Developers are the backbone of the digital age. They build the tools, apps, and platforms that power our world. Yet, when it comes to marketing those creations, many developers fall short. It’s a controversial statement, but one that bears exploration: developers, by and large, aren’t good marketers. Here’s why.
The “Builder’s Bias”
Developers are creators at heart. They invest countless hours perfecting their product, believing that if they build something great, people will naturally come. This “builder’s bias” leads them to underestimate the importance of promotion, branding, and customer acquisition strategies.
Reality Check: No matter how good a product is, without effective marketing, it’s just another needle in the digital haystack.
An Overemphasis on Features Over Benefits
When developers do attempt to market their products, they often highlight features rather than benefits. While a feature might be technically impressive, it’s the benefit—how it solves a customer’s problem—that actually sells.
Example: A developer might tout a “robust API with multi-threading support,” but what the customer wants to hear is, “Save hours of work with seamless integrations.”
Lack of Empathy for the Customer
Developers are experts in logic, but marketing is rooted in emotion. Effective marketing requires empathy—understanding the pain points, desires, and motivations of the target audience. Developers, focused on solving technical challenges, can struggle to connect with the emotional side of the customer journey.
Disdain for “Hype”
Marketing often involves creating excitement and anticipation, sometimes even bordering on hype. Developers, who value authenticity and substance, can view this as superficial or dishonest. This aversion to hype can result in marketing that feels flat and fails to capture attention.
Over-Reliance on Data
Developers love measurable, tangible results. While data is a critical component of marketing, relying solely on metrics can lead to missed opportunities. Great marketing also involves intuition, storytelling, and creative risk-taking—elements that don’t always align with a purely data-driven mindset.
Failure to Prioritize Marketing Early
In many development cycles, marketing is treated as an afterthought. The focus is entirely on building, and only once the product is complete does marketing become a priority. By then, opportunities to build an audience, generate buzz, and refine messaging based on feedback have already been lost.
How Developers Can Improve as Marketers
Learn to Speak the Customer’s Language
Focus on benefits, not features. Think about how your product improves the lives of your users and craft your messaging around that.
Embrace Storytelling
Marketing is about telling a compelling story. Share the journey of creating your product, the challenges it solves, and the people it helps.
Collaborate with Marketers
Pair your technical expertise with marketing professionals who can bring creativity and customer insight to the table. The best products are born from a synergy of skills.
Start Marketing Early
Build an audience before your product is ready. Share updates, insights, and teasers to generate interest and collect feedback.
Adopt a Growth Mindset
Marketing, like coding, is a skill that can be learned. Invest time in understanding the basics of branding, copywriting, and advertising to enhance your toolkit.