Before we dive into the main content, here is a quick announcement! If you’re a PMM stuck in your job search and tired of rejections, this is for you. I’m opening the next enrollment window for my ​ PMM Job Search System​  from April 13–17. 4 reasons to join this program: 1:1 time with me . You get a focused 30-min session to tackle your most critical blocker A proven, end-to-end playbook  with 9 modules and 30 lessons built specifically for PMMs Live workshops led by me , covering everything from resumes, interviews, case assignments, and even AI fluency A 300+ PMM private network , with alumni inside hiring teams and companies you want to work at On average, at least one member per week from the program is landing a job right now. If you’re serious about landing your next role, don’t miss this opportunity. :) 👉 Read the rave reviews and apply Now let's dive in. The question underneath all the noise Every week, I get some version of the same message. A PMM who is accomplished, capable, and clearly good at their work reaches out, wondering if they are building the right career for what’s coming next. Sometimes it’s driven by AI. Sometimes it’s a role that no longer feels like a fit. And sometimes it’s more vague, like a sense of being stuck or off track. Underneath all of it, the question is almost always the same. Am I actually in control of where this is going? And if I’m not, how can I be? When that question starts to surface, it is very natural to narrow your focus too quickly and look for answers in what feels most visible, urgent, or widely talked about. It creates a sense of direction, or at least the feeling of doing something productive. But this is usually where things start heading in the wrong direction.  Because you might begin making decisions that are not fully aligned with where you actually want to go, or you might optimize for what seems important in the moment, rather than what will meaningfully move you forward. Over time, that gap compounds. You can put a ton of effort into solving problems that don’t change your trajectory, and end up feeling more stuck because of it. I see this often in how PMMs respond to shifts like AI. There is a tendency to double down on tools or tactics when trying to address a deeper question about career direction, only leading to more frustrations and feelings of FOMO, or straight-up fear.  The PMMs who navigate through changes successfully approach this differently. They are not the ones chasing the newest or most talked-about trends. Instead, they’re the ones who have enough clarity about themselves to make intentional choices as their environment shifts. This is a pattern I have seen consistently across the 300+ PMMs and leaders I have coached, regardless of company, level, or market conditions. It is also what led me to develop the Thriving PMM Framework. The framework is a way to think more systematically about how you build your PMM career.  It has three layers:  Layer 1 focuses on PMM craft , the core skills that define the role, which are now increasingly augmented by AI.  Layer 2 is about  human skills , the capabilities that carry across contexts and are not easily replicated by tools. Layer 3, which sits at the foundation, is your  career agency . This is your ability to define your path, shape your story, and navigate key inflection points with intention. Today, I’ll walk through each of these three layers to help you get clearer on where you are and what actually matters next. Let’s dig in.  Layer 1: The core PMM skills Let’s start with the first layer, PMM craft, because this is where most of the noise is right now. First, let me reassure you. The core PMM craft isn’t going away. If anything, AI is raising the bar for quality, which means the fundamentals matter more than ever. In fact, from what I’m seeing in my own advisory work, demand for positioning and messaging has actually increased, not decreased. What is changing is how the role shows up. AI is pushing PMMs further into orchestrator roles, where you are coordinating work to improve efficiency while keeping the strategy intact.  To use music as an analogy, as the conductor of an orchestra, you are not playing every instrument yourself, but you are responsible for how it all comes together. That requires a strong understanding of what each instrument can do and how to bring them together in a way that actually works. Ultimately, that is what determines the quality of the performance, and is what separates great world-class philharmonics from the rest.  So what are the core elements of the PMM craft? Here is a refresher on the four foundational elements: Research.   Deep competitive, market, and customer research. The insights that move strategy. AI can synthesize faster, but you still need to make judgment about what to pay attention to and what’s just noise.  Positioning and messaging.   Turning insights into a clear narrative that resonates. AI can generate options, but you need to shape what’s actually true and differentiated that doesn’t sound like everyone else. GTM systems.   Building the operating model for launches, campaigns, and go-to-market strategy. AI helps with execution; you still need to design the architecture, often  in collaboration with other humans.  Enablement and evangelism.   Making sure the message lands internally with sales and externally with the market. AI can help with content; but again, the relationships and influence are human. Of course, these don’t cover every responsibility a product marketer might have. The scope will vary depending on company stage, size, and go-to-market motion. Some PMMs will own pricing and packaging, while others focus on analyst relations or even in-product activation. But these four areas form a core foundation. Without them, it is difficult to build real strength in the role. In summary, the right way to approach AI is to treat it as an execution accelerator across all the core PMM craft elements. It increases the speed and volume of work, making judgment and prioritization even more important. The table below breaks this down more concretely across human-led, AI-assisted, and AI-driven work. Table: How PMM work shifts across human judgment and AI support (not exhaustive) 👉 If you want to go deeper on how to use AI in your daily work, check out my comprehensive State of AI in Product Marketing Report . Layer 2: The human skills no tool can replace If Layer 1 is about the work itself, Layer 2 is about how that work actually gets done. I was recently talking with a Lead PMM at a large tech company who was hired to own her company’s platform AI narrative. Her role is entirely centered on AI. But when I asked what actually makes her successful, she didn’t mention tools or technical depth. She said it was her ability to build relationships, align teams, and get people to believe in what they’re building. The irony wasn’t lost on either of us. The most important skill of an AI PMM is, in fact, irreducibly human.  Here are the two skills that are fundamental to being a great PMM that AI simply cannot replace:  Influence and relationships.   This is one of those areas that can sound almost cliché, as “Influence without authority” gets talked about a lot. But in practice, it is still one of the most important skills to get right. Influence is your ability to build trust across all stakeholders, such as product, sales, leadership, and customers. It shows up internally, in how you align teams and drive decisions, and externally, in how your message lands in the market. It also requires judgment, e.g., knowing which battles to pick, when to push, and how to bring people along. Because let’s face it, this is what determines whether your work actually gets implemented and seen.  👉 If you want to go deeper on this, I’ve written an entire newsletter on this topic that you can check out here Business strategy.   This has always been critical for PMMs, but it is now more important than ever. Because as AI takes on more execution, the work becomes even more about deciding what is worth doing in the first place, and why… and that is business strategy. You need to understand how the business operates, connect your work to revenue, growth, and company priorities, and prioritize ruthlessly and communicate trade-offs to leadership. This is what separates strategic PMMs from tactical ones: the ability to work one hour with product management, hop on a customer call with CX, and then present a deep dive on the competition to the leadership team, all while thinking about the business as a whole, and not just that particular piece of it. 👉 If you want to go deeper on how to connect PMM work to business strategy and growth, I’ve written more about that here The bottom line is, PMM is a connector role between many different functions, and success depends on navigating people as much as it does on producing work. It requires emotional intelligence, judgment, and a strong understanding of how the business operates, along with the ability to align across different priorities. None of that can be automated. The image below shows how the PMM role works in practice,  not as the center of teams, but  as the connector across them. Layer 3: Career agency as the foundation  If Layer 1 is about the work itself, and Layer 2 is about how that work gets done, then Layer 3 is about the direction you’re actually heading in. This is the layer most PMMs don’t spend enough time on, but it is the one that makes everything else work. There’s a chart I often share when I give a talk about PMM career design at conferences: Most people who see this focus on the winding parts, aka “my second act”: the startup that failed, the art business, the pivot into product marketing, etc.  What they don’t always notice is what the straight line (blue area) at the beginning actually represents. That was me with low career agency. I was an engineering consultant out of Georgia Tech, moving predictably upward, but unhappy. Even though I knew early on I didn’t want to be a consultant, I stayed for 6 years anyway, mostly out of fear and uncertainty.  What changed wasn’t that I suddenly had a perfect plan. It was that I started treating my career as something I was actively designing, rather than something that was happening to me. Once that shifted, the path became more nonlinear, but also more intentional. The startup that didn’t work, the stint in content marketing, the art business, they stopped feeling like detours. Each one gave me information and shaped what I did next. And over time, that led to outcomes that would have been very difficult to plan up front. i.e., moving to PMM, being promoted three times in three years to Director, building teams from scratch, and eventually creating a portfolio career that spans coaching, advising, and my art business (and living perhaps the most fulfilling phase of my career)  If you’re curious, I once wrote a “resume of failure” that captures a lot of these pivots and detours. I share this because it’s what career agency actually looks like in practice. I also share this to show you that no matter where you are at one point, you can change it and take control of it.  Career agency is not just about having skills. It’s about being the primary driver of your own career, making decisions even when it’s hard, evaluating trade-offs, and moving in a direction that aligns with what you actually want. In practical terms, career agency consists of skills that empower you to do the following:  Path design:   Getting clear on where you actually want to go, whether that’s leadership, a deeper IC path, a portfolio career, or something you can’t quite name yet. There’s no right answer because it’s about you, and your unique journey. Landing the right role:   Knowing how to articulate your value clearly, finding roles genuinely aligned with that, and finding a role that maximizes growth and what you value instead of settling for any offer that comes along (or other people’s definition of good). Thriving once you’re in it:   Having a real playbook for the first 90 days, knowing how to position yourself for promotion, and building the internal relationships that actually move your career. Building optionality:   Designing a career that goes beyond the current job, which includes your personal brand, your network, and the reputation you’re building in the market. This is the work you do for yourself, not just for a company’s roadmap. To give you an example, one of my clients came into our first session and said, “I don’t even know what my career goal is.” So we actually spent that first session just clarifying that. And what she realized was that she didn’t want to be a full-time PMM anymore. She wanted to build her own business. From there, we spent the rest of the program building out her business idea, her offer, and her entire GTM strategy, including how she would test and get her first clients. Within two months of launching, she had already signed a major client. That’s what I mean by career agency. Because it doesn’t matter how strong your skills are or what others perceive as success. If you don’t know where you’re going or are just following others’ playbooks, you can end up just rowing harder in the wrong direction. That’s why this layer sits at the foundation of everything else. What’s next - Start building your PMM career with intention If you’re reading this and it’s making you think more seriously about your own direction, this is the work I do and have been doing.  I’ve worked with experienced PMMs across different stages, whether they’re trying to land a new role, get promoted, or figure out a bigger shift in their career. But I also know that when you’re at that point, you might not even know what the right next step is, or which program makes sense. That’s why I am offering a limited, one-time Career Clarity Session. This is a focused session where we look at where you are today, assess what’s actually going on across these different layers, and help you get clear on what your next move should be. This is a good fit if you’re a mid-career PMM: thinking about a new role or promotion feeling stuck in your current role or trying to figure out where your career is actually going This offer is valid only for the next 2 weeks.  → Learn more and apply here And if you’re wondering what this looks like in practice, here are a few experiences from PMMs I’ve worked with:  That’s all for today! See you next time.  Yi Lin

