Lindsay Bayuk

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.

A great product marketing manager is obsessive about their craft. They study product marketing. They watch how other companies execute their product marketing. They follow practitioners and strategists on Twitter. They read all the classic books on product marketing, product management and copywriting. They focus on being great for the sake of being great and delivering results, not to climb the career ladder. 

Great question! This is so important. Because product marketing is often the "glue", it’s easy to miss how critical it is to driving company alignment and growth. Make sure that you have a regular cadence of updates and clear/measurable metrics reported to your CMO and Executive team. Being proactive about advocating for your function is part of being a great marketer!

First I think a generalist needs to learn about the core pillars of product marketing. I have a post I’ve written about the four pillars of product marketing. I would recommend that a generalist marketer figure out how their experience has taught them about each aspect of product marketing and have specific examples to make the tie. 

Intangible: Curiosity, resilience, diplomacy, grit, and being an evangelist for your product/space. The best product marketers can flip between the forrest and the trees. They understand where their market is headed. They can speak with Executives and support reps with ease.

Tactical: Relationship building, public speaking, writing, editing, analysis/modeling, extreme attention to detail, and survey design.

I look to see if that person is already leading teams. A great product marketer already leads through influence. They will already lead cross-functional teams through launches or campaigns and they will already lead their team through challenges. I always look to promote someone who's already doing the work without being asked and without having the title.