3 Common Product Development Myths and the Coaches to Help You Launch a Successful Platform

When it comes to building your future digital product, having a solid plan is key. While you may think you can tackle the whole project on your own, developing a product and seeing it launch successfully is hard work.

3 Key Product Development Roles for Launching a Successful Digital Product

Throughout this article, we will introduce you to 3 key players that will serve a vital role in seeing your product become a reality. With these three roles or coaches, your product will have the direction and valuable support that your product will need.

Role 1: Product Coach

The first thing you must consider when looking to develop your product is finding the right developer. You could go with a local agency or decide to go with an offshore team, but this first must be decided before any other moves can be made. A developer can make or break your product, so make sure you spend time on this decision and research to find the best fit.

Once you have decided on your developer, a product coach will play the first key role as you take your idea to a tangible, profitable product. A product coach will help you think through the big picture and how your product would fit in the marketplace. 

Before you can begin the development of your product, you will have to validate the problem. What is the ultimate problem your product is aiming to solve and who is it going to help? A product coach can ask the hard questions and help you think through ways to differentiate your product from others already on the market to make sure it is unique. 

Not only will they help you validate your product’s solution, but they will stay with you throughout the course of your development and keep you informed about deliverables and updates. While the ins and outs of developing your digital product might seem tricky to you, your coach is an expert! You can rely on them to help make the process easier and less stressful. 

Role 2: Marketing Coach

The second role your product needs to have is a marketing coach. Having an idea for a digital product is the first step, but what is your overall brand? A marketing coach will help you develop your brand identity, which includes creating your brand’s name, coming up with a logo, and leading you through exercises to solidify how you want to present your product to the public. 

One other benefit of having a marketing coach is having them help you build your audience. When you release your product to the market it is important to already have a dedicated user base behind you. A marketing coach can guide you through audience building by helping you create professional, user-friendly social media pages and ads. Instead of releasing blindly and hoping for the best, building your audience beforehand can guarantee that you will have users following your launch and who are excited about using your product. 

As your product is being developed, your marketing coach will develop a launch plan that will help generate buzz before release. Having a successful launch plan is important because of the number of products already on the market and the need for yours to stand out. Without a marketing coach, you could run the risk of reaching launch day and seeing little to no interaction on your product. 

Role 3: Project Coach

The third role, crucial to the success of your product, is a project coach. Whether you are working with a local or offshore team, having someone who can help you manage the technical aspects of the design and development of the product is very important. Your development team won’t expect you to know the ins and outs of writing code or having a user-friendly design. Not having to know that is the benefit of having an expert coach who can guide you through the process.

Another key benefit of having a product coach is that they can make sure your product will scale as it continues to grow. A digital product’s development isn’t finished after its first initial release. If it is going to be successful it will take multiple updates, enhancements, and version releases to ensure its future. Your coach will guide you through the process of scaling the development to make sure the right decisions are being made and features are being released at the best times. 

3 Product Development Myths That Can Derail Your Digital Product Launch

Myth 1: I can do the whole project on my own.

Many people feel that they don’t want or need a coach for their product to succeed. One thing to remember is that if you want your company to be successful, you will not be able to do it all on your own. With growth comes added responsibilities and as the founder of a company you could feel that the weight of that is all on your shoulders. 

Having three key players to guide you through the process is a great way to get your company off the ground without the pressure of hiring staff members. Even if you think you can do it all on your own, it can be hard to see other perspectives when you are only looking at one. A coach can help you wear the different hats of your project so that certain responsibilities can be shifted off of you. 

Myth 2: One person can do the work of all three.

As you work through the development of your product you may think that instead of having a separate person for each area, one person could fill all three roles. Each role really needs to be filled by a different person because most leaders will have one specialty that they excel at to help their customer base grow. Each person thinks differently and it’s hard to find someone who can think with all the necessary perspectives

If you can’t imagine filling all the roles by yourself, you can’t expect one leader to fill all the roles. 

Myth 3: All coaches are the same.

The hard truth is, not all coaches will be a good fit for you and your digital product. While many will value your product and opinions, there are those out there that are just looking to make a profit off of you. With that in mind, it’s important to research and ask for feedback on your potential leaders to make sure they will help your product grow.

What makes a good coach? They listen well and repeat to understand. They join you on the journey of making your product succeed and ask the questions, “What would I do if this was my company?” They are able to give good advice and push back with your best interests in mind. 

A good coach has confidence in their proven principles and is able to keep an eye on the target as they help to move you along the process. Find a leader that celebrates your victory, but doesn’t wallow in its defeats. At the end of your journey, you will feel confident that your product had the best support behind it along the way.

Rely on experts who can help your product grow! 

If you can’t tell by now, we are a big fan of coaches. Not only will they make things significantly easier for you, but your product will experience tangible, positive effects.

As you look for a development partner for your digital product, ask about the roles their team members will play for your product. If they don’t offer a plan that fills these three roles ask if they would consider that for you. Your product will benefit substantially from the guidance and expert knowledge. 

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