Here's how you can drive innovation in your career by leveraging technology as a product marketer.

AI tools give you an edge; I use them to hunt for statistics, their sources, complete intel, and much more. It entirely depends on how you approach your assignment and the AI tools. They certainly aid in compiling large amounts of data and adding structure to your assignments. The new MS copilots are a blessing and crucial for summarizing large documents, call scripts, and decks. Use these tools to save time and create more. Go after things that have been on your radar but always get deprioritized.

Diving into the AI world, we once conducted a "Digital Focus Group" entirely powered by AI analysis of social media trends. This innovative approach unearthed unexpected insights into our audience's preferences, leading to a highly successful campaign. ???? In another instance, we leveraged an AI-driven content personalization engine. It was like having a crystal ball! By predicting what our audience wanted to read next, we saw engagement rates shoot up. The tool turned mountains of data into actionable insights, transforming how we approached content. It was a game-changer, proving that smart tech can lead to even smarter marketing. ????

AI is here to stay. You have to embrace AI to stay ahead. There are a lot of AI tools that can help product marketers boost their productivity. There are tools for: Research Data Gathering/ Insights Data Analysis Content Creation (Text, Audio, Video, Images) Email Marketing Social Media Marketing (listening tools) and more. Using AI not only makes you strategy different but at the same time you learn a lot of things yourself quickly that would have taken a lot longer. So, take out some time and learn more about AI and how it can make a difference in your day to day life as well as the life of users. How can you leverage it for better Positioning and Messaging.

AI is a great tool if you're a product marketer that feels intimidated by content creation, but have a great ICP. You can use AI to ideate content ideas, create rough drafts and more based on your ICP data. That way, you can be more sure that the content resonates with your target group and its needs. I would suggest you go for a Premium version of Chat GPT or similar. It is more powerful, can handle more data and output more text.

Innovate by going beyond surface-level data analysis. Dive deep into qualitative insights, understanding the "why" behind customer behavior. By blending quantitative data with qualitative research methods like surveys, interviews, and usability testing, you gain a holistic understanding of customer needs, allowing for more nuanced and innovative product marketing strategies.

Sometimes, marketing automation can hinder creativity and personalization in your campaigns. To truly connect with your audience, it's important to find a balance between automation and the human touch. Let's not forget the power of authentic, handcrafted content in a world of automated messages.

1. Real-Time Insights: Social listening tools like Brandwatch or Sprout Social track brand mentions & customer feedback across platforms. This real-time pulse on sentiment helps identify trends & potential areas for innovation. Imagine using these tools to discover a common customer pain point. This could spark a new product feature or campaign! 2. Stay Ahead of the Curve: Monitoring social conversations helps you identify trending topics relevant to your product or industry. Tools like BuzzSumo can reveal what content resonates with your audience. This foresight allows you to tailor messages & strategies to current trends proactively. Social media becomes a springboard for innovation, keeping you at the forefront of customer conversations.

You have to commit to learning and development, advocate for a budget so you can buy books, attend events, and take online courses. You can do this during performance reviews. When they ask how you think you're doing, you can say "I've identified a gap in my skillset, and I've done some research into how to fill it, which would include [insert L&D resource]. If this is a strategic skill needed by the company, would I be able to get budget for this?" If they keep saying no, go find another company that invests in your growth. And since reading work related books IS work, you should do it during work hours, otherwise you'll never actually do it. Schedule it in!

Innovation comes in bursts, typically after a period of reflection, experimentation, and rest. If you want to be innovative, you have to do these things too. Look outside of your industry into seemingly unrelated things. You never know where a spark of inspiration will come from.