AMA: Enable VP of Product Marketing, Amanda Groves on Messaging

AI has transformed developer marketing by enabling hyper-personalization, allowing marketers to speak directly to a developer’s specific challenges and use cases. For example, instead of sending generic emails about a new API, you can now use AI to analyze developer behavior—like the programming languages they use or the types of projects they build—and tailor messaging accordingly. Imagine a developer working on a Python-based data pipeline. With AI, your outreach could focus on how your product simplifies ETL workflows, including a code snippet or tutorial specifically for Python users. Messaging like, "Automate your ETL pipeline in under 10 minutes with our Python SDK—see how your peers are reducing processing time by 50%," feels relevant and actionable. This level of personalization not only captures attention but builds trust, as developers see your product addressing their exact needs. By leveraging AI for this kind of focused, user-specific messaging, PMMs can make their outreach far more effective.

It sounds cliche to say, but we have to use the words of our customers to avoid the "sea of sameness." This can be accomplished by running listening tours (gong/chorus), attending events, surveying, or running messaging tests via third-party tools like Wynter. Once you've landed on key concepts, lean on messaging frameworks like Emma Stratton's "Keep it Punchy" where she advises to write as it you're explaining something at a weekend BBQ. If you keep messaging conversational and friendly, you'll avoid corporate jargon and dilution.

Similarly to sizing a launch, I would consider a tiering calculator to help assess effort v. impact for product messaging and positioning as it really depends on product complexity. A tier 1 launch can take anywhere from 10-12 weeks (post dev complete stage), so knowing there is a significant lift and corresponding impact, the messaging and positioning work will inherently be more consuming than a tier 2, 3 or 4 product launch. Fortunately, there are tools to help expedite composition and validation so Product Marketers can quickly get to 0-1 on messaging and positioning. For example, a PMM could save time by using a combination of: * AI for content ideation inspiration * Wynter for messaging tests * Gong for social listening/proof across compositional stages: build, test, ship, refine In general, creating the initial messaging framework typically takes 4–8 weeks and requires a lot of effort upfront. This is where we do the heavy lifting—researching the market, understanding customer personas, analyzing competitors, and identifying the product’s unique value. It’s foundational work that informs everything else. After we have the bones in place. It's time to test and iterate alongside the market. We use the above tools along with win/loss analysis and first-hand feedback to revisit quarterly or bi-annually, to incorporate customer feedback, adapt to market trends, or support new product updates. This phase takes less time than the initial setup but still requires a solid investment to keep messaging relevant and effective. Once the core messaging is in place, it needs to be tailored for different formats like sales decks, website copy, email campaigns, and social media. This can be time-consuming since each channel has unique requirements, and you need to ensure consistency while adapting the tone and style. For a company like ours at Enable, which operates in a specific niche, I’d estimate our team has a 70/30 split of effort—70% upfront work to establish solid foundational messaging and 30% for ongoing refinement and channel dissemination.

Aligning the organization on story and messaging comes down to collaboration, clarity, and consistency. Here's how to nail it: 1. Get everyone involved early and often. 1. Bring in product, sales, and customer-facing teams from day one. Workshop the key pain points, value props, and differentiators together to ensure everyone’s voice is heard. 2. Coalesce your thoughts in a framework 1. Lock in core pillars—like, "Connect, Capture, Grow." This becomes the single source of truth that every team can adapt for their needs. 3. Pressure Test It 1. Run it by sales to see if it works in the field and customer success to confirm it reflects real user experiences. Use feedback to refine and strengthen the message. 4. Make it easy to use 1. Document everything in a playbook—examples, templates, and clear guidance. Then train your teams to make sure they know how to apply it. 5. Keep it Fresh 1. Messaging isn’t static. Check in regularly to update the story as the market, product, or competition shifts.

Some of my favorite go-to frameworks are Donald Miller's Building a Storybrand, Messaging - Emma Stratton, and Positioning - April Dunford. For example, if you need to develop launch narrative you can use Donald Miller's "StoryBrand" framework to orient your thoughts: Here are the steps: 1. A Character (your customer) 2. Has a Problem (they need to solve) 3. And Meets a Guide (your business/product) 4. Who Gives Them a Plan (your solutions) 5. And Calls Them to Action (to start the buying process) 6. That Ends in Success 7. And Helps Them Avoid Failure (what would happen if they don't buy) I recommend using this framework in joint narrative workshops with the product team, so both the PM and PMM are solutioning together.

I like to developing messaging documents based on the outcome we're driving towards. For example, if the need is surrounding company positioning, I'll use a strategic messaging map that's structured as a waterfall and ordered as follows: * Positioning messaging that includes: * Tagline, headline * Positioning statement * 25 word description * Then target customer that includes: * Business function, title and influence * Then problem statements that include: * Pain thresholds that make value props aspirin and not vitamin. * Then Value messaging that includes: * 1-3 Value Props * Value statements * Product Features * Proof points e.g., the boom stats that proof ROI/product efficacy The key to any messaging work is to ensure it's research backed, validated, and not produced in a silo. Make sure you bring people along so the final product is supported by key stakeholders and you're in a position to ship upon completion and not battle royale your way through to publishing. Here is a link to the template I've used, please make a copy if you choose to use it.

If your org has a strong data stack, you should be able to segment, target and message accordingly. Messaging and positioning also depends by journey stage and micro-funnel eg., next best action in the journey. Nothing is one size fits all.. even with diverse audiences there's some legwork involved to replace kitchen sync with Michelin star messaging. If your team has core values, make sure you anchor messaging there and then segment, alter, and ship appropriately.

Quarterly or bi-annually is fine! Enough to keep tabs on market, product, and persona changes... Some other conditions to consider: * triggered by product launches, market changes, audience feedback In addition to these touch points an annual deep dive should be completed. This would involve a full audit on your story that includes reassessing the market landscape, revalidate your positioning and ensure your framework still has legs.