What’s the Difference: Product vs Marketing

One of the most common questions I get is the difference in the roles between Product and Marketing.

Marketing is about capturing attention. Product is about delivering value

A good product without good marketing is a tragedy.
Good marketing without a good product is a disappointment.
However, a good product with good marketing will find success.

Product and Marketing are two complementary forces that are vital for companies to succeed. Both must exist hand-in-hand. The debate comes in deciding which comes first. Do you tell people about an idea to see if you can sell it and then build the product? Or do you figure out the product first and then try to tell people about it?

These questions are incorrect because each question tries to prioritize one over the other. Here’s the right question to ask: “Are there enough people who want a product?”

The answer to this question requires both a product and marketing. When you consider the product, you ask, “what is the most effective way of delivering value?” When you consider marketing, you ask, “what is the most effective way of capturing people’s attention?”

So, what’s most important between marketing and product? Both.