I've spent years running positioning workshops and training PMMs across companies of all sizes. Before each session, I ask these teams to rate their current positioning process on a scale of 1 to 5. The pattern is remarkably consistent. Most teams rate themselves somewhere between 2 and 3. I rarely see 4s, and almost never see 5s. And these aren't struggling teams. They're talented, experienced product marketers. They have strong frameworks and know April Dunford’s process inside and out. They care deeply about getting it right. But they feel stuck, because positioning is hard.  AI has made it even harder. Categories are saturated,  and differentiating your solution is more important than ever. In fact, the ability to create differentiated positioning supported by strong narratives is one of the MOST important skills hiring managers today are looking for.  So if you feel like you or your team haven’t quite “figured out” positioning or that output is less than ideal, you're not alone.  Let me walk you through why it fails and what actually fixes it. Why product positioning fails 1. Positioning gets created in isolation or diluted by committee. These are two common patterns – both extremes, and neither is good. In the first, a PMM creates positioning on their own. Stakeholders weigh in randomly or through ad-hoc meetings, but there's no space made for shared conversation. In the second, teams go too far in the other direction –  trying to build consensus by incorporating everyone's feedback, and losing the positioning’s edge and clarity in the process (the peanut butter approach). Read about it here .  Both approaches miss something fundamental: positioning is an alignment exercise , not a solo deliverable. The goal isn't to write the perfect statement and get approval. It's to create shared understanding across the people who need to use it. 2. Positioning is treated as a launch deliverable instead of a strategic input.  This often happens when product management doesn’t understand the product marketing function.  They see positioning as something that happens at launch: features get built, decisions get locked, and then PMM comes in to explain it all. This is actually the wrong order of operations. Positioning works best when it informs product development, not follows it. Early positioning creates clarity on what the product does and who it's for. That clarity shapes better decisions. Positioning that comes after decisions are made is reactive: you're explaining features without knowing if they matter to customers. It evolves in stages: Discover  — before a line of code is written, pressure-test your right to win. Design  — refine value pillars as the product takes shape. Develop  — lock the narrative before launch. Deploy  — activate it across messaging, channels, and sales. When positioning informs the roadmap early, you build the right thing. When it’s layered on at the end, you’re just trying to explain it. I break this down in more detail here .  Also, see the chart below to represent this.  3. Teams focus only on the positioning statement itself, not what feeds into it or what happens after. Most positioning conversations stay narrowly focused on crafting the statement – skipping  two critical pieces get skipped: The inputs:  What data and insights should actually inform positioning ? Some good news: most teams already have the research they need to start. The activation:  How will you translate positioning – first into messaging, and then sales conversations, on product pages, in customer onboarding? Without a clear activation plan, even great positioning sits unused. These three problems feed into each other. Positioning stays misaligned across teams, sales doesn't use it, Product and PMM aren't aligned, and positioning becomes a box you check off rather than something that shapes business operations and helps you grow. A strong positioning process – the one I’m about to walk you through – can solve all three at once. It’s not just for writing a statement, but a system for how to make sure it gets used throughout your organization. Before we dive in, let’s quickly reset on some commonly used but often misunderstood terms:  Positioning, messaging, copy, and narrative Before we dive into the process, let's get clear on what we're actually talking about. Positioning  is your strategic foundation. It's how your product fits in the market: who it's for, what it does, why it's different, and why it matters. Think of it as the internal logic that guides everything else. Messaging  is how you communicate your positioning. It's the language, themes, and key points (value pillars, benefits, capabilities, and features) you use to convey your value to customers.  Copy  is the execution. It's the actual headlines, body text, CTAs, and specific language that shows up on your website, in emails, in ads. Copy brings messaging to life and can be clever, punchy, or creative.  Narrative  is the story arc that connects your positioning across touchpoints. It's how you guide customers through understanding your value over time, from first awareness to deep conviction.  You can think of these as layers of the onion with positioning in the middle – and if the center is not right, then everything falls apart,  no matter how great your copy is. That’s why it’s so critical to get it right.  My 5-step product positioning process  I've been refining this process for years across companies of different sizes, stages, and industries. It's designed to fix the positioning mistakes we just talked about: create the right amount of alignment, bring PMM in earlier, and give teams a repeatable system. This is a mixed-method approach, not pulled from a single playbook but instead influenced by some of the strongest positioning frameworks (including April Dunford’s), combined with what I’ve learned from running workshops and leading PMM within organizations. I’ve used it to train dozens of teams and individuals.  Step 1: Gather data and insights Notice I didn't say "do more research." I said, gather what you already have. The goal here is to determine the least amount of data needed to come up with the best possible insights to inform positioning. This does NOT necessarily mean conducting more customer interviews, competitive analysis, or market research. Because you probably already have enough insights to move forward. The problem is that no one has synthesized these insights in a way that's useful for positioning. So how do you do this with the least effort?  Start with the end goal in mind First,  get clear on what you're trying to inform. You need to understand: Market segmentation and ICP Personas, use cases, and jobs to be done Differentiated value Customer proof (if it exists) Keeping these goals in mind helps you figure out which insights actually matter. Use the triangulation method Here's the framework I use: instead of gathering a ton from one source, mix your data types. You’ll get better coverage, reduce bias, and have more usable data. Think of it as a triangle with three types of data: Qualitative data (what people say):  Customer interviews, call recordings, online reviews. You don't need dozens; just two to three will usually surface 80% of what you need to know. Outcomes data (what they choose):  Customer acquisition cost, NPS, churn rates, conversion rates. These give you directional clues about what's working and what isn't. Behavioral data (what they do):  Usage analytics, feature adoption, onboarding completion rates – how customers actually interact  with your product, not just what they say they do or plan to do. Mixing these types rather than going deep on just one will give you a more accurate picture than 50 interviews alone. . Step 2: Conduct the positioning workshop This is where the magic happens, and it's not a solo exercise. A positioning workshop brings cross-functional stakeholders into the same room (or Zoom) to speak the same language about the product's value. You absolutely need product in the room;  sometimes sales, sometimes customer success. The exact mix and seniority levels needed depends on your org, but the point is: this isn't something PMM does alone and then presents. The workshop format works because it  forces alignment and focus in real time.  Instead of endless Slack threads and comment wars in Google Docs, you hash it out together. Disagreements will surface, but you resolve them in the moment. Product teams start thinking about capabilities and outcomes, not just features. Sales starts understanding the strategic rationale behind the messaging. Everyone leaves speaking the same language. It builds buy-in without authority. As a PMM, you often don't have formal power over product or sales. But when you facilitate a strong workshop, you demonstrate influence. You become the person who brings clarity to the chaos. The structure of the workshop matters. I use a set of forcing questions and exercises designed to pull out what people actually know (and reveal what they don't). These are listed below..  1. Start with your happiest customers   Ask: Who gets the most value from us?  This is where alignment gaps show up. If there’s no consensus on your best-fit customer, everything downstream breaks. 2. Identify the champion persona   Within the ICP, who actually drives the deal forward –end user? Budget owner? Executive sponsor? Sharp positioning requires a clear champion. 3. Clarify their jobs-to-be-done   What is the champion trying to accomplish? What motivates them? What gets in their way? 4. Define the real alternative   If you didn’t exist, what would they do instead? It might be another vendor, a workaround, or nothing at all. Pick one. Positioning needs a clear reference point. 5. Pressure-test differentiators   What truly sets you apart from that alternative? Some claims will be table stakes. A few will emerge as real competitive strengths. 6. Build the value matrix (post-workshop)   Translate differentiators into impact:  Attribute → Capability → Benefit → Business Outcome  This connects product details to what the champion actually cares about. 7. Synthesize into a messaging house   Bring it all together: • ICP & champion • Core challenges/jobs • Differentiators & value pillars • Proof & business outcomes Tools like Miro or FigmaJam boards are best for this kind of exercise, whether in person or virtual, as a way to truly preserve the work you’ve done (see visual below). Of course, positioning can't just live in your head or be buried in a slide deck. You need to document it in a way that's accessible, reusable, and clear. That's where the positioning and messaging canvas comes in. It's a structured document that captures not just what you decided, but why you decided it. Step 3: Capture into a positioning and messaging canvas The centerpiece of this canvas is the value hierarchy exercise. This is where most teams get stuck, and it's also where the biggest breakthroughs happen. Here's how it works. You map your product across four layers: Features : What it is. The tangible pieces of your product. Think: dashboard, API, mobile app. Capabilities : What it does, and enables users to do. Think: track performance in real time, automate workflows, and centralize data. Benefits : What it means for the user – capabilities translated into value. Think: save time, reduce errors, increase visibility. Outcomes : The transformation or business result. Think: grow revenue, improve customer retention, scale operations. Example Value Matrix of a Fake B2B SaaS AI platform Features Capabilities Benefits (User-Level) Outcomes (Business-Level) AI-powered anomaly detection Automatically identifies unusual patterns across revenue, usage, and churn signals Teams don’t need to manually monitor dashboards Faster issue detection → reduced revenue leakage Natural language data queries Allows anyone to query data in plain English Non-technical teams can self-serve insights Increased data adoption across departments Predictive forecasting engine Projects revenue and usage trends based on behavioral patterns Leaders can anticipate risks and opportunities earlier More accurate quarterly planning and resource allocation Most common teams jump from features straight to benefits, completely skipping the capability layer. But capabilities are the bridge that connects what your product is to why it matters. Without that bridge, your positioning feels hollow. You're making claims ("save time!") without showing how the product actually delivers on them. When I have teams fill out a matrix with these four columns during workshops,  the capability row is always the hardest and the most revealing. It forces product teams to articulate what the product actually does before they start making promises about what it means. Once you've mapped the hierarchy, you capture it in the canvas alongside your target audience, competitive differentiation, and proof points. This becomes your source of truth. Step 4: Test and validate Before you roll out positioning across the org, you need to pressure test it. This helps during the workshop when stakeholders disagree too much on positioning decisions; you can say, "Look, we're not trying to create perfect positioning here. We have to test this anyway." That speeds up the process instead of three months of back and forth. Because positioning is a hypothesis . It's what you think is best, but you can’t validate until you see how your audience actually responds to it. Three ways to test positioning Below are three practical ways to validate your positioning. First, direct discussions with customers  (especially powerful in B2B). Have salespeople use the new positioning directly in sales deals. See what resonates, what confuses, and what questions customers ask. Second, panel research . For B2B, Wynter is a tool that's widely used. User testing platforms work well, too. Get direct feedback on whether your positioning is clear to your target audience. Third, direct channel testing . Test it across your marketing channels. A/B test emails. Try different social copy. Put variations on your website and see what performs. You’re doing this; just apply it to positioning. The key insight is that testing doesn't happen once before launch. You test, learn, refine, and test again. You can create something,  validate it in the market, iterate, and do it again. This mindset also helps you move faster. When teams get stuck debating positioning details, remind them that the market will tell you what works, which beats endless internal debates. Build the hypothesis, test it, learn from it, and refine – here’s how.  Step 5: Activate and iterate This is where most teams drop the ball. They create the positioning, share the document, and then… nothing happens. Sales keeps using their old pitch. Product keeps talking about features. The problem is simple: it’s not obvious to other teams l how to actually use your positioning document.  So you need to create derivative assets for each team. For marketing, create a quick reference guide for copywriting. What to say, what not to say. Specific phrases. Examples of off-brand language to avoid. For product, create a strategic insights brief. Share the competitive intel and customer feedback that can inform their roadmap. For sales, develop the actual talk track. The pitch, the objection handling, and the proof points they can use in customer conversations. The more directly you answer their questions, the better adoption you get. And when you help them, something powerful happens: they start helping you back. The teams that treat positioning as locked either stick with outdated messaging or reinvent everything from scratch every six months. Both are painful. Instead, build a rhythm. Make positioning a part of how your organization operates. How this process brings in PMMs earlier (and earns you a seat at the table) A  strong positioning process doesn't just improve messaging. It changes when and how PMMs get involved in product decisions. Right now, if you're like most PMMs, you're brought in after product decisions are made. The roadmap is set. Features are locked. Your job is to "make it sound good." But when you establish positioning as a repeatable process, not a one-time deliverable, it becomes a forcing function. Product teams start to realize they can't ship without clear positioning. And positioning can't happen without PMM. Here's how to use this as leverage: Make positioning a requirement, not a nice-to-have . Explain why it’s a critical input to the product development cycle, not an afterthought. When Product proposes a new feature, ask: How will we position this? Who is it for? What value does it deliver? Show how positioning informs product decisions . Use the value matrix exercise with product teams before features are built. If they have trouble articulating a feature’s capabilities and outcomes, they start questioning whether it's the right thing to build in the first place. Create a repeatable rhythm . Don't wait for launches to do positioning work. Build it into your quarterly planning. Make it part of how product and marketing operate together. The positioning workshop itself becomes your leverage. When you facilitate a strong session that brings clarity and alignment, people notice. You become the person who makes the complex simple. You demonstrate strategic thinking, not just execution. That's how you earn a seat at the table: by proving you belong there through the value you create. What’s next If you see yourself and your team in what I’ve described above, you don’t have to fix it alone. Here's how I can help: ​ 1:1 coaching ​ for PMMs looking to elevate their positioning work, influence without authority, and become true strategic partners - not just launch support. ​ Team training and advising ​ for companies that want to build a great positioning, especially for navigating complex positioning challenges, multi-product portfolios, or major strategic shifts. Simply contact me if you are interested, and we can discuss how to work together.

