Download the first-ever report built by PMMs, for PMMs, based on insights from over 200 working product marketers. Inside, you’ll uncover how PMMs are actually using AI today: how often, for what tasks, and which tools they rely on most. You’ll also see how AI is reshaping core responsibilities, where the real risks and limitations lie, and where the field is headed next. Plus, get real prompts and use cases straight from the people doing the work. Download this report, the first of its kind, built by PMMs, for PMMs. Based on insights from 200+ product marketers , this isn’t your typical industry report. Inside, you’ll find: How PMMs are really using AI How often and for what The tools they rely on Impact on core responsibilities Risks, limitations, and what’s next Real prompts and use cases , straight from PMMs More than data and charts, this is a no-fluff guide to help you take action, whether you’re a new PMM, a seasoned leader, or somewhere in between. You'll also receive my monthly newsletter, with occasional updates full of practical tips and insights you care about. Unsubscribe anytime. State of AI in Product Marketing 2025 Report + Guide How is AI really changing the work of PMMs?

Transform your product marketing career with specialized leadership coaching. Gain the confidence and strategic PMM skills to excel in your dream role, earn deserved promotions, and thrive as a leader. Available in 1:1 formats to take you from stuck to unstoppable. Thrive: 1-1 Leadership Coaching Program Get clarity, grow confidently, and thrive on your terms. I help you grow into senior PMM or director roles — authentically, strategically, and without burnout. Book a Free Consult See Program Details Taken and trusted by PMMs and PMM leaders at top companies such as: Does this sound familiar? You’re a high-performing PMM: smart, driven, and ambitious. But something’s off: 🔴 You’re stuck in the weeds, constantly reacting instead of leading strategy. Or worse, you’re bored and underutilized. 🔴 You’re delivering results, but not getting the recognition, visibility, or promotions you deserve. 🔴 Your manager doesn’t really get PMM, so you're navigating it solo without support. 🔴 Promotions pass you by, even when your work speaks for itself. You’re not imagining it. And you’re not alone. All of this adds up to frustration, burnout, and imposter syndrome creeping in. But deep down, you still believe in yourself: you know these challenges are solvable, and you’re ready to find a better way. Hi, I'm Yi Lin. I know exactly what it’s like to navigate product marketing without a clear roadmap - because I had to build one myself. I broke into PMM as a career switcher, an immigrant, and a woman of color, with zero tech or marketing experience and no insider connections. Early on, I faced the same struggles many PMMs do today. But rather than wait for things to change, I built my own system to prove my impact, position myself as a strategic leader, and drive real business outcomes. As a result, I went from an industry outsider to a PMM Director in just three years, without the advantages most people assume you need. In this program, I’ll share everything I’ve learned to help you break past limitations and step into a high-level IC or director role that truly aligns with your career goals and values. Success Stories Raniz Bordoloi Product Marketing Manager, Go1 As a high achiever, I used to think career growth followed an obvious, linear path: get promoted, land a higher-paying job. While those are valid goals, I realized I needed more than external success. I wanted a career that felt truly fulfilling. That’s when I sought out Yi Lin for leadership coaching. Through many insightful sessions, Yi Lin helped me gain real career clarity. I went from feeling unmotivated to discovering a direction that energizes me, one that aligns with my strengths, values, and professional goals. Beyond finding this clarity, she also guided me to excel in key areas of product marketing and set me up for success in my role with greater confidence. I couldn’t be more grateful for her coaching. If you’re looking for a coach who brings both strategic insight and deep personal support, I highly recommend working with Yi Lin!" Shannon Toe Product Marketing Manager, IBM I had the pleasure of being mentored by Yi Lin in her Thrive program. As the sole product marketer at my company, her advice and feedback was crucial in helping me excel in the role. Specifically, her guidance helped me shape my approach to product launches and go-to-market strategy. She has a wealth of knowledge to share and is truly a thought leader in the product marketing world. Thanks Yi Lin! Emily Highstreet Head of Marketing, RevenueRoll When I stepped into a Head of Marketing role at an early-stage startup, I was immediately tasked with owning positioning - something I knew was critical but didn’t have deep expertise in. I needed a thought partner to help me navigate this challenge, and a friend immediately pointed me to Yi Lin, calling her the best product marketer out there. From our first conversation, I knew I had found the right coach. Yi Lin was thoughtful, articulate, and introduced me to structured frameworks that helped me bring focus and clarity to the chaos of a fast-moving startup. Her guidance helped me bridge the product marketing knowledge gap, not just in execution but in building strategic cross-functional alignment. Working with Yi Lin has been like product marketing therapy - she’s not just an expert; she’s a true partner and support system. For anyone who is the only marketer in the organization or leading product marketing without a clear playbook, I can't recommend Yi Lin enough. Her coaching goes beyond instruction - she’s honest, supportive, and truly invested in your success. Carley (Bohnen) Stugelmayer Director of Product Marketing, A-Lign Yi Lin was instrumental in my transition from an individual contributor to a director role in product marketing. Her deep expertise helped me not only refine our PMM processes, covering product launches, positioning, and messaging, but also build the critical cross-functional relationships needed to drive impact at the director level. She provided structured frameworks that made complex challenges feel manageable and was an invaluable coach as I developed my leadership style. After working with her, I feel more confident tackling high-stakes decisions and have greater clarity on my long-term career path. I’m incredibly grateful for her guidance! Allison Sands Sr Product Marketing Manager, Personio Before working with Yi Lin, I was keeping up with the pace of my role – but it always felt like I was running on fumes, not truly thriving. I kept seeing Yi Lin’s name pop up in different conversations – her insights were always strategic, sharp and refreshingly practical. It felt like she was speaking to me, and I knew her coaching was exactly what I needed. Working with Yi Lin flipped the script on how I approach my career. I went from feeling reactive to intentional. I felt confident and truly in control. She provided pragmatic frameworks that made everything seem more achievable, which gave me the confidence in my ability to lead, make strategic decisions, advocate for myself – and actually enjoy the process. What sets Yi Lin apart is that she’s not just an expert in product marketing—she’s actively shaping its future. She challenges conventional thinking, pushes you outside your comfort zone, and helps you see opportunities where you might have only seen obstacles. If you’re a PMM looking to grow as a leader, sharpen your thinking, and gain clarity on your career, I can’t recommend her enough. Sara Miteva Senior Product Marketing Manager, Checkly I had the pleasure of being Yi Lin's leadership coaching client at a time that was crucial for my career growth. Through working with Yi Lin, I was able to get clear on my PMM career growth roadmap, identify my priority and craft an action plan that I was able to immediately put into action. Importantly, Yi Lin also had the right resources and answers to all of my questions and customized our coaching to fit the specific challenges I faced at each juncture - which was extremely valuable. I highly recommend