AMA: Salesforce Vice President Product Marketing, Rekha Srivatsan on Establishing Product Marketing

Great question and one that comes up all the time! The structure of the PMM team can vary depending on the size of the organization, the nature of the product, and other factors. I lead the Service Cloud PMM team, the largest cloud for Salesforce. So, it is a mature product with a billion+ annual revenue. So, my team is structured by the product portfolio, and I have one team that leads the strategic PMM initiatives like AR, PR, Launches, Website, etc. Each PMM on my team needs to be the product expert — so working closely with the product team on defining the roadmap to working on the right content to enable the field. So they are more of a generalist PMM who goes deep on a product.

Communicating product marketing updates and activities effectively to the rest of the company is crucial for ensuring alignment and support across different departments. There are a few different ways: * Slack, obviously! We have a channel for everything, so once we wrap up a project/launch/event - we share updates on the right channels. * We also do a monthly recap of all marketing activities to all the key stakeholders. The key here is being concise and metrics-centric. You lose the audience quickly, so focus mainly on the big-impact activities. * We also do a quarterly business review with key stakeholders. This is a great opportunity to look back and see what we've done and can do better next quarter. Your first step is to identify the key stakeholders for your business — marketing, product, sales, UX, etc. Once you have that, establish a rhythm that works for you — weekly, monthly, quarterly — but be extremely consistent about it.

When you are new to a PMM role, take the time to understand the product, business, people, and customers. For the first 30 days just take the time to do a listening tour from your key stakeholders to your customers. Be diligent about it and this will be the biggest foundation of your role. Gather your notes, and when you go through them, you will learn everything about your target market and how you can serve them better. Once you have that foundation, dive into the messaging. You have a fresh perspective, and don't be afraid to use it. But take the time to understand the rationale behind the messaging before jumping into changing everything. There is nothing that would alienate you further from your new team like when you suggest changing everything.

Setting up a Product Marketing function for the first time in an organization requires careful planning and strategic execution. Here's a general outline of a 30-60-90 day plan to help you establish a Product Marketing function effectively: First 30 Days: Understanding and Planning 1. Understand the Business: * Dive into the company's products, services, and overall business strategy. * Meet with key stakeholders, including product managers, sales, and leadership, to gain insights into the company's goals and challenges. 2. Define Objectives: * Clarify the objectives and goals for the Product Marketing function. * Align with the broader marketing and company objectives. 3. Assess Resources: * Evaluate existing resources, both human and material, that can be leveraged for Product Marketing. * Identify any gaps or additional resources needed. 4. Build Relationships: * Establish relationships with cross-functional teams, especially product management, sales, and customer support. * Gain insights into their perspectives and expectations. 5. Competitive Analysis: * Conduct a thorough competitive analysis to understand the market landscape. * Identify key competitors, their strengths, weaknesses, and market positioning. Next 30 Days: Strategy Development 6. Define Target Audience: * Refine or develop buyer personas based on market research and discussions with stakeholders. * Ensure alignment with sales and product teams on target customer segments. 7. Messaging Framework: * Develop a messaging framework that clearly communicates the value proposition and differentiation. * Ensure consistency across all communication channels. 8. Content Strategy: * Outline a content strategy to support product marketing initiatives. * Identify key content types needed throughout the customer journey. 9. Sales Enablement: * Collaborate with sales teams to understand their needs. * Develop sales enablement materials, including product guides, FAQs, and pitch decks. 10. Metrics and KPIs: * Define key metrics and KPIs to measure the success of Product Marketing efforts. * Set up tracking mechanisms and reporting systems. Next 30 Days: Execution and Optimization 11. Campaign Launch: * Plan and launch initial product marketing campaigns. * Monitor performance and gather feedback for optimization. 12. Feedback Loops: * Establish feedback mechanisms with sales, product, and other teams. * Use feedback to iterate and improve messaging and strategies. 13. Customer Communication: * Develop a plan for communicating product updates and news to existing customers. * Ensure customer-facing teams are briefed on these updates. 14. Evaluate and Optimize: * Analyze the performance of the initial campaigns and make data-driven adjustments. * Identify areas for improvement and optimization. 15. Documentation: * Document processes, strategies, and outcomes. * Create a knowledge base for the Product Marketing function. Beyond 90 Days: Scaling and Growth 16. Iterate and Expand: * Iterate on successful strategies and expand product marketing efforts to new markets or customer segments. * Scale the function based on the evolving needs of the business. 17. Training and Development: * Provide training sessions for other teams on product messaging and positioning. * Develop a continuous learning plan for the Product Marketing team. 18. Cross-Functional Collaboration: * Strengthen collaboration with other departments, fostering a culture of alignment and shared goals. * Seek opportunities for joint initiatives with sales, product, and customer support. 19. Thought Leadership: * Establish the Product Marketing team as thought leaders in the industry. * Explore opportunities for speaking engagements, webinars, and content partnerships. 20. Measure Impact: * Continuously measure the impact of Product Marketing on overall business goals. * Use insights to refine strategies and demonstrate the value of the function. This plan provides a structured approach to setting up a Product Marketing function and ensures a balance between understanding the organization, strategic planning, and tactical execution. Adjust the specifics based on the unique needs and dynamics of the organization you are working with.

The easiest way to break into product marketing is within your current company. Don't try to break into product marketing at a new company — it will be an uphill battle. You have a few pros trying to break into PMM at the current company: You already know the product, target market, and the business. Here's what you can do: * Start having coffee chats with your PMM team. PMM at every company is very different, so understand their role and responsibilities more. * See if you can do a joint project with the PMM team. Customer stories, demos, focus groups, events, etc. That gives you a good glimpse into the everyday life of a PMM. * Share with your manager your goal and get their support right off the bat, so they will also identify opportunities for you to move to PMM.