AMA: Zendesk Senior Director, Product Marketing, Candace Marshall on Product Marketing Career Path

IMHO, the jump from Senior PMM to Director/Head of PMM is one of the biggest! Having people management skills is important, yes, but it's not the only skill that's needed at that level. It's critical to be a strategic leader - this means aligning initiatives with business objectives. You've got to have a proven track of cross-functional collaboration and driving results. To do this, the best PMM directors I've seen are data-driven, adaptable, and they think outside-the-box - always thinking of new ways to do something and innovate. Of course, you must also be an expert in your market/domain; in fact one way to stand out is through thought leadership. (By the way, even if you haven't had direct people management experience, you can highlight any dotted-line and mentorship experience!)

In large companies, you can make your mark as a PMM through alignment and relationships. Firstly, it's important to ensure your work directly aligns with the company's goals and objectives. Start by familiarizing yourself with your business unit's OKRs (objective key results). For example, if your company is trying to increase market share in a specific region and let's say you have a product launch coming up, you should proactively think through how to position the product and tailor the messaging to resonate with the target audience in that region. My second tip is to focus on nurturing strong relationships across functions and seniorities. This is always the case, regardless of company size, but I know it can be harder within larger organizations so be purposeful and proactive. Set up those coffee chats, make those connections, and make the effort to nurture those relationships.

The best thing about being a product marketer is the strategic role it offers and the opportunity to have a seat at the table when shaping the direction of not just a product or service, but the business as well. I also love that we serve as the voice of the customer, delving into their needs, challenges, and mindset to ensure our offerings/messaging/strategy truly resonate. On the other hand, the biggest challenge can be the ambiguity surrounding the role. Product marketing can mean very different things to different people. There's a hilarious meme about product marketers getting asked to make a one-pager pretty. As you know, our role is far more strategic and comprehensive.

Firstly, I'm so sorry if you've been impacted by layoffs. My advice is to reach out to your network for support, advice, and potential job opportunities. We're here for you! In the meantime, definitely invest in continuous learning—consider taking online courses, attending workshops, or even going to a PMM meet-up. You could also consider doing some freelance or contract work while you look for a FT job. Hang in there - you've got this!

Absolutely. In fact, there are numerous CMOs who came up the ranks through product marketing. Take a look at ex-Salesforce product marketing leaders - many of them have gone on to become CMOs of public and private companies across various sizes. To grow into a marketing leadership role, consider flexing your muscles in other marketing functions - demand gen, for instance, is also a highly sought-after marketing skill set. P.S. it's easier to make this move internally vs. getting hired as a demand-gen marketers having never done it before :)

Sounds like your business is growing - how exciting! It's hard to answer this question without knowing how your business is structured but I'm happy to share common structures for 10 pmms. Structurally, a people manager or team lead should have at least 3-4 people; this is typically a good "pod" size and enables your people manager/team leads to scale. So with 10 pmms, you could have 1 Director with 2 people managers with 3-4 under them. When b2b businesses are growing, typically the focus for pmms are on product development and launch so typically I've seen pmms aligned to products/parts of the product portfolio. But this is very different for b2c where typically I've seen pmms aligned to audience segments (e.g. smb, comm, upper comm).

My best advice is just dive right in! Learning happens best on the job, even if it feels uncomfortable at times (trust me, I've been there). Stay focused on the objective/project at hand, but make sure to carve out time for feedback and coaching from your manager, especially if you're taking on new challenges/initiatives. And don't forget your team—they're there to support you. Stay curious, be agile, and never hesitate to ask questions. You've got this!