Yi Lin's coaching if you are looking to level up and/or looking for more career clarity! Rita Chan Director of Product Marketing, Shiftboard Yi Lin has been an incredible career coach, guiding me through my journey in product marketing with both expertise and empathy. She has a special knack for asking the kind of thought-provoking questions that truly drive introspection and growth. Yi Lin helped me gain clarity on my ikigai - what I love, what I’m good at, and where I can add the most value. Her ability to help me connect my skills with my passions in a meaningful way has been transformative for my career direction and personal fulfillment. With her insightful approach, Yi Lin has helped me navigate career changes with clarity and confidence. I highly recommend Yi Lin for anyone looking to sharpen their career trajectory and find their professional purpose. Peter Nakamura Sr Manager, Product Marketing, Achievers Yi Lin has been a fantastic career coach and resource for me over the past year. Her depth of experience in the Product Marketing space allows her to quickly identify areas of opportunity and growth. Our work has been primarily focused on advancing my career as a PMM and she's helped me uncover new ways of thinking and approaching my career development. Yi Lin is kind and thoughtful while also being direct with her recommendations which is a rare combination! Her PMM community has also been a game changer as I get to learn about the latest in the space and connect with other brilliant PMMs. Don Atkins Senior Product Marketing Manager, Teachable As a coach, Yi Lin masterfully blends clear communication, refreshing transparency, highly specific advice, and a positive mindset. After every session, I can better see the bigger picture, walk away with clear next steps, and--not to be underestimated--benefit from much-needed emotional guidance. Yi Lin’s effectiveness as a coach derives from a truly unique point of view informed firstly by her background as a career pivoter, which provides her with a deep well of empathy for people of diverse backgrounds who often experience myriad challenges on their journey; and secondly, her varied interests and backgrounds as an artist, consultant, and someone who has lived in many places, all of which make her keenly observant of people’s specific needs and superpowers. I can’t recommend her highly enough, no matter your background. Find More on LinkedIn (Recommendations Section) My Coaching Approach 3. Expand Influence Career growth is not just about execution - it requires influence and leadership. In parallel, we will focus on: Developing your executive presence to cultivate your skills as a people leader. Expanding your circle of influence to gain visibility, sponsorship, and recognition from leadership. Helping you develop authentic leadership strategies to navigate challenges with confidence and inspire those around you. 2. Build Confidence Once you have a clear direction, we’ll pinpoint and close the skill gaps holding you back from your goals. This includes: Hands-on coaching and structured playbooks to master key PMM competencies like GTM launches, positioning, messaging, and stakeholder alignment. Shifting from the tactical to strategic by developing a business strategist mindset, mastering PMM strategy setting, and leading high-impact initiatives. Building leadership capabilities through team strategy development and identifying opportunities for people management and career growth. 1. Get Clarity Before accelerating your career, you need a clear roadmap. Together, we will: Define your career goals aligned with your strength, values, and purpose, whether that’s a promotion, finding a lateral move, or building confidence in your current position. Map out an actionable plan, by breaking down your goals into quarterly and monthly objectives to ensure focus and progress. Ensure your actions are aligned with company and personal priorities so you are positioned for strategic impact, not just execution. While this framework provides a strong foundation, every engagement is customized . Our sessions will focus on what’s most pressing for you based on your role, challenges, and career aspirations. Allison Sands Sr Product Marketing Manager, Personio Working with Yi Lin flipped the script on how I approach my career. I went from feeling reactive to intentional. I felt confident and truly in control. She provided pragmatic frameworks that made everything seem more achievable, which gave me the confidence in my ability to lead, make strategic decisions, advocate for myself – and actually enjoy the process. What sets Yi Lin apart is that she’s not just an expert in product marketing—she’s actively shaping its future. She challenges conventional thinking, pushes you outside your comfort zone, and helps you see opportunities where you might have only seen obstacles. If you’re a PMM looking to grow as a leader, sharpen your thinking, and gain clarity on your career, I can’t recommend her enough. Step 3: Ongoing Coaching & Hands-On Support Through our regular coaching calls, we’ll tackle everything from strategic advice and tactical PMM execution to leadership coaching topics - whatever comes your way. I’ll be there to guide, challenge, and support you as you progress. 3 Step 2: Initial Strategy Call During our first coaching session, we’ll dive deep into your intake responses to create a personalized roadmap for your growth. We’ll outline your specific leadership goals and define exactly how we’ll get there together through the program. 2 Step 1: Onboarding & Intake The moment we commit to working together, you’ll receive a comprehensive onboarding email and a targeted intake exercise. This ensures I understand your background, challenges, and goals upfront—so we hit the ground running from day one. 1 How It Works Continuous Support Between Sessions You’ll have unlimited access to me via email and Slack between sessions. You’ll also gain entry to live masterclasses and an exclusive PMM community, so you’re never alone in your journey. Program Details & Pricing 4 Month Package 6 hourly coaching sessions Unlimited email/messaging support between sessions Access to exclusive templates & guides Access to a private community with masterclasses, peer connections, and real time Q/A Investment $3,000 all in (payment plans available) Get company sponsorship. Learn How Schedule a Discovery Call 8 Month Package 12 hourly coaching sessions Unlimited email/messaging support between sessions Access to exclusive templates & guides Access to private community with masterclasses, peers connections, and real time Q/A Investment $5,000 all in (save 17%) (payment plans available) Get company sponsorship. Learn How Schedule a Discovery Call FAQs Who are you and why should I trust you? Hi I am Yi Lin - I’m a PMM leader turned career coach who has lived through the challenges you’re facing and is uniquely positioned to help you. You certainly don’t have to trust me, but these are the reasons why clients have chosen to work with me: I’ve been in your shoes. I started as a complete newbie to tech and product marketing and worked my way up to Director in just three years. I understand the imposter syndrome, the steep learning curve, and the pressure to deliver quickly in a new role, especially as a career switcher. I’ve been there, and I’ve built a proven system to help you succeed. Real-world expertise from an award-winning PMM leader. I’ve built and led three product marketing teams from scratch at startups and major tech companies (Autodesk, Teachable, and more). I don’t just teach theory - I help you think, communicate, and lead like a top PMM. A trusted industry voice. I’ve been recognized as a Top 5 PMM Coach by PMA, a Top 25 Marketing Voice by Exit 5, and have built a 27K+ LinkedIn audience over four years. My frameworks are widely used and shared by top PMMs. I understand the challenges of underrepresented professionals. As an immigrant and woman of color with no connections or priveliege, I’ve faced challenges others haven’t - and I’m deeply committed to helping more professionals thrive, break barriers, and accelerate their careers. Who is this program for? Thrive is built for mid-career PMMs (from