Candace Marshall

Excellent question. To answer your first question, as product marketers, we get requests for all types of content. One tip is to align on a bill of materials, segmented by launch tier. That way, every time you launch a new product, you know exactly what resources you will develop. Ensure you align and set expectations on this bill of materials with your cross-functional partners, like sales, enablement, and marketing. This will help streamline your launch efforts because any time there’s a launch, everyone is on the same page about what to expect and by when. Also, yes - you should absolutely consider bundling smaller releases together. It not only helps streamline launch efforts, but it’s better for your customers! By weaving these smaller releases into a larger narrative and use cases, you can tell a more compelling story versus doing feature marketing.

First, when it comes to verticalization, focus is good. Has your company aligned on the top verticals? Even at the XX-billion dollar companies I've served, we've prioritized max typically 6 verticals (of course aligned to GTM & marketing). Secondly, to help with organization, create a messaging hierarchy and also one central doc linking to all relevant MSDs.

It's critical for PMM to be in lock-step with Product. In fact, the two teams should be joined at the hip. There are many ways to integrate with the PM team but here are some tips: 1) establish PM to PMM mapping to ensure you have coverage across your product portfolio 2) have weekly 1-1s with your PMs 3) join PM's sprint & product planning and daily stands-up when needed (especially as you get closer to GA), Decisions on what features to focus on in each launch are usually a joint effort between the two teams. And it'll depend on many different factors including customer feedback/needs, your business broader goals/strategy, and market trends (e.g. when AI became the "it" thing, no company wanted to be left behind, causing many companies to shift their prioritization towards AI). Here at Zendesk, we have a "Market Requirement Doc" or MRD that helps PMM with launch planning. It includes product specifications, user stories, competitive analysis, market research, and more - all to help PMM with crafting messaging, GTM strategy and launch planning. All of these details are populated and aligned on between PM & PMM.

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!)

After launch, you want to immediately start gauging the success of your product launch. An easy way to track success is by funnel stage: 1. Awareness & engagement (metrics like people reached) 2. Pipeline & bookings (how many people are interested in your new product and actually buy it 3. Product Adoption (how many customers start using your products after purchasing) In my experience, it's important to align on success metrics way before launch (in fact, this should be during your launch planning) and set up the dashboards/data required to track this data (which I know can be tricky - do what you can). Typically for a major product launch (like a Tier 1), you report out on your success metrics at the end of day 1 (more focused on the awareness/engagement metrics), at the end of week 1, at the end of month 1. After that, it's good to track these metrics regularly, and every company has a difference cadence. One final thing to keep in mind: please, set up a way to get regular customer feedback post-launch. It's important to listen to your customers and reiterate (on the product, your messaging, and more!)

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.

Thank you for your question - it's an excellent one. In my experience, the platform story is distinct yet deeply complementary to product messaging. While product messaging focuses on the unique value and use cases of individual applications, the platform story highlights the horizontal elements that support and connect them—such as workflows, analytics, and integrations.

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 :)

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!

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!