for preserving memories at any time of day'. This approach ensures that your message is clear and impactful.

I agree completely! Here are some additional tips on simplifying jargon when talking about technical products to non-technical audiences: - Explain the technical features in terms of how they address the customer's needs and pain points. - Relate the technical concept to something familiar to your audience. - Weave a narrative around the product that showcases its benefits in a relatable way. - Don't overwhelm your audience with too much information. Focus on the most important technical features and explain them in a clear and concise way. By following these tips, you can effectively communicate the value of your technical product to a non-technical audience!

??HERE IS THE THING: Acronyms and abbreviations can be confusing, especially for those who are not familiar with the industry. Spell out acronyms and abbreviations the first time you use them, and provide a brief explanation to ensure clarity.

It's a great idea to use visual aids to convey your message to non-technical audience. Just make sure that the visual aids, again, are aligned with your audiences preferences. You cannot use visual aids that you would normally use for technical people that perhaps have a lot of information and a lot of data on them. You have to pick things that are simple enough to support whatever verbal or written arguments or information that you're sharing.

I would say, ditch the jargon, but don't ditch the explanation! Visuals are your secret weapon for explaining complex tech products to non-tech audiences. Diagrams, infographics, and charts can break down features into easy-to-understand pictures. Imagine showing how our new encryption software works with a clear padlock graphic instead of a lecture on cryptography. Visuals make the "what" and "why" of your product instantly clear, leaving your audience engaged and empowered.

Use infographics, charts and images to illustrate key points. Visuals can bridge the gap between technical details and understanding, making the information more engaging. For example, an infographic showing the step-by-step process of how a new app feature works can be much more effective than a lengthy paragraph of text. Visuals can make your message more compelling and memorable, and helps your audience to quickly grasp key points.

??PRO TIP: Visual aids can help you tell a compelling story about your product and its benefits. Use visuals to guide your audience through the customer journey, illustrating how your product solves their problems and improves their lives. Incorporate before-and-after scenarios or user testimonials to add depth to your storytelling.

Visual aids are helpful. Ideally you should provide a demonstration of the product/feature with context (who would use it and why) but create a labelled infographic if a demo can't be provided.

Remember it's about sales enablement and answering the WHY. It's important to find an example which is relevant to the audience and considers their aims. For Product Marketers addressing this question, your audience is Sales/Business Development/Commercial; they need to understand the customer as well as you do! In theory/hopefully, you'll be telling sales about a feature/product that solves a problem for the customer - you need to talk about what that problem is, what job/task the customer needs to complete and why, why their problem exists and how your new feature helps to solve that problem. Share the persona, the problem and a demo - add a framing question or flow for sales to use (you could even do a roleplay, which everyone loves ;)

Technical specs can leave eyes glazing over. Instead, speak their language! Focus on relatable examples. Imagine explaining a new VPN service by saying "it's like a secure tunnel for your online browsing, shielding your activity from prying eyes." This everyday analogy instantly clarifies the "what" and "why" of the product, making it relevant and engaging for non-technical audiences.

The secret in this is knowing your audience and making sure that you understand their personal views of the world. I've had one case where I was trying to explain a application on commercial vehicles. So I ended up talking about it in terms of an experience that most drivers have with their cars. This is simply explaining the same concept, but from the audience's perspective. If your're customer obsessed and know your audience, you can create examples tied to their personal view of the world.

Know your audience first Then using stories including analogy with examples from their daily life will make a great impact to deliver the topics

The best stories for non technical people are a good balance between emotion and information. You obviously have to provide information to the product or service and the valley proposition that that brings to your audience. The second big component of the storytelling should be a personal story or reliable story that brings your audience into the story and creates a positive emotional connection with your product or service

Facts tell, but stories sell, especially for technical products! Ditch the feature overload and weave a narrative. Tell a story about a customer facing a challenge your product solves. Imagine explaining a new productivity app by following a busy professional who overcomes their time-management woes with its features. By connecting with the emotional journey, you not only explain the "how" but resonate with the "why" on a deeper level, making your technical product relatable and engaging for non-technical audiences.

Highlight benefits, not features. Many products in-market talk about how great their product is. But no one (except for your internal teams) truly share that excitement. Focus on how your feature helps your ICP.

Leverage the power of real people! Showcase genuine testimonials and case studies. Let your users be the voice, explaining how your product transformed their workflow. Imagine featuring a small business owner who credits your accounting software with saving them time and money. This social proof validates your product and translates technical features into real-world wins, making it instantly clear how your technical product solves everyday problems for non-technical audiences.

I think one of the best methods to obtain information from non technical people is through focus groups. I've had a lot of experience running focus groups for the automotive industry and it's always interesting that you find very good insights for people that don't have an engineering background, but they use their cars on a daily basis and understand what they like and dislike about that vehicle. So whatever method you use, make sure that you have a direct line of contact with your customers and are feeding that information back into the organization.

Interactive training sessions are a game-changer for non-technical audiences! Walk them through your product's functionalities, focusing on real-world application, not specs. This hands-on approach allows for immediate clarification and fosters a dialogue. Think of it as a workshop, not a lecture. Embrace questions as opportunities to break down complex concepts further. By empowering your audience with practical knowledge, you ensure they not only understand the "what" but also grasp the "how" and "why" - the true value proposition of your technical product.

The people who care about the technical details probably don’t have purchasing authority. The people who CAN purchase don’t care about your product—even if it does display fingerprints at 8000 dpi—but only care about their problems and whether you can solve them.