Messaging and positioning are at the core of reaching the right audience at the right time and in the right place. Storytelling reaches far and wide where features and functionality don’t. Every product marketing manager (PMM) is keen on telling the best award-winning story about their customers. You know the good and bad ones when you hear them.

Our generation grew up in the digital era, where marketing gimmicks are visible and transparent. Customers today are looking for authenticity, trust and credibility. As PMMs, it is our responsibility to manage perceptions and show the company’s value as trusted advisors.

In the world of software as a service (SaaS), customer lifetime value is critical for long-term success. We are players in an infinite game, as Simon Sinek shared. We need to define the right metrics to make sure we reach a win-win approach with people, technology and innovation in mind.

We all know we need to put the customer first, as the customer has all the power. At the start of every customer journey is the buying cycle. Whether it’s business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-consumer (B2C), the purchase price is all we talk about: How much discount or promotion? Is it the best deal or negotiation? Most of our purchases are triggered by whatever gives the most satisfaction within the context at that moment in time.

A customer’s needs often vary based on urgency and timing. For example, a week before our user conference, I had dropped my phone and cracked the screen, and I had to order a new phone. After the incident, I was convinced I needed a cellphone case to protect the phone.

While I was in Hong Kong, after checking a few shops, I realized my phone model was not a popular option, so my options were limited. I finally found a compatible phone case to meet my urgent need. Since there were only two options, I selected the option that met my need with simplicity in design as a key factor in my purchasing decision. I negotiated and felt good that it was the best price. When I came back to U.S., I randomly searched for the same product on Amazon and found a cover for my model and at a cheaper price. It all comes down to how much you’re willing to pay and the urgency.