What Product Marketers ACTUALLY Do in Tech Companies!

Summary

The video explores the role of a Product Marketing Manager (PMM), highlighting its growing importance in tech companies. Jeff, a PMM with five years of experience, explains the different types of products PMMs work on (B2C, B2B, B2D), the distribution of their time between communication, execution, and solo tasks, and the qualities that make successful PMMs, such as flexibility and strong communication skills. The video also outlines the responsibilities of a PMM across a product’s lifecycle, from pre-launch to maturity, offering insights into how marketing strategies evolve at each stage.

Takeaways

• 💼 Product marketing has become crucial in tech companies, with a strong demand for product marketing managers (PMMs).
• 📊 There are three main product categories PMMs work on: Business-to-Consumer (B2C), Business-to-Business (B2B), and Business-to-Developer (B2D) products.
• 🕒 PMMs spend 40-45% of their time on communication, 40-45% on solo work, and only 5-10% on the final result of campaigns.
• 🗣 Communication is key for PMMs, both internally with teams and externally with partners, to ensure a unified narrative and adherence to guidelines.
• 🔧 Product marketing requires hard skills (especially for technical products) and soft skills, such as flexibility, strong communication, and an analytical mindset.
• 📈 The PMM role changes based on the product's lifecycle: pre-launch (market research), growth (user feedback), and mature (staying competitive).
• 📊 Data-driven decision-making is vital for PMMs, helping to prioritize actions and focus resources on the most effective channels.
• 💡 PMMs must understand their audience deeply and choose the right communication channels for both existing and new users.
• 🔄 Flexibility is crucial, as feedback from users and teams may require PMMs to pivot quickly in their strategies.
• 🏆 Being a PMM is rewarding, especially when ideas and campaigns come to life, bringing value to the product and the company.

Q & A

What is product marketing, and how is it different from regular marketing?

Product marketing focuses on promoting and positioning a specific product to the target audience, ensuring its success in the market. Unlike general marketing, which can include various forms of brand or service promotion, product marketing hones in on the specific features, target users, and lifecycle of a product.

What are the three types of products that Product Marketing Managers (PMMs) typically work on in tech?

PMMs in tech usually work on three types of products: Business-to-Consumer (B2C), Business-to-Business (B2B), and Business-to-Developer (B2D) products. B2C includes both software and hardware, B2B focuses on products for businesses, and B2D caters to developers, often offering platforms or tools for app development.

How does a PMM's role differ depending on the product's target audience?

The PMM's role adapts based on the target audience. For example, a B2C product will require campaigns focused on consumers, whereas a B2B product demands strategies aimed at businesses. Different PMMs might work on the same product but target different audiences to meet their unique needs.

How do PMMs typically spend their time?

According to the script, PMMs spend 5-10% of their time on the final deliverables or end result, 40-45% on communication with internal and external stakeholders, and the remaining 40-45% on 'alone work,' such as creating slides, tracking data, and turning meeting notes into actionable steps.

What are some high-profile events that showcase a PMM’s work?

High-profile events like Google I/O and Apple's WWDC showcase the work of PMMs. While the public sees the event’s final execution, months of planning, communication, and coordination with speakers and agencies go into these events behind the scenes.

What is 'alone work,' and why is it important for PMMs?

'Alone work' refers to the individual tasks PMMs perform, like building spreadsheets, preparing presentations, or summarizing meeting notes. Despite its name, it’s a crucial part of organizing and executing campaigns or product launches, providing structure and data for team collaboration.

What are some qualities of strong Product Marketing Managers?

Strong PMMs possess a combination of hard and soft skills. Hard skills include technical knowledge relevant to the product, while soft skills include flexibility, strong communication, the ability to manage expectations, and an analytical mindset for making data-driven decisions.

Why is flexibility important for a PMM?

Flexibility is key because even the most well-planned strategies may need to pivot based on real-time feedback from users or internal teams. PMMs must be open to adjusting their plans without letting ego get in the way.

How does data help PMMs make decisions?

Data allows PMMs to make informed decisions, such as optimizing campaign spend or determining which features or marketing channels to prioritize. For example, in a past campaign, a PMM used data to focus on the top-performing channels instead of spreading the budget across all options.

How do PMMs adapt their responsibilities across the product lifecycle?

PMMs’ responsibilities vary across the product lifecycle. In the pre-launch phase, they focus on market research and product positioning. During growth, they gather feedback and prioritize impactful changes. In the mature stage, they find ways to stay competitive and top of mind for users.