AMA: Instruqt VP of Marketing & Product, Sean Lauer on Influencing the C-Suite

Love this question because it's one that is bound to come up as you move up within an organization. My suggestion is to think about the action plan from both a qualitative and quantitative perspective. First, get alignment around shared outcomes and metrics so it's clear both sides are working toward the same goal. Then, work to rebuild the "softer" side of the relationship. Redefine or clarify roles and responsibilities, clarify expectations and deliverables, and most importantly, build better ...Read More

I love this question because I think prioritization is a crucial aspect of business success (not just PMM). Ultimately, it comes down to communication. If you think of the PMM plan as a product roadmap, then you continually need to communicate and re-align on it. While the repetition feels like overkill, it will keep your work top of mind and create a constant reminder of the trade-offs that would need to be made to re-prioritize. A few tips to help: Agree early (and often) - Build the plan, soc ...Read More

There isn't just one person that a PMM leader needs to align with, but that's the best part of being in PMM. As the connective tissue for GTM, including product, you need to place yourself at the intersection of most leaders in the organization. The impact of PMM needs to be spread across the teams that can take your value and apply it directly to the business. Below are some key players and the input you can provide to build alignment and connection: CEO / founder - If PMM is the voice of the c ...Read More

This can sometimes feel like mission impossible, but you need to take on the mindset of a c-level leader. They're operating at the business outcomes level, not the day to day level where additional resources will dramatically change the work. The key is to connect the change to measurable outcomes. Some additional things to consider: Lead with metrics - Before you talk about what you need, talk about what you're trying to impact for the business. Position your needs around the outcomes that the ...Read More

This is a really great question and one that takes experience (and trial and error) to be able to navigate. What it comes down to is persuasion skills and the ability to show that thoughtful and compelling messaging is more impactful than what an exec wants to dictate. Here are a few steps I would take to be successful: Align on what "good" looks like - create agreement on the metrics that matter Differentiate between messaging and copy - align on the intent of the words before the words themsel ...Read More

This is a great leadership move from my perspective. As a marketing leader, you'll only as good as your team. You can hire good people and create the environment for them to excel, but letting them get the recognition they deserve is the icing on the cake. Here's a few tips from my own experience: Invite team members to key exec meetings - seems obvious on the one hand, but creating presence for your team members is the least you can do Allow your team to speak to metrics - when you report regul ...Read More

If I understand this question correctly, it's about balancing the AI hype with the realities of the business. There's some truth to the AI hype and everyone should have a clear AI strategy, but at the same time, it's not the only thing that's important to the business. Creating a balanced approach to strategy is critical as we navigate the almost-daily announcements about new AI advancements, platforms, etc. Here are a few approaches you can take: Make sure "AI" is tied to business outcomes - "A ...Read More