Question Page

What are some tips you have for answering the infamous PMM interview question: "Tell me about a successful product launch you led."

LeTisha Shaw
LeTisha Shaw
UserTesting Head of E-commerce | Formerly Merck, Disney, EvernoteFebruary 25

Yes, this is a pretty standard PMM interview question. When I ask, I am typically looking to see if the candidate understands product launch and go-to-market fundamentals. I'm also interested in which parts of the launch they led (i.e. was it a specific marketing channel or soup-to-nuts?). 

I also like to ask different variations of this question, like "tell me about a product launch that did not go well and you had to get back on track" because let's be honest, not every launch goes exactly the way we plan :)

11230 Views
Sharadhi (Gadagkar) Patel
Sharadhi (Gadagkar) Patel
ServiceNow Director, Platform and AI Product MarketingJune 1

An A+ product launch example to me includes the following characteristics or elements:
What stage of the product launch the candidate was involved in. 


1. Clear delineation between the PMM and PM’s responsibilities for the product launch and where there was overlap.
2. Examples of cross functional alignment between product, marketing, and the GTM teams.
3. An example of something that didn’t go according to plan during the launch and how the candidate overcame it.
4. An out of the box marketing activity or tactic that was used that helped make this launch stand out.
5. Why the candidate felt this launch was successful and why it stood out to them.
6. The ability to tell this product launch story in a clear, concise and compelling way.

6088 Views
Sharebird PMM Exec Event - Product Launches
Wednesday, November 20 • 8:30PM PT
Sharebird PMM Exec Event - Product Launches
Virtual Event
Lindsay Bayuk
Lindsay Bayuk
FullStory CMOOctober 27

If you do really exceptional work and execute a masterful launch that delivers meaningful outcomes for your product, you’ll have a great story for the next interview. Just do the work. The results and stories will come. I'd also add that part of being a great product marketer is being a storyteller. So consider that the way you tell the story is just as important (if not more important) than the results of the lanch itself.

3362 Views
Mary Sheehan
Mary Sheehan
Adobe Head of Lightroom Product Marketing | Formerly Google, AdRollJuly 12

Tell them about one! Just like any interview question, break it down into its components and relate your story. Start by explaining the product you launched, its purpose, and how it fulfilled a need in the market. Describe the process of planning and executing this launch - from ideation to execution. Talk about any challenges that arose during the process and how you overcame them. Finally, share some of the results that you achieved during the launch such as increased sales. Also mention any feedback from customers or stakeholders who were involved in the process. Most of all, be confident and provide as much detail as possible about your experience – this will help give the interviewer a full understanding of what kind of PMM you are. Good luck!

5596 Views
Top Product Marketing Mentors
Mary Sheehan
Mary Sheehan
Adobe Head of Lightroom Product Marketing
Jeffrey Vocell
Jeffrey Vocell
Panorama Education Head of Product Marketing
Kevin Garcia
Kevin Garcia
Anthropic Product Marketing Leader
April Rassa
April Rassa
Clari VP, Solutions Marketing
Susan "Spark" Park
Susan "Spark" Park
Monzo Director of Product Marketing
Leah Brite
Leah Brite
Gusto Head of Product Marketing, Employers
JD Prater
JD Prater
AssemblyAI Head Of Product Marketing
Jeff Hardison
Jeff Hardison
Calendly VP of Product Marketing
Meghan Keaney Anderson
Meghan Keaney Anderson
Watershed VP of Marketing - Product Marketing & Communications
Marcus Andrews
Marcus Andrews
Pendo Sr. Director of Product Marketing