Manager level, Sr Manager level to Director level), ready to transition from execution to strategic leadership. Whether you're: Struggling to master key PMM skills like sales enablement, positioning, messaging, pricing, or launches, Looking to gain visibility and establish yourself as a strategic leader, Stepping into a leadership role for the first time, or Preparing for your next promotion, Thrive provides the structured frameworks, expert coaching, and supportive community to help you achieve your goals with confidence. How is Thrive different from other leadership coaching program or coaches? Most leadership programs are too broad - they focus on generic management principles that don’t address the specific challenges PMMs face. Or they are in a group setting only where you do not get dedicated 1-1 feedback. Thrive is a personalized program built exclusively for product marketers, combining: Hands-on PMM coaching to refine your strategy, execution, and stakeholder influence. Leadership coaching to develop executive presence and strategic thinking. A strong PMM community to exchange insights, learn from others, and grow your network. Proven playbooks tailored to product marketing career growth - so you’re not just learning, you’re applying. How much time should I dedicate to this? Thrive is designed for busy PMMs. The program is structured to provide high-impact sessions, practical takeaways, and on-demand support so you can immediately apply what you learn without adding unnecessary workload. Can I get my company to sponsor this? Many clients have successfully secured employer sponsorship using their Learning and Development budget. I provide guidance on how to position the request (and whether getting sponsorship is right for you) - check it out here . What kind of group workshops can I expect? I host of variety of group workshops and networking events. These typically last around 1 hour and are geared around specific career growth and leadership topics. I’ve brought on experts from top tech companies like Clari, Square, and more. We host IRL events from time to time, mostly in NYC. Can you tell me more about your client community? When you start working with me, you’ll instantly gain access to my private Slack community of supportive product marketers and leaders. Our Slack is active daily with Q&A, referral opportunities, resources, memes, and more! You’ll be able to directly network with dozens of product marketing professionals who you can share your wins and challenges with. Ready to elevate your career? Schedule a Free Consult

Tailored product marketing advising, hands-on team training, and embedded fractional leadership to help you solve high-stakes GTM challenges, focus on what's important, and drive real business impact, fast. Ready to lead with clarity and confidence? Let's Talk FAQs Who is this for? This is for Heads of Product Marketing, Heads of Marketing, GTM leaders, startup founders, and senior PMMs looking for high-leverage advice and hands-on support. If you’re navigating a messy org, scaling a team, or leading high-stakes GTM projects and want a trusted strategic partner, this is for you. How is advising different from your Thrive leadership coaching? Thrive is designed for individual growth — it’s one-on-one coaching focused on helping PMMs get more career clarity, become confident, and get promoted into senior IC or director roles. The outcomes are focused on the individual. This is mostly funded out of pocket by each individual, with some support from L&D budgets. Advising is for leaders who are also managing teams or functions. It's more structured around team outcomes, GTM strategy, and organizational systems. It’s funded by the company. Why should I trust you, and why work with you over another consultant/advisor? There might be other coaches and consultants out there, some with VP titles, some who’ve been in the industry a long time. What I offer is a little different. I bring a balance that many others don’t: I’ve been close to the work, leading product marketing across different business models, from fintech to edtech to hardware-software hybrids, and at every stage, from early startups to global orgs. That means I’m not giving advice from 10 years ago or from too high up to be useful. I’m still hands-on, still doing the work, and still in touch with what today’s PMM teams and leaders actually need. I also bring a different lived perspective. As a woman of color, an immigrant, a working mom, and a career switcher, I understand what it’s like to navigate spaces where you might not fit the mold. That lens allows me to bring empathy and clarity to even the most complex situations, and helps my clients feel seen, not just coached. That said, I know the most important factor in a successful engagement is fit. I care deeply about doing work that’s right for both of us, which is why I always start with a real conversation. So just book a free consultant and we can see if we are a fit. What does the process look like to engage with you? It’s simple: Book a free consultation call — we’ll talk through your goals, challenges, and what kind of support you’re looking for. No pressure, just a real conversation. Get a custom proposal — after the call, I’ll send you a plan that outlines what I recommend, how we’ll work together, pricing, and timeline. Review and approve — once you're aligned on the plan, we’ll finalize the details and move forward. Kickoff with intake — I’ll ask you to share key context and materials up front so we can hit the ground running and make the most of our time together. Whether we’re working on team strategy, a specific project, or 1:1 coaching, the process is designed to be thoughtful, clear, and efficient. How long does a typical engagement last? It depends on your needs. Advisory retainers typically last 3–12 months, or even longer Project-based work runs 2–8 weeks Workshops can be one-off or quarterly We’ll scope it together based on your timeline and goals. What kinds of outcomes should I expect? You’ll walk away with a clear strategy, repeatable systems, stronger stakeholder alignment, and a team that knows what good looks like. You’ll also have a trusted partner to help you think, decide, and lead more effectively. Finally, you will get immediate business results that will place PMM at the center of the GTM engine. Renae Bradley Head of Product Marketing, OEC “Hiring Yi Lin as a fractional Product Marketing Director was one of the most impactful decisions during my tenure at OEC. From day one, she brought clarity, focus, and a strategic mindset that transformed how the PMM team approached GTM. Her leadership directly contributed to measurable revenue and elevated the role of product marketing across the organization. She aligned sales, product, and marketing resulting in everyone speaking the same language and executing with consistency.” Matt Benson Head of Product Marketing, JUUNOO "We hired Yi Lin to help us create our US-market positioning and messaging, and her work has been transformative for our business, directly helping us drive a 240% increase in ARR in one year. Her insights into GTM strategy and her ability to help us build effective processes have been invaluable. Instead of the old school way of positioning, she created a collaborative miro board exercise that involved our entire leadership team to achieve results in less than 2 weeks." Natalie Marcotulio Head of Growth and Product Marketing “A lot of advisors are helpful in the moment, but Yi Lin sets you up for long-term success with best practices and systems that keep working after she’s gone. She brought structure, clarity, and frameworks that helped us build a real product marketing function from scratch. She’s got that rare ability to help you think strategically, and then dive right into your launch plans or messaging.” Strategic Advising A trusted thought partner for Heads of PMM or GTM leaders who want clarity, systems, and support as they scale. What we focus on: PMM team structure, roles, and charter Positioning, GTM, and enablement frameworks Cross-functional influence and internal buy-in Leadership support and stakeholder coaching Best for: New heads of PMM, startup marketing leaders wearing many