Building Bridges: Helping Product Managers Recognize the Value of Product Marketing
Picture this scenario: A Product Manager (PM) is deep in user stories, acceptance criteria, and a mountain of sprint tasks. Meanwhile, a Product Marketing Manager (PMM) is gathering user insights, crafting narratives, and planning a big release event. Both are laser-focused on the same product, yet their day-to-day feels worlds apart. Have you ever wondered why that gap exists—and how we can fix it?
Here’s the thing: PMs often view Product Marketing as a bit of a mystery. They understand that PMMs handle “messaging,” but they might not realize how integral those messages are to the product’s success. Let’s clarify that mystery, piece by piece, by walking through four stages of the product release cycle: Discovery, GTM Prep/Launch, Internal Enablement, and Adoption Optimization. Along the way, we’ll see how PMMs help PMs build better products and grow happier user bases. Ready? Let’s roll.
1. Discovery: The “Why” Factor
Going Beyond the Numbers
In the early “Discovery/Alpha” stage, PMs usually obsess over functional requirements, feasibility, and user needs. They may analyze metrics, user interviews, or surveys—often focusing on “what” and “how.” But what about the deeper “why”? That’s where PMMs thrive.
Using methods like Jobs-to-Be-Done, user behavior mapping, or even plain old listening sessions, a PMM uncovers emotional nuances that raw data might miss. Maybe a feature looks brilliant on paper, but customers find it complicated once they try it out. Or perhaps a small tweak could make them feel more confident, speeding up adoption. A PM can gather the standard data, sure. But a PMM zooms in on the psychological triggers behind that data.
How This Helps PMs
You might be asking: “What’s in it for the PM?” Here’s the payoff. By zeroing in on motivations—beyond just stats—Product Marketing supports the PM in fine-tuning features. If feedback shows confusion around navigation, the PMM can relay that insight quickly and collaborate with the PM and UX to simplify things. It’s not just about building a product that meets a spec; it’s about building a product people genuinely enjoy.
2. GTM Prep & Launch: Testing Messages to the Max
Crystallizing the Message
Once the product hits Beta, we shift gears toward GTM Prep and the big launch. Now, PMs and PMMs both want the same result: a product that resonates, stands out, and—fingers crossed—hits usage or revenue targets. Here, the PMM’s special power is message testing.
Imagine you have two ways to describe a new dashboard feature: one is all about time savings, while the other highlights overall simplicity. Which angle resonates more with potential buyers? The PMM can run quick message tests, gather user feedback, and see which approach piques genuine interest. If that sparks fresh ideas for the product interface, so be it. One small shift in wording can spark a tweak in design, and that tweak might drastically improve user reception.
Before the Final Countdown
PMs often juggle bug fixes, final QA, and last-minute stakeholder requests in this phase. The product itself is in flux. A nimble PMM can adapt marketing materials or user education plans on the fly—especially if testing reveals that “simple, straightforward dashboards” hook users more than “cutting-edge analytics.” That synergy closes the gap between internal development and external perception, setting the product up for a stronger launch.
3. Internal Enablement: Rallying the Troops
Beyond Standard Collateral
After flipping the switch on Launch Day, everyone cheers. But the real test begins when the product lands in the hands of real users. This is where Internal Enablement shines. Sure, PMMs produce sales decks or marketing copy, but there’s more to it than that. A good PMM ensures that Customer Success, Support, and even the engineering team understand the product’s unique value and potential pitfalls. They’re not just tossing over a PDF with bullet points; they’re coaching teams on how to convey the product’s essence.
Picture a new feature rolling out—say a personalization module. Support might get flooded with questions if they’re not briefed on how it works or why it’s meaningful to different user roles. The PMM stands at the intersection of Product, Marketing, Sales, and Support—offering a unifying story that keeps confusion at bay.