This newsletter is sponsored by: UserEvidence Turn customer proof into your competitive advantage  If you want your team to strengthen messaging, compete harder, and win more deals in 2026, start by fixing your customer evidence engine . As a former Director of PMM, this is the system I desperately wish I had. UserEvidence  gives you the verified proof every PMM needs but never has enough of: ROI stats, competitive wins, product claims, and account-level stories you can plug directly into launches, narratives, and sales motions. With the ability to scale customer-centric content, you can dedicate more time to actually enabling sales.  → Book a demo to see it in action! Four Lessons from Four Years as a Product Marketing Coach Happy New Year, everyone!  I hope 2026 is off to a gentle, grounding start for you. 🥰 The end of a year/beginning of a new one always puts me in a reflective mood. It is one of the few moments when time feels slow enough to pause and really take stock. I think about what worked, what didn’t, what surprised me, and what I learned the hard way. This year marks my fourth year running my own product marketing coaching and advisory business (or 5th year if you count my side-hustle year). It has been an incredible journey. There have been real highs, plenty of challenges, and constant learning. I feel deeply grateful that I get to wake up every day doing work I care about, working with thoughtful, driven people, and building something that supports my family.  But that doesn’t mean it has been easy or linear.  I’m sharing this reflection because I’m often asked how I started my business or how I built what I do today. From the outside, things can look smooth or “figured out.” The reality is a lot messier and slower. And to me, there’s nothing more encouraging than hearing how things went “behind the scenes” when people share their success stories.  Because our career successes are not magic, and that means whatever you want to achieve, it can happen for you, too.   So here we go.  Lesson 1: Mastery beats motivation  Many people are familiar with parts of my story, but for those who aren’t, here’s the short version. I started my career as a transportation engineering consultant and later made a hard pivot into product marketing. It was intense and challenging, but it worked. After becoming a newbie PMM, I was promoted three times in three years to become a Director of Product Marketing.  After building several PMM teams from scratch, I decided to go out on my own. I’m sure I looked confident from the outside – but I did not feel  ready at all. During COVID, I helped several laid-off friends land new jobs, and that’s when I started to notice that I was exceptionally good at helping people make sense of their experience and turn it into a clear, high-impact story. It was the same skill I had relied on to change my own career. These friends pushed me to take the work more seriously, which eventually grew into my 1:1 coaching programs. At some point, as my business grew, I wanted to reach more people, so I decided to build a job search course. I spent a huge amount of time on it, creating the curriculum, recording videos, and so on. But when I launched it, only five people signed up. I remember feeling embarrassed and disappointed. I thought that the idea was never gonna work and pretty much gave up. But after sulking for a week, I decided I couldn’t quit yet.  I knew from plenty of people that my process worked…. So why didn't anyone sign up?  Instead of giving up, I got curious. I paid close attention to those five people. Where did they get stuck? What actually helped? I also talked to people who had considered signing up but didn’t. As I collected feedback, one insight immediately stood out: job search support cannot be purely self-paced. People need accountability, real examples, feedback, and community. That realization changed everything and helped me launch the PMM Job Search System in December 2024.  Over the past year, more than 75 people have gone through the program, with an average of 1 person per week landing a new job. None of this would exist if I had treated those first five sign-ups as failures instead of information. This was a huge lesson for me that I will carry forward:  The most meaningful things rarely look impressive at the beginning. Mastery is built through repetition, humility, and a willingness to keep going. Lesson 2: Clarity beats noise When you are building anything, whether it’s a business or a career, it’s like rowing a boat. If you don’t know where you’re going, all that effort just moves you in circles. Early on, I spent a lot of time thinking about what kind of business I actually wanted to build. I was raised by a single mom with very strong values, and I’ve always had to reconcile two things that can feel at odds: creating real value for people and being paid fairly for my work. I wanted to help people generously, but I also needed to support my family and build something sustainable. What became clear to me quickly is that I didn’t want to build a business optimized purely for short-term revenue. I wanted something enduring: a business grounded in impact, trust, and long-term relationships. I believed that if I focused on that, the money would follow. Not the other way around. That clarity made some decisions harder in the moment. I had to learn to turn away clients. I said no to opportunities that looked good on paper and ignored paths that promised faster growth but didn’t feel aligned with my true goals. I see this tension most clearly on LinkedIn. There are moments when I spend days creating a post, only to watch it land with 20 likes. Then I see a meme rack up thousands of likes. I’d be lying if I said that never stung or made me question my approach. The comparison mentality is real.  But I always come back to the same question: what am I actually trying to build? That question has helped me ignore noise and focus on signals that matter more to me. Not just revenue growth, though that’s important. What I care most about are repeat clients and word of mouth. Those are indicators of trust and durability. Last year, nearly 40% percent of my work came from repeat clients across my programs, along with a steady stream of referrals from people who know me and my work. Those results have given me a deeper kind of confidence that comes from knowing this:  Sticking to my values will always lead to the right results.   Lesson 3: Focus, but leave room to experiment  I’ve always believed deeply in focus. As product marketers, we know this instinctively. If you try to do everything, no one knows you for anything. Focus is what allows mastery to form. For most of my career, I leaned very hard into that principle. And it served me well. What I learned more recently is that focus alone isn’t enough. Over the past year, I started thinking about my work through an 80/20 lens. 80% of my time went into refining and deepening my core offerings. The remaining 20% I treated as R&D. This 20% was uncomfortable by design because I needed to put myself out there, to try things I wasn’t sure would work, and to be willing to face rejection. In a world that’s changing as fast as ours, doing only what has worked in the past is one of the fastest ways to become irrelevant. And not surprisingly, about 90% of those experiments failed. I was ghosted after proposals. Conversations that felt promising went nowhere. Ideas I thought had potential turned out to have no real product-market fit. But those failures were incredibly informative. They taught me what not to pursue and sharpened my instincts. The remaining 10% did  surprise me. For instance, I helped an AI startup create their  positioning and messaging  for expansion into the US market, I trained a team of 70 PMs and PMMs to align on how to work together (yay!), and I built a recruiting agency !  So by putting myself out there, I got opportunities that kept me sharp, exposed me to new problems and perspectives, and opened up new business ideas. Lesson 4: Getting help > going at it alone  One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that growth gets much harder when you try to do it entirely on your own. Not because you don’t know what to do, but because the most meaningful problems require new perspectives and support. I’m actually introverted, even though people often assume otherwise. Writing has always been my most natural way to connect, which is probably why you’re reading this newsletter. 😀 But introversion can also turn into isolation if I am not careful. This year, I pushed myself to change that. I reached out to people I admired and deepened relationships I already had. Those small actions led to some of the most meaningful relationships I’ve built so far: mentors, collaborators, peers, and partners who challenged my thinking and expanded what I thought was possible. For instance, I deepened my relationship with my mentor  - the amazing Martina Launchengco, whom I met on LinkedIn through one cold outbound message. She has been a huge collaborator and inspiration since then.   But support doesn’t just show up in professional settings. I’m often told I’m a “super mom” for running a business while raising young kids. The truth is, I couldn’t do this alone. I have an incredibly supportive partner and a strong support system at home. There is real, invisible labor behind everything I’m able to build, from help with childcare, logistics, and the emotional weight of day-to-day life.   The more honest I’ve become about needing help, at work and at home, the more sustainable my life and business have become. Growth has accelerated not because I worked harder, but because I stopped pretending I had to – or could  – do everything myself. As I look ahead to 2026, one of the biggest bets I’m making is on people. Who I work with. Who I learn from. Who I partner with. Who supports me behind the scenes. Even as a one-person business, nothing I build is truly solo. Looking ahead to 2026 As I reflect on the past four years, I feel deeply grateful. Not just for the growth of the business, but for the life it has allowed me to build. My oldest daughter is four and a half. My youngest is ten months old. This work has supported my family, stretched me as a person, and given my days meaning. It hasn’t been easy. It still isn’t. But it has been worth it. If I can leave you with one thought as you step into 2026, it’s this: get honest about what you really want to build in your life.  Then ask yourself what one small step you can take right now to move toward it.  There is a saying I love, which is “too small too fail” . If you take a small enough step forward, even if it’s absurdly small, then you can’t fail (and will only move forward).  So take that step. May be that is getting clarity about what you want. May be it’s leaving something bad behind to pursue something new. Or may be it’s simply asking for help.   That belief is at the heart of everything I do at Courageous Careers. I hope some of what I shared was helpful to you.  I’m glad you’re here. Thank you for reading. I’m rooting for you this year!! Yi Lin P.S. If this newsletter has resonated with you, and you’d like to build an intentional career with the right support in 2026, here are all the ways I can help you:  Looking to land a new PMM role?  → Join the PMM Job Search System  (Q1 enrollment opens today!) or check out my 1-1 coaching program Starting a new PMM job and want to ramp fast?  → Check out my 1-1 PMM Onboarding Program Want to thrive, get promoted, or gain clarity in your role?  → Check out my 1-1 Leadership Coaching Program Need support for your PMM team or company?  → check out my advisory, consulting, and training services

Hey, it’s Yi Lin! Each month, I share practical insights on product marketing, career growth, and thriving in this changing landscape. And if you’re ready for more than what this newsletter can offer, you can always explore my coaching programs and advisory services . This newsletter is sponsored by: UserEvidence The most tactical guide you need to capture customer proof Are you spending months chasing case studies or testimonials, only for sales to ask, “Do we have proof for cybersecurity buyers?” or “Anything for EMEA?”  Or perhaps you are unsure how to collect customer feedback at scale, or how much you should incentivize people to respond.  In 2026, the PMMs who win will be the ones who deliver specific, niche, ROI-backed proof  that de-risks deals and earns sales’ trust. And with 67% of B2B buyers requiring compelling proof before they buy, this will be a crucial skill. Closing The Evidence Gap  is the most tactical, step-by-step guide I’ve seen on how to capture customer proof that actually gets used (and make PMM the most-loved member of your team). Because it’s written by a PMM leader, you know it’s got advice you can actually use.  →  Learn how to get customer proof the right way.  Do you have too much work, but too little time?    I've been noticing a recurring theme lately in both client meetings and my community posts: people asking for help with prioritization.  This seems heightened at this time of year - maybe it's the year-end crunch, or annual planning season for 2026. But many folks I've spoken to have a story similar to this client's: "Our team is pretty small, and we're still building a lot of the foundations of product marketing. We also have to execute on launches every month, which takes up a ton of time. On top of that, my manager comes to me and says things like, 'We need to fix our sales enablement,'; or our CEO complains that our G2 page is out of date and needs to be cleaned up. And of course, I'm getting countless pings from other teams asking for help with slide decks, product page updates, talk tracks, etc. I honestly don't know how to prioritize these seemingly endless tasks." If you’re reading this thinking, ‘Yep, that’s exactly my life,’ you’re not alone. Almost every PMM I coach says some version of this. You can't clone yourself, and you can't add hours to the day. So what's a PMM to do? My take on this is this:  Most prioritization issues are actually strategy issues.  They stem from a bad strategy, or no strategy at all. Here's how to tell if your team/company has a solid strategy: It's simple and focused (a list of 10 goals is not a strategy) It's actionable with the right resources behind it It's adjustable and iterating - not rigid no matter what If you realize your company might not have all three, don't panic. You don't have to be stuck in your company's bad strategy. You can still set a better one for yourself and your team. Of course, there are limits to this, and I will talk about that at the end.  But for now, here are four steps you can take to prioritize product marketing work.  How to prioritize product marketing work by doing less, but better  Step 1: Set your strategy The word “strategy” gets used A LOT, and it can sound intimidating – or even like something only your C suite has to worry about. But at its core, strategy is just choosing what matters most and deciding where you’ll focus your limited time and resources (and saying no to things).  