The Chinese New Year will be celebrated on January 31rd in the U.S. It will be a 15-day festival, which was first celebrated over 4,000 years ago. This celebration reveals what the Chinese have considered important over the years and how they are adjusting to the rapidly changing present, which has brought increased wealth and a shift in the population. The Chinese New Year can teach us a lot about Product Marketing, such as how to be a ‘Mighty Dragon’ in our field, and on the importance of evolving with the times while remaining true to (the product’s) roots. It also highlights the value of being colorful and exciting!

Here are some Product Marketing lessons we should adopt from the Chinese New Year.

The Year of the Horse

Translation: The Importance of Enduring Conventional Media

According to the Chinese, this is the year of the Wooden Horse. Wood Horses tend to be stable, strong, and great decision makers. These are qualities that you, as a Product Marketer, should look to adopt in the Chinese New Year.

The celebration of the Chinese New Year- a tradition which has sustained thousands of years- teaches us about the need to evolve in order to succeed in changing environments, while still remaining true to our roots. Similarly, the horse is a persistent symbol that continues to endure amid changes.  In the Year of the Horse, you need to make use of traditional Product Marketing Tools that have endured the changes in the marketing world.

Conventional marketing should play an important role in your marketing efforts. Email pitches, press releases, and calendar posts will continue to be useful this year. Conventional media has continued to endure the dynamic nature of the marketing world. This is one of the most significant lessons from the Chinese New Year.

Rid Misfortune to Welcome Good Fortune

Translation: Out With the Bad, in With the Good

During Chinese New Year celebrations, families clean the entire house to get rid of misfortunes and create space for incoming luck. This is a valuable lesson for you in the Year of the Horse.

In the same way, look at your usual routine. See what should be eliminated because it brought ‘misfortune’ in the past. Revaluate what is useful and why. By eliminating what no longer serves your marketing routine, you make room for new, better serving methods. And while you’re at it, clean your office.

A Time to Come Together

Translation: Interact with Colleagues

The Chinese New Year brings families together. They share meals and enjoy spending time with each other.

As a product marketing professional, this is a good opportunity to reflect upon your interactions with colleagues. They are your family in the workplace. Teamwork is important for successful product marketing. All your colleagues need to understand their role in the marketing process and how this contributes to the organization’s goals. Interact with your colleagues and explain the advantages of projects they are involved in. When everyone on the team is on the same page, it will be easier to attain your marketing goals. The interaction can also help you to develop new marketing ideas for upcoming and existing products.

A Year of Freedom

Translation: Explore New Ventures

The year of the Horse is all about Freedom. The Chinese New Year ushers in new adventures. Explore new product marketing opportunities in 2014.

Look at new ways to use engage with your existing marketing platforms. Twitter is considered one of the most popular social media platforms and, although, the 140 character limit is restrictive, it is impossible to ignore its value. Explore the world of Twitter as you seek to engage with customers on a more personal level. It is also a great platform to interact with bloggers and new reporters. These people can be very useful because most of them focus on specific industries. Most media networks use Twitter. This makes it easy to approach them when you have a new product or service. There are no limits to what you can achieve in 2014. The Chinese New Year offers a clean slate and this is the mindset that you should have this year. This is a great opportunity to come up with an exciting and colorful marketing strategy.

In Summary, Be the Mighty Dragon of Product Marketing! There are endless possibilities at the start of the New Year. This is the time to personalize your product marketing efforts. Apply these lessons from the Chinese New Year to attain your product marketing objectives.

Wishing your marketing initiatives much good fortune in the Year of the Horse!