Businesses are becoming customer-centric and the role of professionals such as product marketing managers (PMMs) are increasingly becoming prominent. However, it is important to understand what does a product marketing manager do, before getting into the nitty-gritty of this role, such as its importance and impact on the business.
A product marketing manager is at the intersection of product development, marketing, and sales. They play an essential role in helping companies understand how their products are perceived in the market. Their tasks and duties help businesses ensure their products meet the market demands, resonate with the customers, and drive growth.
In this article, we take a deep dive into understanding the roles and responsibilities of PMMs to understand what does a product marketing manager do. Here, we will discuss responsibilities like market research & analysis, planning & executing product launches, and more.
Also read: Product Marketing vs. Product Management
What Does a Product Marketing Manager Do: Key Roles and Responsibilities
The demand for professionals like product marketing managers is rapidly increasing across industries. However, it is very important to understand what does a product marketing manager do, to learn more about the role. Such knowledge can help you determine if this career suits you or not.
Let’s look at their responsibilities and understand what does a product marketing manager do:
- Market research & analysis
- Positioning & messaging
- Planning for product launches & execution
- Sales enablement
- Customer feedback & product improvement
Market Research & Analysis
It is one of the key and foundational responsibilities of a PMM. They have to regularly conduct thorough market research and analysis to determine the current position of the company and to help enhance the product to improve overall customer experience.
In this regard, the product marketing manager has to stay updated with the latest market trends, understand customer needs, and analyze the competitive landscape. This way they can identify any market opportunities as well as potential threats and opportunities.
Additionally, market research also helps in defining the target audience by segmenting the target market and tailoring business strategies accordingly.
With such segmentation, product marketing managers can craft messages and campaigns resonating with specific groups.
Also read: The Product Manager Career Path
Positioning & Messaging
What does a product marketing manager do? Well, they help in determining the positioning and messaging strategies for a company’s product and also make a future plan. The PMMs should develop a clear understanding of positioning and messaging for the product.
They have to craft a message that conveys unique propositions for the products and differentiates the product from that of the competitors.
Messaging is an important part of a PMM’s responsibilities because it helps convey the product’s value resonating with the target audience. The PMMs have to develop a unique message that showcases the product narrative effectively while maintaining the brand’s voice and tone. Further, they have to ensure that the messaging is consistent across all channels from advertising and social media to sales pitches, etc.
Planning for Product Launch & Execution
Another important responsibility of the PMMs is to plan product launches and execute them perfectly. These launches indicate the first time a company launches a new product. The better and positioning and messaging, the better it will be for the company.
To successfully launch a product, the PMMs also have to ensure perfect coordination across different teams and departments like product development, sales, marketing, customer support, etc.
The PMMs are also responsible for developing comprehensive go-to-market strategies outlining the steps for successfully launching a new product.
They have to work on creating timelines, setting budget parameters, and allocating the necessary resources. Furthermore, the PMMs must ensure that all the stakeholders are aligned with the launch plan and that everyone understands their role in the event.
During the launch, the product marketing managers oversee the execution of marketing campaigns, track the launch progress, and make on-the-go adjustments as per the scenario.
Also read:Â How to Become a Product Marketing Manager: Key Skills and Career Path
Sales Enablement
Enabling sales is a very important responsibility of product marketing managers. Here, they provide all the tools, resources, and support to the sales team to help them close a sale. This involves providing the sales team training the sales team to boost their performance.
They also allocate resources such as brochures, presentations, product demos, etc. to support the sales team.
The PMMs train the salespeople about the product’s value proposition, target market, and competitive positioning. Such training sessions can help the sales representatives to easily and effectively handle customer objections and communicate the product’s value to the customers so they can leave early.
Also read: How to Become a Product Manager? Your Step-By-Step Guide
Customer Feedback & Product Improvement
The PMMs have to consider customer feedback and product improvement areas very carefully. They have to gather and thoroughly analyze customer feedback, which can come from different sources like customer surveys, reviews, etc.
Using this information, the PMMs collaborate with product managers and developers to identify improvement areas. It can be anything like adding new features or refining the existing ones to boost the product’s evolution.
This iterative approach to product management helps ensure that the product continues to meet the customer’s needs and helps the company stay competitive in the market.
Product Marketing Manager: Job Description
The following is a sample job description for the position. By reading this job description, you will get a better understanding of what does a product marketing manager do.
| Job Brief:
We at XYZ Ltd. are looking to onboard a Product Marketing Manager (PMM) who can lead our outbound marketing activities. As a PMM you will present our products to strengthen our brand value & position and boost sales. You will be a perfect fit for this role if you are a creative and quantitative thinker. You must also be familiar with different product marketing techniques such as email campaigns, pricing strategies, etc. Responsibilities:
Required skills:
|
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FAQs: What Does a Product Marketing Manager Do
Q1. What Skills are Essential for a Product Marketing Manager?
While the blog focuses on the roles and responsibilities, it’s important to note that a successful Product Marketing Manager should have strong analytical skills, excellent communication abilities, strategic thinking, and a deep understanding of both marketing and product development processes. Proficiency in data analysis tools, market research, and project management is also valuable.
Q2. How Does a Product Marketing Manager Collaborate With Other Teams?
A Product Marketing Manager works closely with various departments, including product development, sales, customer support, and marketing. They ensure that product features, market positioning, and messaging are aligned across the organization. They also coordinate with these teams during product launches, providing necessary resources and training to ensure consistency in messaging and customer experience.
Q3. What Role Does a Product Marketing Manager Play in Product Pricing?
Product Marketing Managers often collaborate with finance and product teams to develop pricing strategies. They analyze market conditions, competitor pricing, and customer value perception to recommend optimal pricing structures that balance profitability with market competitiveness.
Q4. How do Product Marketing Managers Measure the Success of Their Strategies?
PMMs measure the success of their strategies through key performance indicators (KPIs) such as market share, product adoption rates, customer satisfaction scores, and the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. They use this data to refine their strategies, ensuring continuous improvement and alignment with business objectives.
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