Ideally, your company has already created high-level goals that are cascading down to teams. Using this will help your marketing team determine their strategy, which will feed into yours (whether individually or if you’re managing a team).  Here’s how that should look:  First:  Determine your functional team’s goals based on company-level priorities. This is usually set by your marketing or GTM leader each quarter. If they haven’t done this, bring a draft to them, and fewer goals are always better. Even if your company doesn’t use OKRs, there should be a clear equivalent you can anchor to. Second:  Review these goals and ask: What is our functional team's plan to achieve them across content, demand gen, ops, product, and beyond? This strategy should come from your leadership, but that doesn't mean you wait on the sidelines.  Third (critically important):  Determine Product Marketing’s specific contribution to the functional plan. Be explicit about what PMM will own  versus what PMM will support . This single distinction creates alignment and prevents PMM from becoming the catch-all function. See the sample graphic below.  Fourth:  Turn that into a PMM team strategy. Use the same strategic pillars, but re-create it as PMM-specific initiatives, tasks. This becomes your roadmap. Fifth:  Get granular about what PMM needs to do that wasn’t captured at the functional level. This often includes foundational work such as research, ICP clarity, messaging frameworks, better processes. These gaps should be named explicitly and fed back into the functional strategy discussion in Step 2 so they are captured. Finally (and possibly most important):  Be clear about what not  to do. Some work may be important, but simply not aligned with current company goals or timing. Protecting focus is part of strategic leadership.   There is a saying I love:  “Don’t half-ass two things. Whole-ass one thing.”   Step 2: Use a prioritization framework  Ok, so now you know what  you have to do. It’s time to figure out how  you’re going to do it. This is one of my favorite parts, because I get to share my most popular framework: the Action/Priority Matrix . This simple 2x2 matrix helps you categorize tasks based on Impact and Effort, making it easy to spot your “Quick Wins” while mapping out the larger, more complex projects. Here’s how to use it: 1. List all your tasks for the quarter - Start with everything that cascades from the strategy you created in Step 1. 2. Rate the impact -  For each task, ask yourself: How impactful is this on a scale of 0–10?  Impact is about how crucial the task is to the company’s and team’s key goals this quarter. 3. Evaluate the effort - How big of a lift will this be for you or your team? Assign an effort score so you can compare tasks objectively. 4. Plot your tasks on the 2x2 matrix and group them into four categories: Quick Wins:  High impact, low effort. Do these first to build momentum and early wins. Major Projects:  High impact, high effort. Plan these carefully, break them into milestones, and turn pieces into quick wins—or request additional support. Fill-Ins:  Low impact, low effort. Handle these during lighter weeks, or delegate if possible. Often ideal for someone more junior. Thankless Tasks:  Low impact, high effort. Avoid these when you can. They usually signal unclear boundaries or work PMM shouldn’t own. Partner with your manager to determine how this work should get done (or whether it should get done at all). Below is an example of what this looks like with common PMM activities mapped into each category. As you’re working through this, remember what we covered in last month’s newsletter: where AI can help with some of these tasks . While not a hard and fast rule, it’s more likely that you’ll see value in the “Fill-Ins” and “Thankless Tasks” areas; for example, you can likely create a workflow using current assets to help you update FAQs.  You’ll need to discern where AI adds value for major projects, likely within the smaller milestones (ie, you could probably use an LLM’s help pulling themes out of your win/loss calls, but you’ll want to confirm those and do the analysis and presentation yourself.)  How to use surveys to capture customer proof (without losing your mind)   As we saw above, customer case studies are usually quick wins: high-value tools that can generate immediate value. Yet collecting actual customer proof might be more painful than we’d like to admit.   Specifically, customer proof is usually collected from surveys. But most surveys flop because they’re too long, too generic, and too annoying for customers to answer. So how do you run surveys that actually get responses? Here’s how, according to the Close the Evidence Gap:   Make the ask personal: Send the survey from the AE or CSM they already know. Tell them the “why” (what’s in it for them): Example: “We’re gathering honest feedback to improve your experience and help teams like yours make smarter decisions.” Incentivize properly: Cash > swag. $25 is the baseline but it goes up from there. Also make sure to keep the language FTC-safe: the incentive is for an honest review. Keep it ruthlessly short: 5–13 questions. 2–3 testimonial-style prompts max. Test internally before sending.  Focus each survey on ONE use case. For instance, Industry, region, competitor, use case. Don’t combine them. Being focused means higher response rates + cleaner proof. This is just the starting point. The UserEvidence playbook goes way deeper including email scripts, sample survey question sets, incentive strategy, internal testing workflows, and exactly how to turn raw responses into ROI-ready proof points your sales team will actually use. → Download the guide Step 3: Communicate your prioritization  Once you’ve mapped all your tasks into this framework, the next step is making sure everyone around you is aligned with your priorities, especially your manager. Avoid simply sending your manager a list and say, “I can do these, but not everything else.” That approach doesn’t build trust, and it puts all the burden of interpretation on them. A far more effective way  is to turn your priorities into a simple narrative (e.g. a few slides) that ties your work directly to company and team goals. For example, you might say: “Here are the business goals for the quarter. I’ve taken some time to think about what PMM needs to deliver to support those goals, and here’s my proposed prioritization based on impact, sequencing, and what we’ve learned this year. I’d love to get your feedback and make sure we’re aligned.” This immediately shows that you’re thinking strategically, not just reacting to tasks. It also signals that you’re actively connecting your work to outcomes, something every great PMM leader appreciates. The second part of communicating prioritization is being mindful of how you say no or push back. There are two simple techniques that preserve trust: 1. “Not now.”  You’re not shutting down the request. You’re saying it’s not aligned with current priorities or timing. This keeps the door open without derailing your plan. 2. Frame everything as a trade-off.  For example: “We can launch the new Sales Playbook this quarter OR  run the competitive training for the enterprise reps. Doing both is possible, but it means deprioritizing PLG experimentation for SMB. Here’s what that trade-off looks like.” This approach: Makes the invisible work visible Helps leaders make intentional choices Prevents you from silently absorbing extra work Step 4: Identifying the real constraint and making the right request  Even with perfect prioritization, you’ll eventually hit a point where the team simply can’t take on more. When everything is being labeled as “critical,” your job isn’t to work harder, it’s to identify the real  constraint and ask for what’s needed. Before you make any request, diagnose whether the issue is: Capacity  (not enough hands), Capability  (missing skills or tools), or Consistency  (broken processes creating churn). Each one requires a different solution. Capacity problems point to headcount or contractor support. Capability gaps point to tools, vendors, or specific expertise. And consistency issues can’t be solved with staffing or software. You must fix the intake, workflows, or communication first. Once you’ve identified the constraint, frame your request around business outcomes , not bandwidth. Instead of “I’m overwhelmed,” shift to: “To hit our goals for this quarter, PMM needs to deliver X and Y. Based on the current team, here’s what’s possible, and here’s what won’t get done without additional support.” A simple capacity snapshot works well here. Show what can be delivered with: 0 new hires, 1 new hire or contractor, or additional tooling/vendor budget. This makes the invisible work visible. It also gives leaders clear, concrete options. Finally, always articulate the risk of not taking action. That might mean slower launch cycles, missed opportunities, longer sales timelines, competitive pressure, or simply burnout. Leaders respond when you show the business impact, not when you talk about being overloaded. On that note: Bonus - don’t sacrifice your life  I hear versions of this from so many clients: “I’m not willing to sacrifice my health or my family anymore. I stop at a certain point. If no escalation is happening, I’m not going to do it.” This is not about being lazy. It’s about protecting your boundaries.  The goal is not to become more efficient at self-abandonment. The goal is to design your work in a way where: Your time is protected for the few big rocks that move your career Your capacity and tradeoffs are visible to leadership Your relationships are set up to support you, not drain you And you still have a life outside of your job You want to build a system where you can do excellent work and  still have a life. And honestly, if leadership won’t engage in a candid conversation about tradeoffs after you did steps 1-4 above, then that’s pretty important data for you, too…  …and it may be time to leave the company.  Where to go from here  If this is resonating, it’s because these challenges aren’t personal failures; they’re systemic patterns that PMMs face every day. And this is exactly the work I do with clients: helping PMMs design systems that protect their time, clarify their priorities, and support their career growth without sacrificing their health or their lives outside of work.  I’ve partnered with more than 30 PMMs this year to build personalized strategies for prioritization, boundary-setting, and sustainable leadership. Here’s what this looks like when it works in real life:  Clementina, Lead PMM at Klaviyo, used her learning budget to work with me. She quickly built a strong strategy, then identified and executed a project so impactful that it's become the most talked-about initiative on her global team. If you want support as we move into a new year, my Grow  and Thrive  1-1 coaching programs  are where we do it together.  And yes - this is the perfect time to use your L&D budget  before year-end! Resources and updates:  🎙️ Upcoming Event I’m doing a real coaching hot seat on the Product Marketing Adventures podcast. Streaming Dec 9th → Sign up here.  📝 New resources My behind-the-scenes take on what coaching actually  looks like  and can do for you.  (Product Marketer newsletter with Rory Woodbridge) My most popular post of November: my exact process for positioning & messaging  using a Miro board.  Inside my community (what you get when you work with me) When you work with me through any of my programs, you also get access to my private, vetted community of current and past clients, one of the most supportive PMM networks out there. A few recent highlights: → In-Person Meetups (NYC, SF, and beyond)-  Good food, real conversations, and genuine friendships… not just PMM venting buddies. :) → AI Workflow Workshops - Members demoed AI workflows from Claude projects to full agentic setups — it was so good it sparked a 30-day AI challenge. The work people shared blew me away. If you’ve ever wondered what the 1:1 experience feels like beyond the sessions… this is a small glimpse behind the scenes.

Boo! 👻 It’s Yi Lin. Don’t worry, the only thing spooky in this newsletter is how fast AI is moving. Each month, I share practical insights on product marketing, career growth, and thriving in this changing landscape. And if you’re ready for more than what this newsletter can offer, you can always ​ explore my coaching programs and advisory services ​ . ​ This newsletter is sponsored by: UserEvidence Why customer proof matters more than ever In 2025, traditional case studies won’t cut it. Buyers want verifiable, AI-friendly proof tailored to their industry, size, and use case - not another static PDF. That means turning customer stories into proof that moves deals forward: blind-but-verified wins, bite-sized snippets your sales team can actually use, and competitive switch stories (e.g., “Why we switched from X to Y” ). UserEvidence’s new ​Evidence Gap 2025 report​  reveals what’s working (and what’s not) in customer proof, plus practical playbooks and tips you can steal today. 😉 → ​ Learn how to create customer proof that increases buyer confidence ​ Is AI making you sweat? You’ve been given an AI mandate. Maybe you are new to leadership. Maybe you’ve just stepped into a new role. Or maybe you’ve simply been handed the responsibility without much direction. Either way, the expectation is clear: “figure out how AI makes us more productive.” Translation: multiply yourself (and your team). The challenge is knowing where to start. While there’s no shortage of well-meaning AI tool lists, webinars, and prompts lists out there, they rarely cover what matters most: the strategy to design and implement a real product marketing-focused workflow . To see real results, you need clarity on your goals, a focused place to begin, and alignment with leadership. When I published the ​ State of AI in Product Marketing Report ​  a few months ago, I highlighted how PMMs are using AI. Since then, the biggest question I’ve heard is: “Okay, but how do you actually execute this in real life?” That’s what this issue is about: building real workflows, so you can use AI in a way that makes you more strategic, not just busier. And I’ve got a cool real-life example  at the end - so don’t scroll away too soon! Why AI adoptions fail Before we dive into how to build an AI flow the right way, it’s worth asking: why do so many attempts fail? An MIT study recently found that 95% of enterprise AI pilots never scale or deliver ROI ( ​source​ ) .  