How PMs Benefit
Let’s be honest: PMs don’t have time to hold everyone’s hand on feature usage. They’re already jumping to the next sprint or planning the next release. They rely on PMMs to equip internal teams with the right stories, the right explanations, and the right messaging. In turn, that fosters a consistent user experience—every interaction (sales calls, customer training sessions, technical support) aligns with the product’s core promise. If the product is misunderstood, it can fizzle—even if it’s brilliant under the hood. PMMs make sure that never happens.
4. Adoption Optimization: When the Roadblocks Arise
Rooting Out Usage Problems
Sometimes a product doesn’t gain traction like you hoped. Or maybe user retention is okay, but something’s off with engagement. Stage 4 (often happening during Quality Control and early post-launch) is where a PMM can ride in on a white horse and figure out what’s blocking broader adoption.
Need an example? Let’s say three months after launch, usage data shows that only 20% of new users are even touching your fancy personalization module. Sales is puzzled, Support is hearing murmurings of “feature confusion,” and the PM is already planning the next wave of enhancements. The PMM can step in, gather direct feedback from customers and cross-functional teams, and hypothesize potential solutions. Is it the naming? The positioning? A hidden setting nobody knows about?
Building Trust Through Results
When PMMs troubleshoot—and solve—these hurdles, it demonstrates tangible value to PMs. One success story can transform a PMM from “the person who made the brochure” to “the person who saved the product.” This not only builds trust but ensures future collaboration starts earlier and runs smoother. Suddenly, the PM is inviting the PMM to backlog refinement sessions or sprint reviews because they see how these user insights can prevent painful missteps down the road.
Tightening the Relationship: From Allies to Teammates
So, how do we move from occasional handoffs to a continuous partnership?
Joint Check-Ins
Schedule quick syncs where PMM shares fresh user or competitor insights and the PM shares updates on product direction. It sounds trivial, but these chats can reveal synergy points that might otherwise stay hidden.Early Engagement
Don’t wait until Beta. If you’re a PM, involve your PMM as soon as you brainstorm features. If you’re a PMM, offer a quick list of user concerns or competitor highlights the moment you hear about a new initiative.Share Wins
When a new feature meets traction goals or a messaging test outperforms expectations, celebrate the collaboration. Give shout-outs to the folks who contributed. Public kudos go a long way in showing that PMM involvement isn’t just nice to have—it’s a driver of success.
A Brief Detour: Competitive Angle
Here’s something many PMs overlook—competitor shifts. PMs may be too busy with feature development to keep tabs on rival product launches or pricing updates. But a PMM often tracks all that like a hawk. They may attend competitor webinars, monitor user chatter in online communities, or peek at G2 reviews. Then they feed that intel back to the product team, possibly reshaping the product roadmap.
A small example: Maybe Competitor X removed their free tier, causing user backlash. Your PM might see an opening for a free trial or a simpler plan that welcomes those disappointed users. A PMM noticing that detail can help the PM adjust strategy before the window closes.
Wrapping Up: Why PMMs Are Irreplaceable Allies
Product Managers juggle a ton, from backlog grooming to stakeholder management. Meanwhile, Product Marketing Managers can appear to focus solely on “positioning” or “communications.” But that’s a narrow view. PMMs ask the deeper “why.” They gather real-life feedback and shape it into a coherent message that guides the product strategy. Then they stick around, measuring adoption metrics and refining the narrative to help the product thrive.
If you’re a PM reading this, consider pulling your PMM into your next discussion about user requirements or feature scope. If you’re a PMM, don’t wait for an invitation—jump in, armed with fresh user research, competitor knowledge, or a new perspective on how to communicate product benefits. Show how your insights can nip confusion in the bud, prevent product misfires, and transform user experiences for the better.
In the end, it’s all about creating better products together. Because let’s face it—no matter how sleek or powerful a product is, users will only love it if it resonates. And that’s where Product Marketing shines. So, why not make it a team effort from the start?
Ready to join forces? You might just find that bridging the gap between Product Management and Product Marketing sparks the very success story you’ve been waiting for.
