View source for Product Manager's Handbook by Gorchels (2nd edition)

[[Product Manager's Handbook by Gorchels (2nd edition)]] is the second edition of ''The Product Manager's Handbook: The Complete Product Management Resource'' that has been authored by Linda Gorchels and published by NTC/Contemporary Publishing Group's NTC Business Book.

*[[Action program]]. The part of the marketing plan describing the actual steps by which the marketing strategy is implemented to reach the established objectives.
*[[Alpha test]]. A method of testing a new product prototype within the developing company to eliminate potential defects before commercial launch. For example, a manufacturer of accounting software might test a new product within its own accounting department.
*[[Benchmarking]]. Comparing a product, a product feature, or a process against best-in-class to improve the level of quality.
*[[Beta test]]. A method of testing a new product prototype under actual customer-use situations to eliminate potential defects before commercial launch.
*[[Brand equity]]. The goodwill or positive identity of a brand.
*[[Brand extension]]. A slight variation of a product, carrying the brand name of the core product.
*[[Brand manager]]. The product manager title frequently used in consumer packaged goods.
*[[Category killers]]. Large-scale companies that have changed the way business is done in their industries by operating more cost effectively: for example, Walmart in retailing, Home Depot in do-it-yourself home improvement, and W. W. Grainger in industrial distribution.
*[[Causal forecasts]]. Forecasts developed by studying the cause-and-effect relationships between variables: for example, housing starts might have a causal effect on the demand for private mortgage insurance.
*[[Competitive intelligence]]. The process of gathering, analyzing, and disseminating information on the competitive environment obtained through sales force input, on-line database searching, published sources, personal interviews, and so on.
*[[Concept screening]]. The evaluation of new-product ideas to determine whether they merit further analysis and development.
*[[Concept testing]]. The activity of taking new product ideas to customers for their input before further development.
*[[Continuity]]. Advertising on a continuous basis to the target market. 
*[[Contribution margin]]. The amount of revenue left after incremental costs have been subtracted.
*[[Contribution to overhead]] ([[CTO]]). The line on an income statement that indicates the amount of revenue left to cover overhead and profit after all direct and controllable costs have been subtracted.
*[[Core competencies]]. The central skills and knowledge of a company that provide its strengths against competition.
*[[Customer visit program]]. A method of qualitative marketing research whereby product managers visit customers as part of a team with the sole purpose of collecting market information (such as ideas for new products).
*[[Delphi technique]]. A method of reconciling subjective forecasts by using a sequential series of estimates derived from a panel of experts. Often used in forecasting technological change.
*[[Distribution channel]]. The set of all the firms and individuals that take title, or assist in transferring title, to a particular product or service as it moves from the producer to the customer.
*[[Early indicator chart]]. A chart of "red flags" that might indicate that a new-product launch is not moving at the pace required in the launch materials.
*[[Fixed costs]]. Costs that don’t vary with production or sales level. Rent, heat, and executive salaries are examples of fixed costs.
*[[Flanker brands]]. Products created to reach a new market segment without altering the positioning of the main brand. For example, a new product or brand might be created for a low-priced segment of the market rather than reducing the price of the core product.
*[[FMCG]]. Fast-moving consumer goods.
*[[Focus group]]. A semistructured, free-flowing interview with a small group of customers, usually for the purpose of obtaining qualitative research.
*[[Frame of reference]]. The set of products a customer considers when making a purchase decision in a given product category.
*[[Frequency]]. The average number of times a customer sees an advertising message within a given time period.
*[[Gross margin]]. Sales revenue less cost of goods sold.
*[[Incremental costs]]. Costs that change with a decision to produce an additional quantity of product. These would include direct costs plus any semifixed costs (such as adding an additional shift) resulting from an increase in quantity produced.
*[[Launch]]. The introduction of new product to the market.
*[[Launch control plan]]. The identification of activities to be performed as part of new product commercialization, as well as the recognition of "red flags" to look for during the process.
*[[Market segmentation]]. The process of breaking a group of potential customers into smaller, more homogeneous subsets.
*[[Matrix organization]]. An organizational structure in which individuals have both direct line (i.e., functional) reporting relationships as well as responsibilities to work horizontally with other groups in the company.
*[[Milestone activities chart]]. A list of the desired dates of completion for various "milestone" activities of a new-product launch, such as purchasing equipment, finalizing package design, and obtaining legal clearance.
*[[New-product proposal]]. A summary of a business plan for a new product concept.
*[[Parity]]. Being perceived the same as all competitors, such as with commodity products.
*[[Perceptual map]]. A visual depiction of how customers position a product versus its competitors along identified factors.
*[[Positioning statement]]. A statement of how a product offering is to be perceived in the minds of customers relative to the competition.
*[[Price sensitivity]]. The degree to which a target market is motivated by price in making purchase decisions.
*[[Product fact book]]. A compilation of all information a company has on a product, its customers, and the product’s competitors.
*[[Product management team]]. A cross-functional group used by some companies to make product management decisions in lieu of or in conjunction with product managers.
*[[Prototype]]. A mock-up or preliminary version of a new product used for research purposes.
*[[Pulsing]]. Grouping marketing communications within a given period of time to provide more intensity or impact than could be obtained from spreading those same communications evenly throughout the year.
*[[Reach]]. The number or percent of the target market being exposed to an advertising message within a given time period.
*[[Regression]]. A statistical method of relating a causal variable, such as an economic indicator, to sales. Future sales are then forecast by inserting the estimated causal variable into the equation.
*[[Return on promotional investment]] ([[ROPI]]). A calculation of revenue generated directly from marketing communications, expressed as a percentage of the investment in those communications.
*[[Roll-out]]. The process of introducing a new product to the market by selectively prioritizing the markets and the order in which they receive the new product.
*[[Segment management]]. The process of organizing internal decisions and job roles by market segment rather than by product or function.
*[[Share]]. The portion of the overall sales in a market accounted for by a particular product, brand, or service. Also referred to as market share or share-of-market (SOM).
*[[Standard Industrial Classification]] ([[SIC]]). Numeric government codes assigned to companies to designate the industry they are in.
*[[Target market]]. A market or portion of a market that a firm attempts to serve by actively allocating resources to it. Sometimes referred to as "served market."
*[[Test marketing]]. Taking a new product to a limited number of cities, companies, or geographic regions to test the effectiveness of a marketing strategy before the product is launched.
*[[Unique selling proposition]] ([[USP]]). A term used to describe the primary competitive differentiation of a product or service to be addressed in marketing communications.
*[[Variable costs]]. Those costs that vary directly with the level of production. They tend to be constant per unit produced.

[[Category: Reference Books]]