While that study focused on big enterprises, the same traps show up in startups and even small teams. Three themes kept coming up in my advising and coaching work: Unclear objectives → AI projects were launched just to “keep up,” with no defined problem or success metric. Lack of change management/guardrail → everyone experiments in isolation, but no one sets ownership, process, or guardrails. Skill gaps → teams jump in without expertise in the very workflows they are building, leading to shallow adoption or lower quality outputs. When you zoom out, you realize the problem isn’t a lack of enthusiasm; it’s the absence of structure. Most organizations (especially startups) treat AI as a quick productivity hack, not a business capability that deserves real design . How to build Product Marketing AI workflows the right way So what do the successful 5% do differently? They treat AI as a system, not a shortcut. For PMMs and team leads, that means resisting the hype, slowing down, and being intentional. Here’s how I advise my clients to do it: 1. Anchor to a business goal Start with strategy. Not “what can AI do?” but what does the business need right now? For example, if win rates are dropping because competitors keep undercutting you, your AI pilots should directly address bottom-of-funnel conversion. 2. Choose a focused use case Once the goal is clear, pick one workflow that maps directly to it. The mistake I see often is starting too broadly. “Product launch,” for example, isn’t a single use case; it’s five or six (research review, positioning, promo plan, enablement, content). No wonder teams get stuck. So how do you choose the right one? I keep two simple principles in mind: Small enough to solve, big enough to matter  (credit to Zapier). Start with more execution-focused tasks (left of the spectrum of the graphic below):  this is where AI has the biggest advantage. The temptation is to begin with things like positioning, the “big ticket” work. But those require the most human judgment (and a ton of stakeholder alignment). They are the easiest place for AI to fail. Start small on the left, prove value, then expand. 👉 Example: if competitive intel is the challenge, begin with an AI-assisted workflow that aggregates competitor updates for a single top competitor. Document the process, capture the win, and build from there. Don’t get hung up on the format. It doesn’t matter whether that first use case is just a few saved prompts, a lightweight custom GPT, or eventually an agent (yes, agents are cool, but no, you absolutely don’t need one from the beginning). What matters is that it’s tied to your business goal and scoped small enough to deliver a win. 3. Define what “good” looks like Before writing a single prompt, map the structure of a high-quality output. For instance, if you are creating a competitive landing page, define the essential elements first: headline, proof point, differentiator, and CTA. Don’t rely on the tool you’re using to shape what good looks like. Feed it the right inputs: battlecards, customer stories, landing page examples, brand guidelines. That’s when AI starts to feel like an extension of the team instead of random internet text or AI slop. 4. Build in public, share, and iterate As you are building your workflow, document wins, refine prompts, and expand step by step. One client started with AI call summaries, then layered in objection handling, and only later tackled messaging. Each stage built credibility and confidence. Despite any “expert advice” you see, the fact is: AI is new for everyone. No one has the playbook figured out. The PMMs and team who win are the ones who share what they are building. Post your workflows, host a quick demo at all-hands, or create a shared prompt library. This not only builds momentum but positions you as the AI champion in your org. Pro tip:  bake your process into the workflow itself. Include usage notes, dos and don’ts, and review loops so the system is as much about guidelines as it is about outputs. Case study: The landing page that built itself (almost) To bring this process to life, let me share a real example from a founding PMM client (with his permission, of course). His small team was spending weeks writing and re-writing landing pages, with unclear ownership and inconsistent quality. So he built an AI flow that blended automation with human strategy, which results in not just faster output, but better output. The project at hand was a product landing page positioned against a major competitor (a legacy system), tailored for a specific persona. It wasn’t about creating new positioning or messaging (that work was already done, and remember, that’s a “right side of the spectrum” task). The challenge was translating existing messaging into landing page copy using a repeatable, proven framework. I helped him think through the backend strategy that made this workflow scalable. Here’s how we broke it down (which roughly mirrors the steps above). It all comes back to what I said at the beginning: start with strategy. 1. Anchor to a business goal Before writing a single prompt, we clarified the business outcome. The team’s priority was improving middle-of-funnel conversion, getting more prospects to book demos. 2. Scope the right use case From there, we explored different ideas. After discussing a few, we landed on the use case of building high-converting competitive landing pages. This is because expanding to all  webpages would have diluted the model and produced inconsistent outputs. Competitive landing pages, on the other hand, were: Directly tied to demo bookings → a measurable outcome the business cared about. Straightforward → easy to define what “good” looked like. Self-contained → mostly owned by marketing, which reduced dependencies and made it faster to implement. By starting here, we set the project up for a fast, credible win that built confidence and momentum. 3. Research, codify, and feed the tool with best practices. Rather than relying on guesswork, my client and I pulled from industry frameworks, my own experience advising PMM teams, and examples of top-performing landing pages. He then fed these, along with other critical information, to Claude. It included artifacts like: Product and positioning guides Competitive battlecards Strategy frameworks Success stories and customer-voice databases Style and messaging guidelines And that’s the great news: odds are, you have all of this (and more!) already. Each of these assets taught the AI how the brand thinks, writes, and differentiates. This is what made it more than a generic content generator and instead an extension of the team’s expertise. 4. Layer in collaboration, guardrails, and share From there, the workflow was built with guardrails: it asked clarifying questions before generating anything, cited sources for every claim, and routed outputs through review loops. This way, you are not just generating good output but modeling the right review process and workflow. For example, here’s a screenshot of an automated Slack message created using an MCP connector (a new open standard that lets AI connect securely to tools like Slack, Notion, or Google Drive). Whenever someone on the marketing team publishes a new page, the system instantly notifies the PMM and routes it for review. So, how does the workflow look in action? From the user side, it’s NOT just a one-and-done prompt. The system is built with guided steps  that prompt the user for additional information, e.g. different styles of messaging for the headline from a pre-set number of options. And then comes the “wow” moment: the tool pulls it all together into a full landing page draft, complete with sections, copy, and even a lightweight HTML mock-up. What used to take days of back-and-forth now takes minutes, and the quality is anchored in the team’s own strategy and assets. Here are some anonymized screens of the V1 landing page below, with all sensitive information removed. Of course, with more iterations, it will get better and more specific, but this was a significant improvement over what was there before. Voila! And it’s done. What once took days now takes a few minutes, producing sharper, better-aligned content. More importantly, my client walked away with a repeatable AI flow that can scale across the team. Here’s what I want you to take away: AI only works when paired with a strong strategy.  Start with a business goal, choose one low-risk workflow, and prove the value, then expand. The tools don’t matter as much as the process.  ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or purpose-built tools, they all work. What matters is how you design around them. What’s next? Over the past year, I’ve worked with PMMs and leaders at fast-growing startups to design AI flows that don’t just save time but also strengthen strategy. Of course, you can absolutely experiment on your own. But many of my clients chose to work with me because they want to accelerate what they are already good at, with a trusted partner who helps them dig deeper, refine their thinking, and explore bold ideas with confidence. Together, we turn workflows into strategies that win executive buy-in, and that’s what helps them lead with greater clarity, influence, and impact. 👉 If you’d like to explore how ​coaching​  can transform your career,  simply contact me here. I’d love to help you build your next strategic flow so you become a truly AI-empowered product marketer and leader. :) See you next time, Yi Lin

You’re not imagining it,  landing a product marketing role really is  harder than ever. A few years ago, tech was fueled by “growth at all costs.” Companies rushed to hire and were willing to bet on potential. Today, the pendulum has swung the other way:  Open tech roles have been cut nearly in half since 2022  Salaries are down 10–15% on average (source: clients and PMA)  Each posting now draws 5–10x more applicants Plus, job descriptions are vague, with PMMs asked to cover far more than their scope. And once you do  land a role, the expectation is to deliver impact fast, with less ramp time and fewer resources.  The good news is that even in this tough market, more companies are waking up to the value of product marketing. But most are still chasing a “unicorn” PMM: someone who can do it all, which makes it even more critical to stand out in the right way. That’s where I’ve spent the last four years focused: helping PMMs land roles faster. More than 300 people have used my PMM Job System to break through , and in just the last 6 months, 35 clients have gone from long, stalled searches to offers in hand. Before you read on, enrollment for the PMM Job Search System now runs in application windows  just a few times a year. The final 2025 window is open now. Once it closes, you’ll need to wait until January to join. Alumni cut their search time from months to weeks, joining companies like AWS, Walmart Connect, DoorDash, HubSpot, and fast-growing AI-native startups. The program is better than ever , with new resources to help you stand out faster:  ✨ AI Interview Co-Pilot  – built from real coaching insights  ✨ Portfolio-Building Module  – showcase impact and prove value fast  ✨ Workshop Recordings Library  – access replays + notes 👉 Apply now before enrollment closes on Oct 3  In this newsletter, I’m sharing 6 of the exact strategies I coach clients on ,  the ones that are working right now  to help PMMs cut through the noise, stand out in interviews, and land jobs faster in today’s market. Let’s dive in. Six things to do differently to land your PMM job today Achieve PMF when the product is you If your strategy has been “apply to everything and hope something sticks,” you already know it’s not working. Not in this market. You need a smarter, more targeted approach, starting with getting crystal clear on the kinds of companies you’re going to target. If your approach now is the left side of this visual, it’s time to start moving towards the right side. If you follow me on LinkedIn, you’ve heard me say this before. But it’s more important now than ever: just like you’d build an ICP for a product, you need to build your ideal company profile . Think of it like product-market fit, but this time you’re the product. It’s all about finding the intersection of your strengths, passions, skills, and values with the roles and companies that truly need what you bring to the table. Adopt a multi-pronged approach to finding jobs  If cold applying to jobs ever worked, it certainly doesn’t anymore. You may get a sense of satisfaction after clicking that “EasyApply” or “submit” button, but odds are it’s getting you nowhere fast. Today’s job search is very much about quality over quantity. Consider the following stats when it comes to cold applying vs. getting a referral: Merely landing an interview is a challenge with cold applications, with only 2-5%  leading to an initial discussion. Compare that to a referral that leads to roughly 40% of  referred candidates getting interviewed (nearly 10–20x better odds.) The story is similar to job offers: while just 0.1–2% of cold applicants get hired , about 16% of referred candidates  who interview receive offers. (Sources 1 , 2 , and 3 )  In short, you need more than a resume and cover letter to get your foot in the door these days. You need a connection, and there are a few ways to navigate this – via cold outreach or tapping into your network.  For cold outreach, LinkedIn is your best friend. It’s a fairly simple process: Give it a few days before following up, and be sure to apply online as well.  Step 4 is where most people get stuck: what do you actually say ? My program offers a deep dive  into writing outreach messages that get responses  with multiple scripts. As you can see from the message below, these guidelines help job seekers get a response in record time (sometimes - within minutes!)      Networking (people love to hate it, but you need it) You’ve heard it before because it’s true: don’t wait until you’re job searching to start networking.  The strongest opportunities often come through the hidden job market, with roles shared in communities or directly by hiring managers before they ever hit LinkedIn.  In my PMM community alone, members regularly share openings early; they’re posted widely, giving my clients a leg up that’s led to real interviews and offers.  I’ve seen it time and again: clients land jobs not just through applications, but through the relationships they’ve built and nurtured over time. One client of mine landed two offers  through referrals from relationships she had kept warm, proof that applications alone aren’t enough. Keeping connections “warm” is so critical, and it should feel natural. A quick check-in, a genuine comment, or sharing something useful can be the difference between hearing about an opening early or missing it altogether.  Doing portfolios the right way  Let’s be clear: portfolios can help you stand out, by only if you do them right. Too many PMMs waste time on pretty-looking collections of assets that don’t actually tell a story or show impact. That kind of focus on style over substance can hurt more than it helps.  