Let’s be real—prioritization without user input feels a lot like this meme. You’re sitting in the middle of chaos, building features no one needs, burning through dev time and budgets, and convincing yourself, “This is fine.” Spoiler alert: it’s not.
And here’s the thing: prioritization is everything. It’s the gritty, roll-up-your-sleeves part of the work. In B2B enterprise products, it’s the fine line between delighting your customers or losing them, hitting your revenue targets or missing the mark. And yet, so many product teams still treat prioritization like a group project where everyone gets a say, and no one gets the accountability.
Let Me Share a Story
Once upon a time, I took on a freelance product consulting gig for a small-sized B2C startup. They were gearing up for a big investor pitch and needed help refining their roadmap. The goal was clear: show they could grow into an enterprise-ready platform.
The founders were ambitious, and their roadmap reflected it. It had everything from launching new integrations to revamping the UI, fixing long-standing bugs, and building an analytics dashboard. They wanted to do it all—and they wanted it done yesterday.
During our call, I asked, “What’s the most critical outcome you want from the roadmap in the next six months?”
- “We need to impress investors.”
- “Our customers are asking for better reporting.”
- “Sales needs those integrations to close deals.”
It became clear that the real issue wasn’t just an overloaded roadmap—it was the lack of a clear focus. They were trying to please everyone: investors, customers, sales, and engineering. And as a result, they weren’t moving meaningfully in any direction.
Consensus ≠ Leadership
Here’s where they fell short. They treated prioritization like a democracy, where the loudest voice wins, instead of taking ownership. Consensus isn’t leadership. It’s a trap many product managers fall into—thinking that if everyone agrees, the roadmap is “safe.” But in reality, it’s just indecision dressed up as collaboration.
The Priority Action Plan
If you’re still using techniques like MoSCoW or $100 exercises to rank initiatives, it’s time to level up. Sure, these methods are fine for junior PMs or small teams, but let’s face it—they don’t scale for enterprise complexity. Prioritization today requires a strategic lens and data-backed decisions.
1. Anchor Every Decision to Strategy
Before you even think about prioritizing, revisit your company’s goals. What’s the one metric that defines success this year? ARR growth? Retention? Market expansion?
2. Data Over Gut Feel
We’re in the age of AI, and customer intelligence. Use it. Customer journey analytics can reveal where enterprise customers drop off. Revenue attribution models can quantify the dollar impact of features.
3. Build a Prioritization Framework (And Stick to It)
Your framework should be simple enough for teams to use autonomously but robust enough to withstand scrutiny.
The Product Leadership Mindset
Here’s the kicker: prioritization isn’t just a tactical exercise—it’s a leadership skill. A great Product Leader doesn’t just juggle initiatives; they create clarity. They empower their teams to say no to distractions and yes to what matters.
Here’s to 2025 and Beyond
In B2B enterprise, your product isn’t just a tool—it’s a partnership. Customers are betting their business on you, and they expect results. That’s why prioritization in isn’t about ranking features; it’s about delivering outcomes.
So, stop guessing. Start leading. Anchor your decisions in strategy, back them with data, and own the hard calls. When you do, prioritization stops being a chore and becomes your competitive edge.
The question isn’t What should we work on? The question is: What will drive the biggest impact—and are you brave enough to lead the way?