If you're a weak writer how do you overcome this? Especially since messaging and positioning is crucial in PMM?

Not all PMMs are great writers (myself included!), so you are definitely not alone. A lot of PMMs come from technical, analytical, or project management backgrounds, and writing clear, compelling messaging can feel daunting at first. The key is to remember that writing isn’t just about natural talent, it’s about practice, frameworks, and feedback.IMO, messaging and positioning is more about getting into the minds of the customers, solving REAL problems, and explaining how your solution does this ...Read More

First, you have to know what good writing looks like. Ask your manager, peers, and yourself -- what are some great examples of good writing? These can come from anywhere - fiction, B2B, companies you admire, thought leaders in our industry (I always love April Dunford's stuff, for example). Second, study good writing. Figure out some core principles. I always look at copy to see how it stacks up to this hierarchy of needs -- is it accurate, clear, authoritative, and does it show empathy for the ...Read More

As a product marketer, strong writing is absolutely fundamental to success. I'll be direct: I spend about 90% of my time writing - whether it's crafting messaging for external audiences, communicating with internal stakeholders, or answering that 100+ page Gartner MQ!  If you're feeling uncertain about your writing skills, here's what I've found works: First, embrace that becoming a better writer is a journey. There's no magic solution, but consistent practice is transformative. The good news? A ...Read More

Being a great writer is not a critical skill for being a great PMM. I would focus your attention on getting good at "positioning", identifying what truly matters to customers (pain point, benefits), and knowing how to identify great copywriting that conveys this. You can partner with copywriters, or even get this through contracting sites like Fiverr / Upwork (if no copywriting resource exists and your organization is low on resources).There are other competencies as a PMM (see below). I would f ...Read More

Great writers are not born great writers. Writing is a skill like any other hobby, sport, or craft -- you have to practice all the time. If this is a growth area for you, I would suggest enrolling in a storytelling workshop like Duarte to make sure you have the right frameworks and tools to construct compelling stories. Then I would practice by writing blog posts, fake press releases, internal strategy documents, etc. using your framework of choice. Continue to ask yourself if you can make it si ...Read More

I've had to coach weak writers, and I will say it's very challenging. If you are set on PMM, then to improve your writing, messaging, and positioning skills I would:- Take a class through PMA, Reforge or MasterClass on messaging, positioning, and storytelling. Or read books on it, there are so many! It's less about writing style, and more about identifying the most captivating parts of a story or the "lead" and how to structure the flow of that narrative wherever you are putting it.- Lean heavil ...Read More