Instead, think of your portfolio as a way to differentiate. In my program, I walk through 4 different formats – from simple work samples to tailored, role-specific projects – that showcase your skills the right way, using the following principles: Timing matters : Portfolios are most effective once you’re in the interview process, when you know what the company actually needs. Less is more : Pick 3–5 projects that align with your positioning and level, and structure them as short case studies (context, role, approach, results). Go beyond “pretty” : Your goal isn’t to wow with design, but to make it easy for a hiring manager to see your thinking, execution, and impact. This means including projects that are aligned with your level, and how both internal strategic documents and external assets. Differentiate with value-added work : For dream roles, consider creating a tailored project after an interview—something that directly solves a challenge the team raised. Done right, these can turn you from “good candidate” into the obvious  choice. I dive into specific examples and how to build, organize, and present them, but here is a simple layout that has worked for many clients. Of course, the devil is in the details. So you’ve landed the interview. What now?! Preparation is your Superpower Everyone gets nervous before interviews – I’ve yet to meet someone who doesn’t! The nerves usually come from feeling like you’re not in control. That’s why I focus so much on preparation with my clients: it puts you  back in the driver’s seat. Deep breathing and pep talks are fine, but nothing beats being relentlessly prepared . Acing interviews is 80% prep . That’s why I built my 7-step interview process that covers everything from researching the company, to crafting your “why me” story, to practicing smart, differentiated answers that set you apart. With a clear structure, you stop guessing and start showing up with confidence. Unsurprisingly, AI tools like ChatGPT have become popular for practice. They’re fine, but let’s be real: the answers often sound canned and make you blend in, not stand out. So I created my own AI Interview Copilot , built directly from hundreds of real coaching sessions and client interactions. It takes you through my 7 steps, critiques your responses, and helps you practice until you sound sharp.  Beta testers in the program told me, “Yi Lin, it’s like having you sitting in my head during prep sessions.”  Which I’ll take as a compliment! ;)    Prepping your answers: PSAR vs STAR You’ve likely heard of the STAR method for answering interview questions: Situation, Task, Action, Results. While this can work in some situations, it’s less than ideal for product marketers. For one thing, the “situation” and “task” pieces tend to take too long to describe, and can usually be combined. For another, and most critical,  it ignores the most crucial piece for PMMs: the process . That’s why I’ve developed my own framework for answering interview questions, curated for product marketers: PSAR.  Let’s take a look at how this works, and what it might sound like in a real-life scenario for a question that lots of PMMs get and struggle with in interviews:  “What metrics do you use to measure the impact of product marketing?” Step and explanation Real life example Process: Start by walking through the process which helps show systems-level thinking and makes it easier to follow along.  “Lots of people think about attribution, but I prefer to measure my success based on contribution. I start with the business goal, then figure out where the biggest focus in the funnel is. From there, I determine which upstream marketing metrics I can influence, and then create that contribution story.” Situation: This combines the task, situation, challenge , project, goal, etc – which should be a short and concise statement. “At my last company, revenue was the top priority. When I dug deeper, it became clear that pipeline creation (middle of funnel) was the real bottleneck. My job was to show how PMM could help fill that gap.” Action: This is where you dive in to provide detail of how exactly you did it, by following the process you laid out earlier. Call out specific steps (1, 2, 3, or who, what, when), and a specific, memorable insight to show the WHY.  “I partnered with Demand Gen on a tier-one launch focused on new AI capabilities, which I knew would bring in a lot of pipeline. We developed a highly innovative strategy centered on influencer activation. I then built messaging and assets for high-priority segments, as well as enablement for Sales and all our influencers.  To measure my impact, I tracked: Content engagement (deck usage, webinar attendance) Sales and influencer feedback on assets And other channel metrics And, I regularly shared updates on how this work supported pipeline goals.” Results: End with showing the impact and the result you generated, and any learnings .  “The launch drove a 25% increase in marketing-sourced pipeline that quarter. Sales adoption of my assets was 80%+, and AEs called them out in all-hands as helping accelerate deals. The influencers gave me shoutouts in our Slack channel for having delivered a comprehensive prep doc. Beyond the numbers, I built a repeatable way to connect PMM contributions back to business outcomes.” You can clearly see from the example how this framework helps you stand out amongst candidates due to the focus on process, action, and results .  Of course, nailing the answer framework is just one part. Ensuring you’re able to give those answers with confidence in the throes of an interview is what makes the difference - and this is where practice comes in.  You can take pages of notes and memorize your answers, but until you say the words out loud, again and again, you haven’t really nailed them .  That’s the difference between knowing what you want to say and being able to deliver it confidently in the moment, and it’s why practice is a cornerstone of my PMM Job Search System. Clients don’t just prepare alone; they sharpen their skills in multiple ways: Practicing with accountability buddies Getting feedback in live group workshops Rehearsing with my AI interview copilot This mix builds muscle memory and confidence, so when the real interview comes, you’re not scrambling; you’re ready. Now, let’s talk about what you can do once the interview is over to really leave your mark on the interviewer’s mind.  Going above and beyond  This market is brutally competitive, which means what worked before won’t cut it now. To stand out, you’ll often need to go further than you might have in past searches. Take-home assignments are a hot topic; sometimes they’re useful, sometimes they’re just free consulting. Protect your time, but for the right roles, think of them differently: they’re not just a test of you , they’re your chance to test-drive  the job and see if it’s really a fit.  In my program, I break down how to tackle assignments strategically. And even if you’re not given one, you can still stand out by sharing something that shows how you’d hit the ground running from day one.  For example, my clients have done the following: Submit a 30/60/90 day plan  (using my framework/template ) to outline how you’d create impact from day one. Share a short customer video recording  that captures real voice-of-customer insights and shows how you think about messaging. Mock up an “AI vibe-coded” tool  like a quick landing page prototype to demonstrate creativity and execution. Proactive efforts like these make it easy for the hiring manager to picture you already in the role.  Bonus: 3 success stories from real job seekers  So now you have learned all the important tips, you might be wondering how this actually works in practice. So I am going to share with you three stories of successful job seekers who used the above approaches to land jobs in this insane market.  They include:  A founding PMM at an AI-Native startup - Raniz Bordoloi  A Sr PMM in a scale-up  - Brandon Hatter  A PMM at a large enterprise - Robin Yee  Case Study 1: How Raniz pivoted to an AI-native startup and landed a Head of PMM role  Before: Starting point  Raniz is an amazing PMM who was working at a larger company but felt stagnant due to the entrepreneurial energy he craved. He wanted to pivot into a high-growth, AI-native startup, but was not sure how to navigate the job search. His narrative needed to reflect recent AI work and his builder mindset, and his search approach needed clearer focus. Breakthrough: What changed with the PMM Job Search System  Through the program, Raniz refined his strategy and execution: Defined a target list → Focused on AI-native, investor-backed startups with clear product–market momentum and a path to broader marketing ownership. Built a sharp narrative → We connected his experience launching AI-related products and his early SDR and entrepreneurial background into a “founder-like PMM” story that resonated with startups. Upgraded interview delivery → He practiced structured, consultative answers that showed judgment and impact. Focused his efforts → Instead of chasing everything, he learned to say no to roles that didn’t align, especially ones asking for excessive take-home assignments. This clarity and focus gave him the momentum he was missing. Results: The transformation In two months, Raniz moved from broad exploration to a tightly managed pipeline. He progressed through ~70 interviews across 20+ active processes, earned two offers , and accepted a founding PMM role at a coveted AI-native startup, backed by top-tier Silicon Valley venture capital firms. Takeaways: What you can learn Positioning is everything → Reframe your background to align with the market you want to enter. Quality > quantity → Saying no to misaligned opportunities saves time and energy. Prioritization compounds → Weekly goals and pipeline reviews keep execution aligned to outcomes. Momentum builds belief → Each interview helps reduce imposter syndrome and sharpen your story. Stats at a glance ~30 applications submitted ~70 interviews total 20+ active interview processes at once 2 offers in 2 months Start date: August 2025 Accepted role: Head of Product Marketing at AI-native startup Case Study 2: How Brandon turned a layoff into a better role in just 4 weeks Before: Where he was stuck Brandon is an experienced and talented PMM who was laid off in July 2025 as part of a reduction-in-force. While he knew the company wasn’t the ideal fit for him long term, he was still facing a tough market. Outside his domain, his applications were getting historically low response rates, and he worried about how competitive the job pool had become. Breakthrough: What changed with the PMM Job Search System  By doubling down on the system of focusing on where you have specific advantages, Brandon refined his strategy: Targeted the right niche → Instead of chasing broad roles, he leaned into his IoT/industrial SaaS expertise. Personalized outreach → Using my LinkedIn message template, he reached out directly to the VP of Marketing after applying, sparking a recruiter response in just 3 minutes. Streamlined storytelling → Each step of the process (recruiter call, VP call, panel, GTM presentation) built on his strengths and positioned him as the obvious fit. Results: The transformation Within 4 weeks of searching, Brandon went from a layoff to a new opportunity. He joined AssetWatch as a Senior PMM at a larger, later-stage company with ~300 employees, a recent $75M Series C, and an environment more in line with his working style and career objectives. He landed the offer after just 3 weeks from application to acceptance. Takeaways: What you can learn Focus where you have an edge, domain expertise can massively increase your response rate. Direct, targeted outreach beats cold applications (his recruiter responded in 3 minutes!). Every touchpoint in the process is a chance to reinforce your fit. Layoffs can be a launchpad, if you position yourself correctly, you can bounce back stronger. Stats at a glance: Laid off July 15 Application sent July 31 Recruiter responded in 3 minutes to LinkedIn outreach Offer made Aug 19 (3 weeks from app → offer) ~50%+ response rate within IoT/industrial SaaS niche Sr. PMM offer accepted at AssetWatch Case study 3: How Robin landed a PMM role without “traditional” experience Before: Where she was stuck Robin is a smart, driven PMM with a unique background that includes building a successful small business. But what made her resourceful and adaptable also became a challenge in the job market, employers struggled to see how her experience translated into product marketing at a larger company. After nearly 200 applications and 17 interviews, she kept stalling out at the hiring manager stage. She began to wonder if her background would ever be “enough” to compete. Breakthrough: What changed with the PMM Job Search System  Instead of trying to brute-force her way into a role, Robin worked with me to refine her approach: Positioning her background → We reframed her experience across both entrepreneurship and traditional large enterprises as evidence of her scrappiness, adaptability, and ability to thrive in fast-moving and complex environments. Targeting the right companies → She stopped applying everywhere and focused on companies open to nontraditional talent (and said no to those in industries that required too much domain expertise). Sharpening her story → Through mock interviews, she practiced connecting her skills to PMM language and telling her story with confidence. Iterating her applications → Each application became more targeted, each interview a chance to improve. Results: The transformation Within three months, Robin’s search flipped. She went from rejection after rejection to 64 interviews across 32 companies, sometimes juggling 11 at once. By March 2025, she had secured a PMM role at a company that merged with Thomson Reuters, a globally recognized enterprise, proving that even without a “classic” background, her skills and story were enough. Takeaways: What you can learn You don’t need a big-name company on your résumé or a straight line career story. What matters is how you tell your story. Learn the language of PMM to connect your experience to what hiring managers expect.Target the right companies instead of spreading yourself thin. Every interview is practice; treat it like a conversation and keep iterating until you land your yes. Stats at a glance Before After the PMM Job System  200+ applications before coaching 17 interviews with no offers (stuck at HM stage) 64 interviews at 32 companies after coaching 11 interviews simultaneously during peak momentum 1 offer landed within 3 months Start date: March 2025  Accepted role: Product Marketing Manager at Thomson Reuters  Let’s get you hired.  It’s absolutely possible to job search on your own. Many PMMs do. But the reason more than 300 PMMs have chosen this system is because it makes the process faster, less overwhelming, and more effective. Plus, you don’t have to do it alone. 🚀 Applications for the Job Search System's Q4 enrollment window close October 3. Once you’re in, you’ll get immediate access to the full system and can start right away. It’s 100% risk-free : do the work, and if you’re not satisfied, I’ll refund you in full within 30 days.  If you’d like to understand exactly how PMMs have benefited from the system, please read 80+ verified client reviews on my LinkedIn profile recommendations , stories of PMMs who went from stalled searches to multiple offers. Don’t spend another quarter wondering if things will change. Apply now to secure your spot and start 2026 in the role you deserve. You’ve got this!

