According to Google Trends, the number of searches for product marketing has doubled in the past 12 months. There are currently over 20,000 jobs in this field on Glassdoor. Despite the immense importance of this field, it still needs to be determined how to become a product marketing professional.
While it is a widely recognized role within technology companies, it is also a role that can be found in other industries. Strong candidates will likely have the necessary core responsibilities and traits to excel in this field.
Storytelling
Product marketing is all about telling a story that captures the essence of your company’s product or brand. It involves creating a compelling and unique story that will resonate with the target audience. If you are a product marketer working for a company that sells to Fortune 500 companies, your story will differ from that of a small-to-medium-sized business.
One of the most critical factors that a product marketing professional must consider is positioning. A good product story should frame the factors that affect a buyer’s decision-making when buying a product. It should also show how your product can help them solve their current problems.
Knowing The Product, Target, and Market
As a product marketer, you must also understand the various factors affecting buyers’ decision-making. This can be done by conducting a free trial or looking for free versions of available products. You can also use review sites like G2 Crowd to understand the market better. In addition, analyst reports from companies such as Forrester and Gartner can provide a more comprehensive view of the industry. This is a great way to stand out from the other applicants if you apply for a product marketing position.
Adaptable and Work Cross-Functionally
As a product marketer, you must be able to adapt to the changes in the priorities of the organization. For instance, if a critical update has to be made within 72 hours before a product’s launch, then you need to be able to react to make the necessary changes quickly. You should also have the necessary skills to work cross-functionally. This is because product marketing involves working with other teams to achieve an objective.
Creative and Driven
Various duties a product marketer must perform to create and execute product-centric campaigns, which needs someone who is creative. This may involve working with other teams, such as social media, video, and content marketing, and having the necessary skills to develop a marketing plan and drive the execution of that campaign.