Product marketing

Product marketing is a sub-field of marketing that is responsible for crafting messaging, go-to-market flow, and promotion of a product. Product marketing managers can also be involved in defining and sizing target markets along with other business stakeholders such as business development and sales as well as technical functions such as product management. Other critical responsibilities include positioning and sales enablement. Product marketing deals with marketing the product to prospects, customers, and others. Product marketing works with other areas of marketing such as social media marketing, marketing communications, online marketing, advertising, marketing strategy, and public relations, to execute outbound marketing for their product. Product marketing addresses five strategic questions: What products will be offered (i.e., the breadth and depth of the product line)? Who will be the target customers (i.e., the boundaries of the market segments to be served)? How will the products reach those customers (i.e., the distribution channel, and are there viable possibilities that create a solid business model)? At what price should the products be offered? How should we position the product in the minds of the customer? To inform these decisions, Product Marketing Managers (PMMs) act as the Voice of the Customer for the company. This includes gaining a deep understanding of—and driving—customer engagement with the product, throughout its lifecycle (pre-adoption, post-adoption/purchase and after churning). PMMs collect this customer information through surveys and interviews and when available, product usage and competitive data. The respondents are only allowed to choose from a small number of predetermined answers, rather than being given the opportunity to supply any information they choose. This informs the product roadmap, as well as driving customer product education to enhance engagement. PMMs answer these questions and execute the strategy using the following tools and methods: Customer insights: interviews, surveys, focus groups, and customer observation.