Every API Needs a Product Manager

Every Cloud Service Needs API Product Manager The marketer’s point
of view

@Elie__ “API” VS “Product”

@Elie__ “My API is my product” They say:

@Elie__ Are they wrong? “A mean rather than an end”

Headline should look like this @Elie__ API = Deliver a
Product ≠ Product. = A way to access an app.

Headline should look like this @Elie__ “Their product is delivered
through an API.” All we can say? But still, it feels wrong

@Elie__ No APIs Before the Product Manager Came in

Headline should look like this @Elie__ Now Everybody Knows About
APIs B2C / Prosumers

Headline should look like this @Elie__ Made APIs popular: EC2,
S3... Productization by

Headline should look like this @Elie__ Wait. “Productization?” It sounds
bad but...

Headline should look like this @Elie__ Building products That’s what
they do

Headline should look like this @Elie__ Before productization Only potential

Headline should look like this @Elie__ After productization Usable

@Elie__ Productization Is Vital

@Elie__ To Sell

@Elie__ Bezos didn’t invent REST, Jobs didn’t invent touchscreens Product
Management Is Key

@Elie__ Hum. Not convinced?

@Elie__ Know this startup? = 100% API-driven

@Elie__ Know this guy? Ex Product Manager @Amazon

@Elie__ API Veterans

@Elie__ Not a single person But still, the product was
an API

@Elie__ “As a service” Means you are Selling a Product,
Not a Service

@Elie__ Classic deﬁnitions Still valid?

@Elie__ = Physical Goods

@Elie__ = Immaterial SERVICE

@Elie__ Can’t Touch MP3s But I can listen to it

@Elie__ = The way the product is delivered Pay attention
to the “as a”

“SaaS”, “Web Service”... = Business Model / Marketing Notion  
= “Get the advantages of a product, but consume it like a service.”

@Elie__ “Products” are Consistent While “Services” are Not

@Elie__ “Products” YOU pick them.

@Elie__ “Services” THEY perform.

@Elie__ Consistency VS uncertainty

@Elie__ Companies want to deliver products, not services.

@Elie__ “Your most valuable assets walk in and out of
the door every day.” A Service Company

@Elie__ “To create a service business you can sell, do
whatever you can to make your business have a product and a formula that predictably delivers results.” David Ogilvy

@Elie__ MUST be products Bottom line:

@Elie__ Turning Your API Service into a Product

Headline should look like this @Elie__ Again (I don’t own
stocks)

Headline should look like this @Elie__ 1- Name it 2-
Package it 3- Write instructions 4- Words of caution 5- Barcode it 6- Copywrite it Follow the recipe: Let’s try with an API?

Headline should look like this @Elie__ 1- Name it 2-
Package it 3- Write instructions 4- Words of caution 5- Barcode it 6- Copywrite it ‣ Mailjet ‣APIs ‣API Doc ‣Terms of Use ‣SaaS ‣Proprietary MTA See how it works Thanks P&G!

@Elie__ The API Manager makes the magic happen

I've studied philosophy but my head ended up in the
cloud. ! Head of Marketing @Mailjet Follow me @Elie__ @Elie__ About Me

See ya! elie.li speakerdeck.com/elie @Elie__

Every API Needs a Product Manager

Every API Needs a Product Manager

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