Jacki Brown

What I believe you are describing is selling a Service vs. a Product. Ultimately, it's the same thing. For instance, a Marketing Agency's product is their marketing ideas, creative work, etc. but really, they provide a service. Like any other product, for a service, you should know the target buyer, the challenge you are solving for them, and how you do it most effectively. You should have a good understanding of the competition and the overall market and industry. Make sure you're clear about what it is you are actually selling, but still lead in with the value of safety and reputation management.

It depends on how much information you already have to start with. I've found (and the Pragramatic Institute agrees) that you need to do qualitative research first. Then, once you have some idea, you can formulate that information into a quantitative assessment. But you need to have enough information to know what to put as the survey response options, for example.

* What are you looking for in your next role? * Tell me about a time when you created positioning for a new solution. What was the process you took? * Tell me about a time when you navigated a challenging stakeholder. * What is your approach to learning a new industry? * Tell me about a time when you launched a solution. What did you do to make the launch successful? * (And I always ask for writing samples!)

I recommend using an established framework like the Pragmatic Marketing Framework. That being said, nearly every company defines the handoff between Product and Product Marketing differently and it is an ongoing challenge. Ultimately, this comes down to the leadership between both groups to find alignment. My preference is Product own research about: * The Ideal Ideal Customer Profile * The Total Addressable Market * The User * The Competition's product functionality They define why the solution is created and who it can be sold to. Product Marketing own research about: * The Industry * The Buyer Personas * The Competition's messaging They define how to create positioning, messaging, and packaging that will connect with that audience.

Stood out: * Being innately curious and asking relevant questions * Demonstrating excellent writing I once took a chance and hired a product marketer who had no prior marketing experience. What did he have then? He was a self-published author. That tells you something about his ability to write and dedication to making things happen. He had a tech background. He was incredibly easy to talk to and quickly asked questions that were insightful to what I was sharing. He was curious about the products and the industry and eager to learn. He was an excellent culture fit and the product and sales members loved working with him. Watch outs: * Being distracted * Being unfocused and unable to respond to questions related to previous work * Not having work that can be shared as examples Some of these things are just no-gos on any interview. A PMM needs to be able to focus and simplify a message. If they can't simplify their own message, that's going to be problematic. Not having example work that can be shared is worrisome. That being said, I don't hold it against someone if they don't have example writing content. Some companies have copywriters! Have them do a writing exercise.

Make sure your messaging is tailored to the needs of the buyer. It should be specific, concise, and direct. Make it very clear what it is that you are selling and what the value will be for the buyer. Then introduce what could happen if they don't address that challenge. Add a timeliness to the offer - ie. X number of seats remaining, one day left to register, etc. Recognize that "conversion" looks different at different stages of the funnel. Getting someone to watch a video or register for a webinar is easier than getting someone to talk to a Salesperson on the phone. So set those expectations and KPIs appropriately. Create content that will engage and provide value to the prospect early so you build trust and credibility. Then it's easier to build up to that higher value ask.

First - remember that customers are people! In B2B world we tend to overcomplicate. Instead, we need to simplify our messaging. What are you selling? Who is it for? What problem does it solve? Be as concise as possible. Of course, every industry does have its own lingo and it does help to be familiar with it. To do that, have your Sales team or Account team introduce you to existing customers. In the best case scenario, shadow someone for the day in person. Even a 30 minute conversation will do. Your Sales team should be able to take a look at your copy and identify if there's something that sounds off. Even better if you can find someone who worked in the industry and how works for your company. They're the people you want to make best friends with.

You definitely want to use a number of tactics to round out the research for your messaging. * Talk to the Product / Leadership team - why did they create the product? What makes it unique? * Talking to the Sales team - what do prospects get most excited about when Sales is pitching? What helps them close the deal? What do prospects seem most concerned about? * Talking to customers / the buyer persona - what is their biggest challenge in their day to day work? Why did they select your solution? How does your solution help them most? What is their favorite part about your solution? * Reading industry publications - what are the hot topics right now in the industry? Do you solve for any of those unique challenges? * Asking ChatGPT - what does it say about your buyer persona? The industry?