This problem can be solved by communication, negotiation and collaboration as follows: Communication: Discuss and understand the development and marketing team's POV and analyze their requirements in terms of time and resources Negotiation: Present a middle path or path that aligns with strategic goals of the organization and negotiate the bare minimum Collaboration: After finalizing things, collaborate with the marketing team and track the results for future perspective.

While there might be differing opinions on timelines and expectations, it’s important to recognize that from a marketing perspective, time-to-market can be crucial when addressing broader market dynamics. However, I firmly believe that releasing a half-baked feature helps no one. I often tell my team and stakeholders that anything I sign off on carries my name, and I have a responsibility to protect both my personal brand and that of the organization. While rushing may bring some short-term gains, an unfinished feature can ultimately damage your brand, reputation, and revenue. As leaders, the more senior we become and the bigger the organization, the more thoughtful we need to be in our decisions. Bottomline - balance urgency with quality.

When your marketing team is eager to promote an unfinished feature, it’s all about balancing excitement with realism. I always start by explaining the risks of promoting something that isn’t quite ready—rushing can lead to user disappointment. It’s important to set a realistic timeline so marketing can align their efforts with when the feature will actually be ready. In the meantime, I encourage focusing on what’s already working well—promoting the strengths of the product that we know will deliver value right now. This keeps the messaging positive and grounded.

Marketing teams often operate under immense pressure to deliver results, and a new feature can seem like a golden opportunity to generate excitement and drive engagement. Their eagerness to promote it can be understandable, especially if they believe it will significantly enhance the user experience or differentiate the product from competitors. The Risks of Premature Promotion However, promoting an unfinished feature can pose significant risks: Customer Disappointment: If the feature is not ready when promised, customers may feel misled and lose trust in the product or company.

Understand the Marketing Team's Perspective 1. Recognize their enthusiasm & goals 2. Acknowledge the potential benefits of early promotion Communicate Development Team's Concerns 1. Explain the feature's current state & limitations 2. Highlight potential risks of premature promotion 3. Emphasize the importance of quality and stability Collaborative Solution-Finding 1. Identify common goals & objectives 2. Discuss alternative promotion strategies Negotiation Strategies 1. Offer exclusive access to the development team for marketing insights 2. Provide regular feature updates & progress reports Alternative Promotion Strategies 1. Beta testing programs 2. Sneak peeks or teasers 3. Influencer partnerships 4. Content marketing