Amazon takes a unique approach to product development by first creating a press release for a hypothetical product before building anything. This allows them to work backwards from the customer to ensure there is genuine market need. They outline the problem, existing solutions, and how their solution is better. If Amazon employees cannot easily explain the product without jargon, it does not move forward. They also subject press releases to the "Oprah test" - would the announcement excite her TV audience? Only products that pass this test of explaining customer value in simple terms proceed to development. This process has helped Amazon become the world's largest online retailer over the past 20 years by focusing on solutions that customers want.

1. Working Backwards the
Amazon way !
by Neil Patel
www.neilpatel.co

2. Introduction
According to Bloomberg
80% of people who start businesses fail, within the first
18 months. That’s a big percentage!

3. Why?

4. or Nobody Needs
The No 1 reason is because you
have built a product that nobody
wants

5. This is Amazon’s
Approach

6. Create a press release outlining the value of
the product to its potential customers before
the product is built
Amazon’s Approach

7. They outline what problem they are solving,
the existing solution and their solution that
will hopefully persuade potential customers
to buy the hypothetical product.
Press Release

8. Is not Geeky or technical but simple and
straightforward. If Amazon employees find it
difficult to explain then it doesn't get built!
Press Release

9. believes any product should be jargon free
and be able to pass the Oprah test
Amazon Management

10. What??
OPRAH TEST

11. Imagine yourself sitting next to Oprah on her sofa ,
prime time TV with an excited audience and the
worldwide millions. When Oprah reads the press
release will this be something that is going to excite the
audience or sound boring?
The Oprah Test

12. If it sounds boring then
don’t expect anyone to
buy it!

13. Buy you are not selling it to yourself but to
complete strangers!
You may think it’s the
best thing since sliced
bread

14. - A Quick Guide
How to create a Press
release

15. If you need more info then I suggest creating
a FAQ(frequently asked questions)
I suggest 4 to 5
sentences for most of the
paragraphs

16. Intrigue the reader into reading the next line
Attention Grabbing
Headline

17. Also you can add the 5 why’s - Who,
What,When,Where, Why
Who is it for and what
problem does your
product solve

18. Add your new idea of a product & also add the key
solution features and why its different than the
competing product. Make sure your product is desirable
by creating a case study
What is your amazing
solution to the problem?

19. What benefit did the customer get from this?
Did it save them time, money, make them
more popular, etc?
A quote from you and a
hypothetical customer

20. What should the reader do next?
Have a call to action

21. Conclusion

22. They have done it by working backwards
from the customer
Over the last 20 yrs , Amazon have
become the worlds biggest online
retailer

23. don’t build anything yet!
Work backwards from the customer
If you have an idea for the
next Facebook or Twitter

24. Create a press release
like Amazon

25. Will it generate excitement of will people
switch off?
Then Imagine you are sitting on Oprah
Winfrey’s sofa in front of the millions
around the world while she announces it
to the world

26. Thanks for Watching
Lets connect
www.neilpatel.co
hello@neilpatel.co
The End