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Eric Bensley

AMA: Asana Head of Global Product Marketing, Eric Bensley on Product Marketing Skills

November 6, 2024 @ 11:00AM PT

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  1. What are the most critical skills for a product marketer in an AI world?

    Eric Bensley
    Eric Bensley

    ServiceNow VP, Product Marketing - CRM • 1y

    I don't know if the skills change dramatically, and that prob feels counterintuitive. Of course, if you're going for an AI PMM role, you need to know the space in depth. And I'd say it's helpful to understand the AI space for most tech company PMM roles right now. That said, communication is communication. Gen AI tools can help you get to an MVP faster but the nuance of understanding the buyer, channel, and company goals is something only a human can grok. In a previous answer, I covered that go ...Read More

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    3 requests

  2. What are some specific strategies to create consistent communication and collaborative relationships with the product team as a PMM?

    Eric Bensley
    Eric Bensley

    ServiceNow VP, Product Marketing - CRM • 1y

    This one has to start with clear, shared goals/OKRs. You have to understand what the product team is on the hook for and figure out how your work aligns. Some product leaders are trying to get more impressions on their product, some are focused squarely on pipeline, etc. For instance, with the most recent launch I'm working on, product leadership cared most about landing a certain number of customers. So our comms to that team and between teams is about progress, pivots, and anything to do with ...Read More

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    2 requests

  3. How do product marketers make sure they're learning enough varied skills to be a well-rounded professional when scope is an issue?

    i.e. working at a large company with minimal scope, focusing on sales enablement but knowing you need experience on the product launch side, other marketing teams covering responsibilities, etc.

    Eric Bensley
    Eric Bensley

    ServiceNow VP, Product Marketing - CRM • 1y

    Keep raising your hand and try to demonstrate your capabilities beyond your current role. Jump at stretch projects and think bigger about what you're doing. If you're doing enablement, are their strategic questions you could be asking for the campaigns motion to make sure the two tie together? Could you put a proposal together about how to do something different that could change the way your company works? To get the stretch opportunities, your leaders need to see your capabilities. Show them y ...Read More

    1,226 Views
    1 request

  4. What is your superpower product marketing skill in that is a differentiator?

    I find that product marketing has become a position that doesn’t require much experience. You can be fairly seasoned and compete with someone that is just out of undergraduate because the discipline is not the same in tech as it might be in consumer goods or retail.

    Eric Bensley
    Eric Bensley

    ServiceNow VP, Product Marketing - CRM • 1y

    Positioning and product launches. The differentiation is at the margins. Anyone can create a fact sheet....not everyone can create a keynote. Anyone can launch a feature....not everyone can get press attention on a launch. I often talk about the difference between a good PMM and great PMM as the last 10%. Good PMM's get to 90% done, great PMMs care about getting it to 95%, 96%, 97%. It can feel ambiguous but good PMM leaders notice the difference here.

    1,230 Views
    1 request

  5. What core skills should new product marketing managers learn first?

    I'm new to PMM. What should I learn first to ground me in the foundation of PMM.

    Eric Bensley
    Eric Bensley

    ServiceNow VP, Product Marketing - CRM • 1y

    You're starting in a good spot here on Sharebird. I think writing and deck design are fantastic foundational skills that you can learn through online course OR in pro-bono work. It's hard to say without knowing more about your current situation but are there areas in your current work or personal life that need better communication? An upcoming event? A blog post? etc? Where can you get the at bats?

    1,379 Views
    1 request

  6. How can a senior PMM join an existing team of PMMs and elevate his/her work and contributions to a higher level?

    1 request

  7. What are the critical skills required to succeed in Product Marketing at a senior level and what are the failproof way to learn them?

    Eric Bensley
    Eric Bensley

    ServiceNow VP, Product Marketing - CRM • 1y

    Communication is #1. This is what I look for in senior leaders regardless of focus area. If it's a core PMM, I want to see launch assets or customer-facing assets. If it's a GTM PMM, I want to see internal decks walking through how strategies were set up and sold to stakeholders. Here's what I look for in communication: -Is it concise? -Is it clear? -Is it compelling? Details matter here. I look for people that intentionally choose every work and image. The failproof way to learn this is work on ...Read More

    1,722 Views
    1 request