hats, or product leaders who are temporarily overseeing PMM and need expert guidance. Book a Free Consult Fractional Consulting Embedded support for high-stakes projects or transitional moments when you need someone to help you do the work , not just advise on it. Example scenarios: Positioning, repositioning, and messaging development Cross-functional GTM execution for Tier 1 launch Interim PMM team leadership and enablement Building repeatable systems and launch excellence Best for: Startups without senior PMM leadership, teams tackling major projects, or execs leading a strategic reset. Book a Free Consult Team Training & Workshops Hands-on, practical training to upskill your team and make PMM more strategic, tailored to your business, not a generic deck. What we focus on: GTM planning and launch playbook Messaging and positioning Sales enablement Being an agile PMM in the age of AI Best for: Companies with junior or mixed-experience PMM teams, new hires, or leaders looking to create consistency and capability across their function. Book a Free Consult 3 ways I can help: Hi, I’m Yi Lin Pei, a 3x PMM leader turned coach and advisor for ambitious product marketers and their teams. I didn’t break into tech the traditional way. As a career switcher, I’ve felt the impostor syndrome and have burned out from trying to do too much, too fast, with little support. What changed everything was owning my strengths as a former consultant and learning to lead with strategy, not stress. I got clear on exactly how to align my work and my team around the most important objectives, created frameworks and processes, and removed noise to deliver the highest-impact work in the shortest time possible. As a result, I went from career switcher to Director of PMM in under three years. Since then, I’ve led PMM teams at companies like Teachable, coached/advised 200+ product marketers , and built GTM strategies, training programs, and leadership tracks that have helped teams deliver more business results with less, especially in the age of AI. Book a Free Consult Ebun Onagoruwa Senior Vice President of Brand & Product Marketing “As a product marketing leader stepping into a new org, I was looking for a trusted thought partner, someone who could challenge my thinking. Yi Lin was exactly that. She’s a steady, strategic presence with sharp instincts and no patience for fluff, equally effective in navigating org design, go-to-market strategy, launch excellence, and the day-to-day realities of leading a large team. She brought valuable frameworks, and as a respected voice in the broader product marketing community, her published work gave me a helpful external lens to pressure-test our approach. Yi Lin is incredibly responsive, curious, a natural problem-solver, and always willing to help. What sets her apart is her ability to cut through noise, surface core issues quickly, and offer practical, high-leverage advice grounded in real-world experience. Her input helped me move faster and lead with greater clarity. If you're a senior leader looking to elevate your product marketing function and show up stronger at the leadership table, I highly recommend working with Yi Lin." Product marketing is high-stakes. And most leaders are asked to deliver fast results without the structure, systems, or support to do it right. Does any of these sound familiar? You’ve inherited a team but have no clear playbooks or processes You’re a new Head of PMM trying to scale your impact fast, but flying blind Your GTM process feels messy and reactive, not strategic You have a capable team, but they’re either early in their careers or missing key skills You’re leading a high-stakes project but can't afford for it to fail You don’t need more theory or generic advice. You need a partner who’s been in your seat and can help you lead and execute with sharp thinking and objectivity. I’ve supported leaders at companies including: Product Marketing Advising and Consulting I help turn your PMM team into the most valued part of your GTM org. Tailored PMM advising, hands-on team training, and embedded fractional leadership to help you sharpen strategy, deliver high-impact work, and build a world-class team. Book a Free Consult See Services

This newsletter is brought to you by two tools every PMM team should have in their toolkit: GetWhys – Do instant customer and prospect research that fuels strategic insights (with real humans and not just AI). Book a demo with the founder   and discover what they already know about your prospects! Navattic – Create interactive demos for the entire GTM workflow that wow customers and empower sales. Create your storyboard  in seconds and start driving adoption today. Why building PMM influence is so hard Last week, a senior PMM at a startup messaged me: "I spent months crafting a strategic narrative for our new pitch. Then I found out the head of sales had their team build their own deck instead. What’s the point of making this stuff if no one listens? How do I actually get them to use it?” Sound familiar? As we know, PMMs operate in a unique position of having massive responsibility but minimal formal authority: No direct control over the product roadmap No quota to prove immediate ROI No dedicated success criteria  Limited budget  That’s why doing this job well requires significant cross-functional influence, as I wrote in a previous newsletter . It is the most important skill for a product marketer to have, yet I haven’t seen one honest, comprehensive guide on how to do it beyond advice like “find champions” or “build relationships.”  After coaching 250+ PMMs over 4 years, I've learned that influence doesn't come from tenure, title, or organizational charts. It’s all about strategy, and therefore can be learned.  So I decided to write the playbook I wish I had as a PMM.  Here we go.  Step 1: Determine WHO I need to influence If you’ve used my 30/60/90 day plan , you know that stakeholder interviews are a crucial part of onboarding. The list of questions in the first 30 days help you be truly curious, not just performative. Of course, you also know that the most important part of these interviews is what you do with the responses.  Here’s where it gets tricky - not all stakeholders’ responses are equally important. Some stakeholders are much more influential than others, and some are more critical for you to build relationships with.  So, it’s important to map stakeholders on a matrix of attitude vs. influence - what I call the “Stakeholder Engagement Matrix.”  This helps you understand formal vs. informal power, the range of opinions of PMM, and who you need to prioritize and focus on.  Something that often surprises people is that influence doesn’t follow the org chart ; it follows relationships. Whatever their title or department, you’ll be able to identify formal decision-makers, informal influencers, and potential blockers. Once you’ve mapped them as shown below, you’ll see they fall into one of four categories:  Power Allies Skeptical Gatekeepers Advocacy Builders Quiet Resisters Those on the right side of the matrix have higher influence, so you’ll want to focus more energy on Power Allies and Skeptical Gatekeepers. Let’s talk through approaches for each category. Power Allies This group is the most valuable to you: they’re an ideal combination of high influence and a positive attitude toward PMM. Keep these folks close and focus on collaborating and delivering wins together. Skeptical Gatekeepers This group is the most challenging but also the most important. Invest 1:1 time to understand their needs and concerns. Once you have a handle on that, co‑create solutions to help build trust. Advocacy Builders You’re already in a good position here and don’t have to do too much work. These folks have a positive attitude toward PMM but a lower level of influence. Your goal is to nurture these relationships and help them gain more visibility, so their  influence and support of PMM grow across the organization. Quiet Resisters Because this group is low on influence, you don’t have to worry too much, but keep an eye on them. Influence is not static, and if someone here gains more influence, you’ll need to adjust your strategy and give them more attention. One question I get a lot is:  How do you figure out who is influential? People who are highly influential leave their mark: others listen to them in meetings, and they work on the most important, visible company projects. A quick litmus test:  if this person strongly objected to something, would the decision still move forward? If the answer is no, they have influence. Of course, these are broad strokes. I help my coaching clients determine with greater nuance who the true “influencers” are in an organization. You’ll likely need to go beyond your first conversations to determine who these folks are, but your initial stakeholder interviews will set a strong foundation. 