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 a demo for free in seconds and start driving adoption today. Why being a manager is so hard:  It’s your first day as a new PMM manager. Slack is blowing up. Sales wants new battlecards. Product wants launch positioning. AI is spitting out draft messaging faster than you can review, and your team is staring at you for direction. AI was supposed to make things easier. In some ways, it has: productivity gains are real. But the tradeoff is more noise, lower motivation, and less perceived control. Instead of freeing you, AI has created even more for you to filter, refine, and lead. Meanwhile, executives are chasing AI strategies faster than managers can wrap their heads around them. The gap between their expectations (“Ship more, faster!”) and your reality (“We’re still figuring this out”) keeps widening. These are the exact moments where most new managers stall out , spinning in uncertainty, second-guessing themselves, and wasting precious time on tasks that create less impact. The result is lower team momentum, less visibility with leadership, and more personal burnout. Here’s the good news: no one is born a great manager.  It’s a skill you can learn, and in the age of AI, it’s one of the most important ones. Because while AI can crank out content, it can’t lead people. That’s your job, and it’s the part that matters most. The true job of a manager  In all the noise, it’s easy to forget what managers are actually  for: To maximize the long-term output and growth of the team in service of the business. People lean on that Spiderman quote all the time, because it’s true: with great power comes great responsibility.  The core of management is serving others, NOT wielding power over them. Managers who are primarily looking out for themselves will quickly fail (or be hated) because they are simply playing politics badly. They may succeed for a time, but their reputation won’t carry them far, because their goals are misaligned with what true leadership calls for .  For PMM managers, being successful requires 4 key foundations:  Purpose : Defining the narrative, priorities, and what “good” looks like for all the areas of responsibility when it comes to your role.  People : Coaching, setting standards, giving feedback, and helping each PMM do their best work. Process : Installing cadences and systems so great work ships on time and with quality. Performance : Determining how the team is measured, held accountable, and, importantly, celebrated and rewarded.  In an AI-heavy world, the “Process” lever matters more than ever. Without it, you just get faster chaos. How people become managers (and why it matters) So, how do you thrive as a new PMM manager? Before we dive in, let’s look at the main ways people become PMM managers. You’re probably finding yourself in one of the scenarios below, so keep that in mind as you continue reading. But one thing is for sure: whatever situation you’re in, you’re figuring it out as you go along.  I’ve been through all three scenarios myself and coached dozens of PMMs through them, and I know how disorienting they can feel without a roadmap. Here are the three ways you become managers: You were promoted internally.  Advantage: You already have social capital and have little learning curve Risk: hard to reset expectations with peers-turned-directs You were a founding PMM.  Advantage: You also have social capital and no learning curve  Risk: lack of role clarity, no one above you to guide you in terms of product marketing You were an external hire.  Advantage: You have a clean slate/fresh start  Risk: zero context, high scrutiny… and longer learning curve  Since we can’t cover every challenge you’ll face in a single newsletter, we’re going to cover the most tactical situation: your first 90 days (who doesn’t like a 90-day playbook?  😉 ) . This is a critical time that will make or break your success in this role and at this company. Messing this up is extremely hard to come back from.  But you’re not going to mess it up! You’re going to follow the plan I outline below, and absolutely crush it. This plan works whether you’ve inherited the team or built it from scratch,  and it’s designed for the messy reality of PMM (multiple stakeholders, ambiguous priorities, and the occasional low performer). So let’s get started.  The 30-60-90 Day Plan to Thrive as a New PMM Manager We’re going to look at each 30 days through a three-pronged lens: Personally  = how you measure, set up, and manage your own PMM leadership “system.” For your team  = what you put in place to grow, support, and structure the people. Cross-functionally  = how you align outwardly. A note before we dive in: as a new manager, your company has made a big bet on you. For the first few weeks, it’s natural to consume value such as asking questions, drawing context, and leaning on others. But quickly, you must flip the balance and start producing value: delivering clarity, quick wins, and outcomes that prove the investment was right. That shift is the essence of this 30-60-90. If you want help tailoring this playbook to your own messy reality, that’s exactly what I do with clients inside my coaching program .  Days 0-30 Goal:  Gain clarity, build trust and start shaping what “good” looks like. Your first month as a PMM manager isn’t about rushing in with fixes. It’s about listening deeply, absorbing context, and laying the foundation for how your team will operate. Personally : Spend this time getting clear on the company’s strategy, KPIs, and GTM processes. Audit the assets and systems you inherit such as messaging docs, GTM plans, enablement materials, so you can see both the quality of past work and the current gaps. Start sketching a lightweight “Definition of Done” for deliverables (what makes a messaging doc or launch plan ready), but wait to finalize until you’ve invited your team’s input. For your team:  Build trust through 1:1s with every direct report. Ask about their goals, challenges, and preferred working styles. Begin to establish the right rhythms like standups, 1:1s, launch reviews, but resist the urge to overload the calendar. Make it clear your job is to help them succeed, not just enforce rules. Cross-functionally:  Schedule intro conversations with Product, Sales, CS, and Demand Gen leaders. Ask what their biggest pain points are with go-to-market today and where PMM could add value quickly. Look for one or two easy wins you can deliver in partnership, ideally small moves that prove PMM’s value without derailing your listening tour. Key Deliverable:  Business, team and stakeholder assessment summary Questions to ask in stakeholder conversations One of PMM’s superpowers is cross-functional collaboration, and these early stakeholder conversations are your chance to uncover how things really  work.  5 questions to ask: Of course, the information you uncover will only be as good as the questions you ask. Ask each of your “interviewees” the following questions to get to the heart of what matters to them: What are your top priorities right now?  (Reveals how they’re measured and what matters most in their world.) What’s your biggest challenge, or one thing you wish worked better in go-to-market today?  (Surfaces pain points and opportunities for quick wins.) When you think about the customer we serve best, who comes to mind?  (Checks alignment on ICP while drawing out real examples.) What does a great partnership with product marketing look like to you?  (Clarifies expectations, builds trust, and positions PMM as a collaborator, not an order-taker.) What do you enjoy most about working here?  (Uncovers cultural strengths and helps you see what keeps people motivated. Example: A new PMM leader at a Series C SaaS company I worked with identified a troubling insight from her sales counterparts. She found the Sales team frustrated that every rep told a different story in the pitch deck. Instead of jumping into a full messaging overhaul, she partnered with a few AEs to identify three “must-say” value points. Within a week, she circulated a one-pager with those points for reps to test. It solved a real pain quickly, earned credibility, and bought her the trust to lead a larger messaging refresh later. Days 31–60 Goal:  Diagnose and tune the PMM operating system. By month two, you need to start shifting from value consumed  to value produced . With trust established, this is the moment to shape rhythms, tools, and expectations that make PMM’s impact visible. Personally:  Move from absorbing context to refining systems. Introduce lightweight tools or rituals that elevate quality, like a standardized launch brief for Tier 2–3 launches. Define success by aligning on PMM KPIs tied to business impact (win rate, adoption, pipeline contribution) while also clarifying process metrics you directly control. And don’t just delegate everything , keep one or two complex projects on your plate (e.g., pricing, segmentation, narrative) to model excellence and demonstrate your individual value. For your team:  Establish a clear mission statement and success metrics for PMM that connect back to company goals. Refine your operating rhythm, such as meeting cadences, planning cycles, and review structures,  so everyone knows how work will flow. Decide what to tackle now vs. what waits until next quarter. Run a skills gap assessment for individual team members and start investing in development. Begin setting expectations for performance, but keep the emphasis on coaching and support. Cross-functionally:  Share your draft operating plan with Product, Sales, CS, and Marketing leaders. Frame it as a collaborative roadmap that reflects what you heard in your first 30 days, so partners feel invested and excited about where PMM is headed. This alignment builds credibility and smooths execution. Focus on getting 80% of the result with 20% of the effort , quick systems that solve most of the pain without creating bureaucracy. Key Deliverable:  Draft team operating plan  Example:  When I joined Teachable as Director of PMM, there wasn’t a real function in place. My small team had little PMM experience, and launches were happening reactively with no framework. What I didn’t  do was roll out a massive, theoretical process that would take months to implement. Instead, in my second month, I piloted a lightweight GTM brief (who, why, what, how, when) with a PM on a Tier 2 launch, paired with my messaging canvas. The launch went smoothly, the PM had a lightbulb moment on the value of PMM, and the simple framework quickly became the model for future rollouts. This is an example of an 80/20 fix that delivered impact fast.  Days 61-90 Goal:  Deliver visible wins and cement PMM’s culture. By the end of 90 days, you need to prove momentum and impact. Too many new leaders think they can “just learn” for three months, only to find their managers frustrated, and in today’s economy, I’ve seen people let go before they even found their footing. While I don’t want to scare you, I do want to make it clear that in today’s environment, you can’t afford to wait.  Most managers I work with admit this is the hardest part, but once they practice it with support, it gets easier, and they can provide results faster. Personally:  Step fully into leadership by shipping 1–2 visible outcomes tied directly to business impact — a refreshed product narrative, an adoption campaign, a competitive win-rate improvement. Track results with a simple scorecard so the org can see PMM’s contribution. Keep one high-complexity project on your plate — it reinforces your value and sets the bar for the team. For your team:  Delegate ownership of key PMM domains (competitive intel, research, enablement), giving each person space to lead. Cement culture by celebrating smart decisions, creating a “stop doing” list to cut unproductive habits, and modeling the behaviors you expect. If performance issues persist, clarify next steps with HR, while also identifying future hiring needs. Cross-functionally:  Elevate your partnerships by sharing both results and what’s next with senior leadership. Host a Q1 outcomes review and preview your strategic priorities for the next few quarters. Introduce a PMM charter that defines what the team owns, supports, and doesn’t cover. This positions you not just as a new manager, but as a trusted partner shaping the company’s growth story. Key Deliverables:  Refined 90-day team strategy  Example:   By month three, one new PMM leader who had inherited a misaligned team knew it was time to show impact. After spending her first 60 days listening and aligning, she moved decisively into action. She reset the company’s launch cadence so teams weren’t shipping randomly. She introduced a messaging workshop that raised the bar for quality across functions and made tough but necessary calls on team structure. These visible moves not only delivered immediate wins but also signaled a cultural shift. An important note on giving critical feedback With the 90-day plan, you should have a clear blueprint to go from overwhelm to confidence and thrive as a PMM manager. But there is one mistake I see so many new managers make that is worth calling out.  When you step into management, it feels natural to want your team to think of you as approachable, supportive, even “the best boss they’ve ever had.” This can be especially difficult if you’ve been promoted internally and have gone from being a peer to a manager of your former PMM team members. But the danger is this: when being liked takes priority, you avoid the very conversations that make you effective. And that avoidance doesn’t just impact one person. It quietly shapes your whole culture. If unhelpful or toxic behavior goes unchecked, people assume it’s tolerated. Over time, that erodes trust and performance across the board. Your job is to build a team that respects you, trusts you, and performs at its best. And that requires giving clear, direct feedback, even when it feels uncomfortable. Most of us never learn how to do this! But the process below will help guide you. If you do this well, your team WILL probably end up liking you. But that should be the byproduct, never the main goal. A research-backed framework for feedback Management literature has studied this problem for decades, and several frameworks converge on the same idea: feedback should balance care with candor. Taken together, these insights can be distilled into a six-step feedback flow . Here’s how this might play out in practice.  Example: Imagine you notice someone taking credit for a teammate’s work. In your next 1:1, you might say: Observe behavior (be specific + timely) :   “In yesterday’s meeting, I noticed you presented XYZ as your work.” Ask with curiosity before judging intent :  “It seemed like there was overlap with [colleague’s] contribution. Can you walk me through how you saw it?” Name the impact on others :  “When credit isn’t clear, it can create confusion and make others feel undervalued.” Connect to shared goals and values :   “Our team succeeds when we collaborate openly and recognize each other’s contributions.” Invite ownership for next steps :   “How can you make sure credit is clear in future meetings?” Reaffirm support:   “I’m raising this because I want you to succeed here, and part of that is building trust and influence on the team.” Done consistently, this builds a culture where expectations are clear, feedback is normalized, and respect, not likeability, becomes the foundation of your leadership. Conclusion: your journey from contributor to multiplier The transition from individual contributor to people manager is one of the most significant career shifts you’ll make. You’ve already proven you can do the work yourself; now the real test is whether you can make others better by setting standards, building trust, and creating systems so the team can deliver without your hand in every detail. Of course, this requires unlearning old habits, building new skills, and changing how you measure success. And it’s not something you can figure out by reading articles or asking AI for advice. That’s why so many new managers feel stuck: second-guessing decisions, spinning in uncertainty, and wasting time on less impactful work. Here’s what my New Job Coaching Program  gives you: Structure  – Proven frameworks, roadmaps, and accountability that take the guesswork out of your first 90 days and beyond. Solutions  – Tailored advice on how to apply those frameworks to your  business, team, and leadership context. Partnership  – A thought partner (yes, sometimes PMM therapist) to talk through the tough calls, with empathy and clarity, so you don’t have to figure it out alone. This is why clients call me their “secret weapon” during transitions. Dozens of managers and leaders from companies like Square, Webflow, and SurveyMonkey have used this program to step into management with clarity and confidence, delivering results quickly while avoiding burnout. If you’re stepping into management for the first time, or you’re already leading but struggling to get alignment, this program will help you navigate that critical transition with confidence. 👉 Ready to lead with clarity? Book a call to get started. P.S. Here are the ways I can help you right now: 👉 For individuals: Job Search  – Land the right PMM role faster with my proven system for resumes, outreach, and interview prep. Choose the group program  or 1-1 coaching .  Onboard (IC or Manager)  – Hit the ground running in your new role with 1:1 coaching, frameworks, and support to deliver impact without burning out. Learn more. Thrive  – Already established? Get clarity on your next step, grow your leadership presence, and design the career you actually want. Work with me.  👉 For companies:  I partner with Marketing and PMM leaders to design and scale effective PMM teams, so they hire the right people, ramp them quickly, and establish product marketing as a strategic, valued function.   Learn more.

