AMA: Yelp Product Marketing Expert & Mentor, Jennifer Kay Corridon on Stakeholder Management

Let's be real- flat organizations have implied hierarchies & gaining alignment and decisions at the C-level requires careful orchestration and a strategic approach to group dynamics. Here's how I navigate this: Start with circulating conversations: Before taking anything to the C-suite, I focus on informal discussions with key stakeholders. I frame these as opportunities to explore ideas and uncover concerns. For example, if I’m proposing a new pricing model, I’ll first talk to sales leaders ...Read More

Balancing feedback and buy-in while keeping it manageable is a mix of clarity, focus, and diplomacy. After several starts and stumbles learned over time, here's how I approach it: Set the stage early: Before diving into feedback, I clarify the goals and non-negotiables upfront. For example, I’ll say, “We’re aligned on launching X by this date—feedback today should focus on positioning and messaging.” This narrows the scope and avoids endless loops of input. Know your influencers: Every group has ...Read More

I haven’t specifically used stakeholder empathy maps, but I’ve built them for customers and the concept could be valuable for internal alignment. Here’s how I think about it: Why it’s useful: Empathy maps help distill what stakeholders think, feel, and need. For example, mapping out what sales leaders care about (e.g., faster deal velocity, competitive positioning) versus what product cares about (e.g., feature adoption, customer satisfaction) can highlight shared goals and potential tension poi ...Read More

When there’s no formal launch process, chaos can easily and does creep in. I’ve found that creating a flexible tiering system is a great way to organize launches, prioritize effectively, and bring structure to the team while earning buy-in from engineering and product management. Establish a tiering framework:I categorize launches into tiers based on impact and effort. For example: Tier 1: High-impact, cross-functional launches that require significant resources (e.g., a new product or major fea ...Read More

Visibility is about showing value without arrogance and creating connections across teams. By consistently tying your work to the company’s broader success and sharing it in ways people can relate to, you build a reputation that carries across all levels.1. Share your wins strategically: I make it a point to share the why and impact behind my work, not just the tasks I completed. For example, instead of saying, “I launched a new pricing campaign,” I’ll say, “Our new pricing campaign drove a 15% ...Read More

Keeping stakeholders informed is about being proactive, consistent, and tailoring communication to their needs. I rely on a few key practices & frameworks and then tailor it to projects and the people involved. Set a cadence and stick to it: For regular updates, I have a set rhythm—monthly newsletters for broad updates, bi-weekly syncs for core teams, and weekly Slack pings for fast-moving projects. People know when and where they’ll hear from me, which builds trust. Tailor the message: "Wha ...Read More

When building an annual marketing plan, I focus on creating clarity around goals, solving open questions, and aligning stakeholders. Here’s my approach: Start with the goals: I anchor the plan in company-level objectives (e.g., revenue growth, market share) and connect marketing-specific goals to those outcomes. For example, if the company is aiming for a 9% growth target, I might set objectives around acquisition campaigns, upselling, or increasing ARR per customer. Define the big questions: I ...Read More

In most of my experiences sales leads in the company, it shapes decision-making and prioritization around revenue-driving activities, often creating a high-pressure, fast-paced environment. As a pmm leader, this dynamic requires me to: Align closely with sales goals: Everything marketing does must be tied to sales enablement and revenue outcomes. For example, campaigns are evaluated not just on impressions but on how they influence SQLs or pipeline growth. I’ve learned to position marketing as a ...Read More