2. Become useful to them  Once you’ve mapped out the matrix, it’s time to determine how to become useful to your most influential colleagues. Being valuable builds social capital, which in turn increases your influence. Prioritize one group to start with, either Power Allies or Skeptical Gatekeepers. If you can understand the one thing they want, including the motivation behind it, and align that with your objectives, you can deliver a win for both of you. FOCUS is critical here. Too many PMMs join organizations and try to be everything to everyone at once. This is understandable, but it’s not strategic. Spreading yourself across too many low-quality projects does little to build PMM influence or move the needle. In contrast, quickly delivering a few highly valuable projects to high‑influence colleagues will demonstrate how vital you are to the organization. Example:  After starting a new role at a sales‑led company, one client of mine made a deliberate choice: she would focus first on strengthening relationships with Sales through better competitive intelligence. Early on, she spotted a gap where reps weren’t actively using battle cards, and valuable win/loss insights weren’t making an impact. A typical approach would have been to hold a single training call and hope the information stuck. Instead, she got creative. She launched a “12 Days of Competitive Intel” campaign, dropping one compelling, high‑value insight each day in Slack. For example, she shared the “#1 Win Reason” on Day One; “#1 Loss Reason” on Day Two; and so on. This bite‑sized, daily format built anticipation and kept Sales engaged. The campaign generated buzz across the team. Reps were leaning in, conversations were happening in Slack, and by the final day, even the CEO showed up to watch her session. She delivered so flawlessly that the CEO followed up with personal praise, and the Sales team shared enthusiastic feedback. She figured out one thing that would blow people away, and then she delivered it. Once you’ve achieved success with one group, move on to the next. I recommend staggering your efforts so you have one key focus per quarter. This work is never truly “done.” Nurturing these relationships should be part of your ongoing work as a PMM. While it may feel like an “extra” task, it’s really an extension of what you’re already doing and it delivers outsized returns. 3. Spend 30% of your time on managing relationships  Now that you’re adding value for your key stakeholders, the hardest part is consciously making time to keep it going. PMMs are often buried in deliverables, and relationship management is usually the first thing to slip. But neglecting it will only make all those other projects harder to deliver. As you progress from PMM to Sr. PMM to Director and beyond, you should spend more  of your time building relationships and less  time doing hands‑on work. Aim to devote at least 30% of your time to stakeholder management. Here’s how to do it seamlessly: Share regular insights in 1:1s and alignment meetings. You ’re a powerful conduit of information. Product teams can learn from your win/loss interviews. C‑suite leaders value takeaways from launches. Socialize these insights widely so that they create value, build social capital, and grow your influence. Bake relationship management into every project plan. For each project, outline key roles (including a project committee), information‑sharing plans, and stakeholder alignment checkpoints. This is just as important as the deliverable itself. Set up a dedicated Slack channel. Define a RACI. Schedule recurring reviews. Build a clear decision‑making process so roles and responsibilities are understood, and stakeholders feel invested. Example stakeholder review and meeting timeline: Your leadership skills are on display when you’re driving alignment — but it’s easy to slip into “bossy” mode. Simply telling people what to do, rather than building with  them, is the fastest way to erode both your credibility and authority… which leads us to the next step 4. Co-create; don’t dictate:  As a product marketer, you know customers are more likely to adopt your product when they have a hand in creating it — and your colleagues are no different. To gain greater buy‑in, stakeholders should feel like they’re part of the process, not simply being told what to do. One example to illustrate this is with positioning and messaging. Instead of building it in silos within marketing, it’s much better to run a workshop. While product marketing often “owns” this work, it’s something multiple departments should contribute to. When I run these workshops for clients, I bring key stakeholders together and work through a series of questions on a Miro board. Just as important as getting the right people in the room is making sure every voice is heard. Once insights are gathered, I create a final document to share with the team, ensuring everyone feels bought in. Sales pitch decks are another project that’s ripe for collaboration. The fastest way to ensure that Sales never uses it is to shut them out of the creation process. I authored this guide  in partnership with Crayon on how to build better collaboration with Sales.  The fastest way to lose influence? Acting like a gatekeeper. You can avoid this by: Involving teams early,  especially on any positioning, GTM, or pricing work. Ask, “What have you seen work well?” or “Where do you see risk?” before pitching ideas. Remember: people support what they help shape. You’ll notice when you start operating this way a true shift,  and you’ll see your influence starting to take hold.  The Result: A Shift from Consensus to True Collaboration Finally, while co-creation is essential for great product marketing, it’s equally important that you own the process and keep it moving forward. This is important to keep in mind throughout all prior steps and bake into your collaboration approach.  One of the biggest mistakes I see PMM teams make is slipping into decision-making by consensus. From day one, remember: collaboration drives influence, but that doesn’t mean every team gets an equal say in the final decision. When everyone tries to please everyone, you end up with diluted output that fails to hit the mark. True collaboration welcomes input from others, but a clear decision-maker guides the outcome. The goal isn’t to blend every idea, but it’s to elevate the strongest ones. For example, in the positioning and messaging workshop we discussed in #4, you can avoid endless debate by making it clear who has the final call while still ensuring key voices are heard. Keep the table below handy to check whether you’re staying in healthy collaboration and not drifting into consensus. What’s next? Many PMMs tell me their favorite part of the role is collaborating across so many teams. But make no mistake,  this work can be messy, and it can’t be an afterthought. It has to be baked into your projects, processes, and initiatives. As you progress in your career, you’ll spend even more time on it. PMMs who master this early see greater success and faster promotions. Those who avoid it often find themselves struggling or realizing the role isn’t the right fit. If you want to build this skill set intentionally, ie, learning how to influence, align, and lead without burning out, that’s exactly what I coach my clients on in my onboarding  and leadership coaching  programs.   If you're ready to get support to become the kind of product marketer and leader companies can't afford to lose and want to promote, just book a call to get started .

The day that my State of AI in Product Marketing Report 2025  went live, a product marketer reached out to me*. His entire PMM team at a large SaaS company had just been laid off,  due to “AI-driven efficiencies.” Leadership believed that AI could handle product launches faster and cheaper, so they let the whole team go. And that sounds scary. Because if one company can do this, what does it mean for the rest of us? But here’s the part that’s overlooked: when I dug deeper, it became clear the team wasn’t being set up to deliver on the full potential of product marketing.  They were being used primarily as launch machines : collecting inputs, doing project management, building decks, pushing assets. In that context, it’s not surprising that leadership believed AI could take over. And honestly, if that’s all PMM is, then yes, AI might appear to be a logical replacement. But what got lost in the rush to “automate” was the point of PMM in the first place. The strategic work that PMMs do best didn’t disappear. The customer insights, positioning, GTM planning, and narrative development still needed to happen. But they just got scattered and redistributed to other teams (if at all).  Not surprisingly, the company is not doing well and is struggling to keep market share in an increasingly competitive market, failing to stand out from a sea of look-alikes and new competitors.  *Story shared with permission Over the past few months, I’ve had PMMs and leaders ask me some version of the same question:  Is AI going to replace product marketing? And honestly, I’ve never seen this level of panic before. So, instead of just sharing my own take, I went straight to the source: practicing PMMs. This report reflects insights from over 200 of you, across industries, company stages, and regions, who generously shared your experiences. Thank you. And as the report shows, and what I deeply believe, is this: The most valuable product marketers are driving business strategy.  And that is not going away. However, the role is  shifting.  Here’s what the data shows, which I have summarized into 4 key takeaways:  Takeaway 1: AI is saving time, but not replacing thinking in product marketing. Even just a year ago, PMMs were telling me they were just dabbling in AI. But that is not the case today. AI usage is now ubiquitous among PMMs, with 95% of PMMs using AI every week and 72% using it daily. PMMs report saving 2–7+ hours per week on average, with the most common use cases being: Copywriting and content repurposing Synthesizing research Generating early drafts and decks Clearly, AI is made to automate time-consuming and repetitive tasks that don’t require significant strategic trade-offs. Yet, respondents also shared that even for these tasks, AI still requires editing, brand calibration, and deep contextualization, not to mention ensuring the results are accurate and free of hallucinations. This means that while AI can save time on repetitive tasks, a level of human oversight is still necessary, even for the most basic and repetitive outputs. “Nearly all of our clients are using LLMs for copywriting or analysis, but the most advanced are experimenting with agentic tools and full content automation. We default to NotebookLM for analysis because it respects client privacy, unlike most other tools. The thing is, AI sounds polished but not human. It’s like reading a script instead of having a conversation. The best work comes from blending AI with brand personality and real human nuance, because fewer words don’t always mean better resonance. And that's what we aim to do." — Jonathan Pipek , Founder of Blue Manta Consulting (a PMM consultancy) Takeaway 2: Human judgment, strategy, and influence are the moat.  When it comes to more complex tasks that require human judgment, AI struggles. Respondents shared that the hardest tasks to replicate include cross-functional collaboration, strategy, systems-level thinking, customer insight, and creative judgment.  These are all core to high-impact PMM work,  and are what sets great PMMs apart from the rest.  If your role today consists of the full spectrum of PMM work, including gathering customer insights, setting positioning/messaging and GTM strategy, then you have a great chance to stand out by honing in on those skills. However, if what you are doing is more tactical, and coincides with what AI already does well (summarizing inputs, churning out content, executing requests), then you are at risk. As I shared at the start, some teams have already been let go under the banner of “AI-driven efficiency.” My friend Martina Lauchengco said it best: “AI now does a better job than many non-strategic PMMs, especially those who simply translate what the product team says into marketing language. I watched a VP of Product use AI to turn his own docs into collateral, and honestly, it did a superior job than their senior PMM on the team.  To me, this is the clarion call: AI is already as good as average. Only above-average or better PMMs, those who bring insight, strategy, and cross-functional influence, will remain essential.” -- Martina Launchengco , Partner at Costanoa Ventures & SVPG  Takeaway 3: Strategic PMMs are evolving into AI orchestrators Of course, alongside sharpening their strategic skills, the best PMMs are also using AI — but they’re not just dabbling. They’re building custom workflows, training GPTs on their own materials, and creating repeatable systems that scale their impact. In short, emotional intelligence, systems thinking, and adaptability remain key differentiators for the best PMMs, and those who combine these with smart AI use are setting a new bar for the role. As one of my PMM friends says, taste, polish, and judgment (the 20% craft) are becoming more valuable in a world where AI does the first 80%. Takeaway 4: Tension exists for using AI, and companies need to step up to solve it.  Lastly, let’s be real: the burden of figuring out AI shouldn’t fall entirely on individual PMMs. In the survey, 26% reported tension or confusion around AI at work, not because they don’t see the value, but because they’re navigating unclear expectations, ethical gray areas, and mixed signals from leadership. As one PMM put it: “Leadership wants AI for speed, then rejects the work as ‘AI drivel.’” What PMMs need in addition to access to tools and prompt libraries are actually guidance and clarity, specifically:  Structured training Clear team policies Shared expectations Space to experiment without fear How to thrive in the age of AI  The single biggest takeaway for me from the report is this: the PMMs most at risk of being replaced are those only doing the kind of work AI already does well: summarizing inputs, producing assets, and repeating what the product team says. That’s exactly what happened in the layoff story I shared earlier.  So how do you become more strategic? First, you have to join the right company . Because ultimately,  no matter how skilled you are, if you're not in a company that values real product marketing, then you're always going to be vulnerable. I recommend evaluating if you are in the right environment to succeed first, using this list of questions I’ve developed.  Now, assuming you are in a good place, here are tips for you to thrive as an individual:  1. Automate intentionally. Before starting to use AI for everything, break your work into parts. Use AI for speed and iteration where it helps, but own the steps that require judgment, creativity, and influence. Here’s an example of how you can break down a launch task across that spectrum: 2. Learn to prompt well   - Don’t worry if you are not building AI agents from day 1. Instead, approach learning AI using a crawl, walk, run model. Start with 2–3 reliable prompt templates that actually work (borrow some from the report!), then gradually take courses (many of them are free on LinkedIn) to learn.  3. Stay rooted in strategy, empathy, and influence. As discussed, the PMMs who grow their careers are the ones who influence stakeholders, think in systems, and keep the customer front and center. AI doesn’t do any of that. Find mentorship, coaching and projects to help you master skills in these areas.  What’s Next?  If I had it my way, every PMM would be at a company that truly gets product marketing, where insights drive strategy, AI is used responsibly, and you are empowered to do high-impact work across the full funnel. But that’s not the reality for most people. The truth is, many companies are still figuring out what product marketing even is, while chasing short-term wins and piling more execution on already-stretched teams. Strategic work gets deprioritized. AI is misunderstood. And talented PMMs are left trying to do more with less without a clear playbook. This is one of the reasons I became a PMM coach.  Over the past four years, my mission has been built around helping PMMs cut through the noise, to work smarter, not just harder. To think and operate more strategically. And to master the craft, that final 20% of clarity, taste, and good judgment that turns average work into real business impact. This is the heart of my coaching programs, built to help you land the right role , grow with confidence , and thrive as a strategic, high-impact PMM  in this changing era. If you're ready to get support to become the kind of product marketer and leader companies can't afford to lose, just book a call to get started .  We got this.

Have you ever been told to reposition a product by next Friday, without a clear brief, no research, no roadmap alignment, and barely anyone in the company even aware it’s happening? If so, you’re not alone. This happens all the time. Repositioning in product marketing gets mistaken for a simple messaging tweak when it’s really a strategic, cross-functional shift. And when that’s not understood, you wind up with missed timelines, misaligned teams, and a whole lot of unnecessary stress. I’ve seen firsthand how PMMs and their teams are thrown into these situations without support, clarity, or time. So I’m writing this guide to help you do repositioning differently – and the right way . You’ll learn: What is repositioning, and when should you do it Common mistakes in repositioning A step-by-step playbook to reposition A real-world example: how I repositioned a product for the U.S. market, and helped grow its ARR by 240% in one year Today’s newsletter is a long one, but stick with me, because it's a hugely important strategic skill for PMMs to develop. Let’s walk through how to do it right. What is repositioning, and when should you do it? Repositioning is when a company wants to change how it’s perceived in the market , usually because its current position is limiting growth, no longer relevant, or misaligned with strategic goals. It’s about answering the deeper question: What space do we want to own? You can think of it as moving where you are on a magic quadrant if you are a B2B product. This isn’t just a cosmetic change; you have to earn this move. So, when should a company actually reposition? Some common reasons are: You’re moving upmarket - For instance, you started with SMBs or self-serve customers, and now you want to win larger enterprise deals. You’re entering a new market - Maybe you’re expanding from Europe into the U.S., or launching in APAC. Different regions can have different competitive dynamics, buyer expectations, and category definitions. Your ICP has changed - Maybe your original customer base isn’t converting like they used to, or your best-fit customers now look very different. You’ve gone through a major pivot, launch, or acquisition - A big change in your product offering or company structure often creates a mismatch between how you’re perceived and what you actually offer. Just as importantly, here’s when NOT to reposition: Your company missed its quarterly numbers and wants a quick fix. Leadership is bored and wants a “refresh”. You’re chasing a new segment without fully understanding your existing one. Repositioning ≠ Rebranding One thing I want to emphasize is the difference between repositioning and rebranding. I have heard people use “repositioning” and “rebranding” interchangeably, but they’re not the same. Repositioning is the strategic shift: who you’re for, what problem you solve, and where you play in the market. Rebranding is the expression of your identity: logo, visuals, voice, and brand guidelines. They can go together, especially if the rebrand helps reinforce the repositioning. But they’re not interchangeable. A rebrand without true repositioning is just a cosmetic update. And a repositioning without any visual or verbal changes might not stick with the market. While in most cases you do them together, it doesn't always have to be the case. Check out the scenarios below. So next time your boss says, “Let’s reposition,” ask: Are we repositioning, rebranding, or both? And what are we actually trying to change? Common reasons why repositioning in product marketing fails Before we dive into what we should do, let’s address some common pitfalls. Here are the top reasons I’ve seen repositioning efforts fall apart: 1. You didn’t do sufficient research and validation Positioning should be built on INSIGHT - customer discovery, market analysis, and competitive mapping. But too often, teams skip this step or rush through it because leadership wants fast results or has established yet untested assumptions. I've heard it over and over from PMMs: “We didn’t spend enough time on validating the new target segment, and moved ahead with incomplete data, which means we didn’t realize some critical insights that would have made us position very differently.” If you don’t understand how the market sees you today and what your customers want, you’re just guessing. And that certainly won’t yield the results you’re looking for. 2. You forgot about your core customer One of the biggest risks in repositioning is chasing a new audience or segment and abandoning the customers that actually built your business. Companies are generally resource-constrained, and if you are chasing a new segment, you have to divert GTM resources to this new area… which means under-investing in the core. 3. You didn’t get internal alignment The product team is on one page, sales is on another, and marketing is off writing new copy. Meanwhile, no one agrees on the “why” behind the change, or what success even looks like. And worst of all, the product roadmap isn’t aligned with the new narrative. If the product itself doesn’t back up the story you’re telling, the market will smell the disconnect. That’s how you end up with fluffy decks and marketing jargon that don’t convert. This is a classic issue of operating in silos when doing a repositioning project. 4. You put a junior PMM in charge with no support Repositioning is a high-stakes, cross-functional effort. It requires exec alignment, clear decision-making, and real strategic judgment. But way too often, I see junior PMMs or solo ICs thrown into the deep end with no guidance, no air cover, and no power to influence product or sales. And when things don’t go well, they get blamed for it. If that’s you, it’s not your fault. But you do need to raise the flag early. This kind of project is bigger than one person, and you deserve support to make it successful. 5. You confused repositioning with rebranding I made this point above, but it’s worth restating because it happens so frequently. Someone says, “Let’s reposition,” and what follows is a visual refresh, new logo, new website, maybe a catchy new tagline. That’s rebranding . To read an in-depth story on a failed repositioning, ​check out this article​ on SurveyMonkey's attempt gone wrong. The 5-step framework for repositioning your product A successful reposition must be treated as a full GTM exercise . Below is a five-step process designed to help you succeed. Step 1: Identify business objectives Every successful repositioning starts with clarity on what you're trying to achieve. For each objective, establish clear success metrics. For example, if you're entering a new market, what market share do you expect to capture in 6 months? 12 months? Work with your manager and leadership on this to drive buy-in and alignment. Pro tip: Create a one-page brief documenting the business case for repositioning, including current state assessment, target vision, expected impact, timeline, and resource requirements. Step 2: Understand your best-fit customers This step is all about customer research. Before you can effectively reposition, you need data-driven insights about who your customers really are and what they actually care about. Key research methods to employ include win/loss analysis, customer interviews, surveys, and market sizing analysis. Once you have this research, you can accurately: Segment your target market based on validated criteria rather than assumptions Define detailed buyer personas with real insights into their priorities Map the buying committee with clarity on who influences decisions Identify their jobs-to-be-done with confidence Remember: Repositioning often means deprioritizing certain audiences to better serve others. Your research should give you the confidence to make these tough choices based on evidence, not intuition. Step 3: Determine competitive alternatives This step answers the fundamental question: "Who are we positioning against?" When you reposition, your competitive dynamics often change. The competitors you thought you were up against might not be your actual alternatives in customers’ minds. This is why determining competitive alternatives is a critical standalone step. It’s important to choose the ONE competitor that most customers compare you against. This becomes your primary reference point for differentiation, instead of positioning yourself across so many competitors or competitive categories. The output of this step should be a clear understanding of who you're positioning against, which informs how you'll articulate your differentiation in the next step. Step 4: Identify unique differentiators and create positioning and messaging This is where all the insights from steps 1-3 come together in a focused workshop setting. Rather than multiple fragmented sessions, I recommend a single, comprehensive (2-3 hour) workshop with key stakeholders from product, sales, marketing, and leadership. In this workshop, you'll: Review research insights - Share key findings from customer research and competitive analysis Complete the positioning framework - Work through these core elements: Who is our target customer? (From Step 2) What category do we play in? Who is our primary competitive alternative? (From Step 3) What are our unique capabilities? What value do those capabilities deliver? What's our evidence? Craft the core narrative - Develop a simple, compelling story that communicates your positioning The real output isn't the workshop itself; it's the formalized positioning brief that follows. This document becomes your single source of truth and should include: Positioning statement (1-2 sentences) Target audience definition Category definition Unique differentiators (3-5 points) Messaging pillars with supporting proof points This brief shouldn't just live in a PMM's documents folder. It should be socialized, referenced in planning, and used to evaluate future marketing initiatives. Everything that follows in your go-to-market should align with this brief. When I work with clients, I find that it’s not just the workshop discussions but also the formalized brief that makes positioning stick. It creates the foundation for all your messaging and becomes the reference point for the internal and external rollout in Step 5. Step 5: Implement promotional and enablement plan Execution is where most repositioning efforts succeed or fail. Going in depth on a promotional plan is outside the scope of this newsletter, but here is the overview: Internal rollout: Schedule dedicated briefings with each department Create enablement resources (battlecards, talk tracks, FAQs) Update sales presentations and establish feedback channels External rollout: Prioritize assets for updates (website, sales materials) Create a content refresh plan and customer announcement strategy Update digital presence and plan launch activities Case study highlight: How repositioning drove 240% ARR growth: JUUNOO’s US expansion story To bring this to life, I wanted to share with you a real case study of a company I advised. When JUUNOO, a European sustainable construction startup, struggled to gain traction in the US, the then Head of Product Marketing, ​Matt Benson​ , brought me in to lead a repositioning effort. Their existing messaging focused on sustainability, but that wasn’t what US buyers cared most about. Using my 5-step framework, Matt and I uncovered what did  matter: speed, minimal disruption, and ROI. Together, we Clarified business goals : Break into the US commercial real estate market and build a reliable pipeline. Interviewed target buyers : Speed of installation, not sustainability, was the key decision driver. Analyzed competitors : JUUNOO wasn’t competing with other green startups, it was up against traditional construction. Facilitated a positioning workshop : We reframed JUUNOO as “cost-effective construction for adaptable workspaces” instead of “Europe’s most sustainable wall system.” Revamped go-to-market : We focused on the most important marketing and sales assets given limited resourcing. This meant prioritizing paid ads (TOFU), a strong customer case study (MOFU), and sales talk track (BOFU) to shift focus on speed and ROI. These were the results we were able to generate within 1 year: 240% YoY ARR growth in the US 40%+ lower customer acquisition costs 140M+ media impressions (Forbes) Major increase in qualified leads 👉 Same product. New story. Wildly different results. "Repositioning the same product completely changed our growth trajectory in the U.S. The work Matt’s team led was the single most important driver of our sales acceleration." — Jon Agostino, Head of Sales, JUUNOO What’s next I hope this newsletter gave you tangible steps to approach your next positioning or repositioning project with more clarity and confidence. Whether you’re navigating a complex project or looking to level up your strategic leadership, I offer ​private 1:1 coaching to help you tackle PMM and leadership challenges with clarity and confidence. If you need more hands-on support, I also offer embedded fractional consulting and advisory services to drive execution and momentum. Curious which is best? Just hit reply, and I would be happy to chat. Here’s to your success, Yi Lin P.S. Additional ways I can help: Land your dream job — through ​1:1 coaching​ or the ​PMM Job Search System​ ​ Ramp faster ​ — if you’re starting a new role, I’ll help you onboard with confidence