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

In the past two issues ( issue 1 , issue 2 ), we dug into exactly how to get promoted in product marketing, so if you’re clear that moving up is what you want, those articles are a great place to start. But what if you’re not sure? What if you’re questioning whether promotion is even the right path for you?  Or maybe you’re still figuring out if product marketing is where you want to stay.  Maybe you’re just getting started and haven't even landed your first PMM role yet. If that’s where you’re at, this issue is for you. Today, we’re shifting the focus to something equally important (and often overlooked): How do you actually figure out what kind of product marketing career you want to build? We’re going to walk through: The many alternative paths to growth beyond traditional promotion A simple framework to help you design a career that fits you now, not just who you used to be And practical steps to move forward, even if you’re feeling stuck or unclear Let’s get into it. Promotion is not the only way to grow (in your product marketing career) A few years ago, I was offered a VP of Product Marketing role: $70K more in base salary, a shiny new title, and a clear step up the ladder. And I turned it down. Why? Because I realized... I didn’t actually want  to be a VP. At the time, I was a Director of PMM, and on paper, the next step was obvious: bigger title, bigger paycheck, more prestige. But when I honestly assessed what the role entailed, i.e. the nonstop stress, the constant executive politics, I knew it wasn’t the right path for me. What I really wanted was freedom . Space to breathe. Control over my time. And the chance to build something that was fully mine, where I could coach, advise, and create from a place of meaning. So I made a different kind of move:  I stepped off the ladder entirely. Because I don’t think career growth is a ladder. It’s a loop. A loop that cycles through learning, growth, mastery, harvest, and reinvention.   And when I walked away from the traditional path, I wasn’t going backwards. I was starting a new loop, bringing all my experience with me. And this wasn’t the first time I’d done that. Earlier in my career, I was a civil engineering analyst in a consulting firm. That loop ended when I realized I didn’t want to do that forever, and I took the leap of faith to start from scratch in tech.  Later, I burned out in PMM and became an artist (yep, I learned what “starving artist” really means).  And eventually, I came back into tech, stronger and clearer, by building my coaching business, and having my fractional consulting work grow alongside it. So, I want you to know this: You don’t have to stay on one track just because it’s what you’re “supposed” to do. We’re living in a time where so many paths are open. You don’t need another certification. You don’t need permission. You just need to get honest about what you want, and be willing to experiment your way into it. I’ve seen people make all kinds of courageous moves: My friend Brian  went from insurance adjuster → customer success → product marketer → strategy lead at JPMorgan. My client Robin , a music teacher with FIVE young kids (under 10!), who broke into product marketing and started her new job last week. Other clients have gone freelance, started agencies, pivoted into ops, content, biz strategy - you name it. In fact, here are  some common alternative paths you can take instead of aiming for a promotion:  It’s all possible. But the real question is: What’s right for you? That’s where most people get stuck. Not because they’re lost. But because they’ve never had the space to ask what they actually want . Or what success looks like now , not 10 years ago. So in the next section, I’ll share how to start designing your next loop. A career that fits you , not someone else’s idea of success. Let’s get into it. How to figure out your career path & take action As someone with ADHD, it’s incredibly hard for me to get clarity. I always want to do 10 things at once. I overthink. I spiral. For years, I felt stuck in indecision because I was waiting to figure out the perfect  next step before taking any action. But the biggest transformation in my career happened when I learned about design thinking . Instead of trying to solve for a perfect, linear answer, design thinking taught me to form a hypothesis , test it fast , and then take the next small step . It’s iterative, bite-sized, and rooted in actual lived experience, not fantasy. This is the exact framework I now use to help clients (and myself) navigate nonlinear, purpose-driven career loops. Here’s how it works: Step 1: Write Your Future Vision Story Not the kind of story that’s about your title, salary, or LinkedIn headline. I’m talking about your life , 2 years from now. What does it feel  like? What are you doing during the day? Who are you spending time with? How many hours are you working? What’s your energy like when you wake up? What would make you feel calm, proud, and alive? When I first did this, it was in a workshop with my friend/mentor Keiko, four years ago. I wrote about coaching people I love, empowering others to figure out their own path, traveling, spending time with my family, and not having to answer to anyone. It felt far away at the time, but writing it down gave me the courage to walk away from a path that wasn’t serving me. That story became my anchor. This is the first thing I ask my Thrive leadership clients to do, too. It cuts through the noise and brings you back to you . Step 2: Brainstorm 2–3 different paths that could get you there There’s never just one way to reach your vision. In Designing Your Life , this is called Odyssey Planning, and I love that because it gives you permission to explore. So many of us get stuck thinking there's one “correct” path. Instead, sketch out a few different ideas. For example: What if you stayed in your role but shifted focus to something you care more about (like mental health, sustainability, or accessibility)? What if you went freelance for 6 months to test consulting? What if you pitched a new role internally that’s more aligned with your superpowers? Even if the ideas feel wild or incomplete, it’s okay. You’re not choosing yet. You’re just seeing what’s possible. Step 3: Choose 1 path to prototype and take action Once you have a few paths laid out, pick the path that gives you the most energy  - not the "most correct" one or the one that looks good on paper, but the one that feels  most alive to you. Then test it with the smallest possible real action: Have a conversation with someone already doing it Shadow a friend or colleague in that space Ask your manager to let you try something new Apply for a job you're curious about Create a workshop around that idea Once you take the first small step, you can use anything you learned to then guide the next step forward.  This is how I help clients design their own courageous career path - not by overthinking, but by doing small things on purpose, iterating  and building momentum over time. If this framework resonates, here’s my invitation: What would it feel like to stop overthinking and start taking clear, confident steps - with a guide by your side? My Thrive leadership coaching program  isn’t just about getting promoted. It’s built for moments like this, when you’re ambitious, but stuck. When you know there’s something more, but need clarity, courage, and a path forward. If you’re ready to move with purpose, reach out .  I’d love to support you. That’s all for now! See you next time.  Yi Lin

Today, we'll continue our discussion on getting promoted in product marketing. As a reminder, promotions aren't just about performance . They're about strategy, timing, and visibility . The full Promotion Playbook consists of four critical steps: 1️⃣ Be in the Right Place  (because some companies will never promote you)  2️⃣ Do the Right Work  (don't just "work hard"; do work that matters)  3️⃣ Get in Front of the Right People  (because unnoticed work won't get you anywhere)  4️⃣ Ask the Right Way  (so leadership has no choice but to say "YES" ) In our last newsletter, we covered the first two crucial steps: being in the right company and doing the right work. Now let's tackle the remaining elements that will seal the deal on your promotion. Today, we'll focus on steps 3 and 4  – the two most often-neglected ingredients in getting promoted, because even exceptional work won't get recognized if it's invisible to decision-makers. For your reference, this is part of a multi-part series on career advancement: Part 1 :  Focused on the first two ingredients you need: being at the RIGHT company and having the RIGHT skillsets. Part 2:   Focuses on etting in front of the RIGHT people and asking for promotion the RIGHT way. <— this newsletter.   Part 3:  Beyond traditional promotions - Alternative paths when conventional advancement isn't the right fit for you - coming in April.  P.S. my friend Brian Lee, Director of GTM Strategy at JPMorgan (and former PMM leader), and I have worked closely on this topic. In today’s newsletter, I’ll break these down and share a tactical approach to ensure you get the recognition and career growth you deserve. Step 3: Get in Front of the Right People (Driving influence) The value + recognition equation.  Imagine you're at the right company, working on meaningful projects, and consistently delivering excellent results. But as we all know, doing great work alone isn’t enough to secure a promotion. If the right people don’t see and recognize your contributions, they may go unnoticed. To advance in your career, you must ensure your work is recognized by those you aim to influence - not just your boss, but also key stakeholder teams. This is especially critical for PMMs, who often operate with limited direct authority. So, how do you build influence with the right people? It starts with understanding the Value-Recognition Equation . In our last newsletter, we covered how to create value. Now, let’s focus on the second half of the equation: getting recognized . Here’s how you can amplify your impact and drive influence in three key steps: 1: Map your circle of influence  The first step is identifying who needs to see your work. These needs to be people who have real power who can actually advocate for you:  Your direct reporting line:  Manager and their manager Cross-functional partners:  Product leaders, sales representatives and so on  Executive sponsors:  VPs and other decision-makers who approve budgets and headcount Quick Action:  Set aside 15 minutes this week to create a simple influence map. Draw yourself in the center, then add everyone who influences your career growth as connected circles around you. Note their roles and decision-making power. 2: Understanding what matters to them Once you've identified your key stakeholders, take time to understand: Their goals:  What they're measured on and what success looks like for them Their blockers:  What prevents them from achieving their goals Their communication preferences:  How they like to receive information For example: Sales teams  are measured by quotas and deal velocity. They need concise, actionable content they can immediately use with customers that actually work.  Product teams  care about driving adoption and championing the product. They want PMMs who deeply understand the product and can articulate its value. Leadership  is focused on bottom-line results. Always ask yourself "so what?" about your work until you can connect it directly to business outcomes. If you feel that your stakeholders won't make time for you to understand their goals, remember you can make time for them. Instead of just asking them to meet 1-1, start by reviewing their team OKRs or public goals. Attend their team meetings as an observer. If possible, shadow them for a day to see their challenges firsthand. 3: Add value consistently  With this understanding, you can align your work to address what matters most to your stakeholders: Match your work to their priorities:  Help solve their problems Be proactive:  Anticipate needs before they arise Plan your socialization strategy:  Just as you would plan a product launch, create a plan for how you'll share your work's impact This last point is crucial and often overlooked. For every major project or initiative, set aside time in your project plan specifically for socializing your work and its outcomes. Don't wait until the project is complete - create multiple touchpoints throughout the project lifecycle: When you create the initial plan At key milestones Before launch ("pre-launch roadshow") After launch results are available During retrospectives Influence is not self-promotion.  With these steps, you'll be well on your way to building relationships and getting recognized. But if you're introverted or feel uncomfortable with "selling yourself," like I am, remember: influence isn't about self-promotion - it's about building genuine relationships through value and education. By shifting your mindset, you'll see that influence is a natural  and essential part of being an effective employee. When the right people step up and drive influence, they create positive ripple effects that benefit their teams and organizations. Meet Dia…  One of my clients, Dia, a PMM at a growth-stage B2B cloud company, hadn't been promoted in four years despite transitioning from lifecycle marketing to product marketing and performing well.  She was frustrated, felt stuck, and it didn’t help that in 4 years she had 3 different managers.  Working together, we identified that she needed to improve how she socialized her work and build stronger relationships with the product team - the most important stakeholder in her circle of influence (instead of only trying to prove her worth to her managers). Understanding this, she focused on a tier-one product launch, actively treating the product managers as partners in the process rather than just stakeholders. She included them throughout the launch planning and execution, created a killer launch plan, sought their input and incorporated their feedback. The results of the launch were transformative. Dia received written praise from the product team (which was shared with her manager), and the lead product manager even told her, "you're now part of the product team :) " – the ultimate validation.  After this successful launch, she got a note from her manager that said “The launch was phenomenal, and I heard positive things from the Head of Product - well done” Step 4: Ask the Right Way (To get promoted as a PMM) So, you've built a strong circle of influence and are thriving in your role by delivering great work. But does that mean a promotion will automatically come your way? No. You have to make the ask. One of the most valuable lessons I learned early in my career came from a VP in my first marketing role. He told me that 99% of the promotions he received happened because he asked for them directly.  Making the ask signals your ambition and holds your company accountable for supporting your growth. But when  and how  you ask makes all the difference. The Biggest Promotion Misconception If you’re asking for a promotion during your performance review, it’s already too late . By the time that conversation happens, the decision has likely been made. Promotion decisions don’t happen in the review meeting, they happen months earlier , during informal discussions and calibration meetings. Your review is simply the final, formal announcement. Think of your promotion like a product launch and work backward from your review date. Since most performance reviews happen annually or semi-annually, you need a strategic approach to proactively shape the decision before it’s made. Here’s a promotion playbook  to help you influence the outcome and maximize your chances of success. When and How to Ask  6-12 months before your review  Start by aligning your goals with a promotion in mind. Work with your manager to create a career development plan : a structured document outlining where you are now, what’s required for the next level, and the steps to bridge that gap. This should include: A current level assessment  of your skills and strengths A target level breakdown  of what’s needed to get promoted A gap analysis  highlighting key areas for growth A clear action plan  with specific projects and initiatives to develop those skills The support and resources  (mentorship, training, coaching) your manager can provide Beyond formal planning, actively identify and take on key projects that showcase your ability to operate at the next level. Schedule career development check-ins  separate from your regular 1:1s to ensure ongoing alignment and feedback. 3-4 months before your review At this stage, start collecting proof of impact. Gather results from your projects, seek feedback from stakeholders, and reinforce your interest in a promotion with your manager. Keeping it top of mind ensures they advocate for you when decisions are made. 1 month before your review Document your key achievements and present them to your manager. This makes it easier for them to build your case during promotion discussions. As a former manager, I can tell you—while leaders are aware of big wins, having everything documented makes their job easier and ensures nothing is overlooked. Proactively sharing your progress allows you to control the narrative. Strategic timing beyond the review cycle  While annual or semi-annual reviews are the most common promotion moments, you can also leverage key career milestones to make your ask: After major wins:  Strike while the iron is hot, especially when you've driven strong results or received company-wide recognition. After taking on new responsibilities:  If your role has expanded but your title and compensation haven’t, it's time to discuss leveling up. When already operating at the next level:  If you're consistently executing at a higher level, make the case that the promotion is simply a formal acknowledgment of your contributions. Final word By following this approach, you take control of your promotion path while ensuring your manager can provide the right support. But remember, promotions don’t always happen on your timeline.  External factors like budget constraints or organizational shifts can delay even the best-laid plans. If your manager is invested in your growth but the promotion doesn’t happen, stay open-minded and adjust your strategy accordingly. Dia’s story.. continued...  After Dia’s successful launch and the glowing feedback her manager received, she seized the moment to ask for a promotion. To ensure a strong case, we crafted a strategic approach that framed her impact as a win for both her manager and the team. In her next 1:1, she made the ask, and her manager responded positively. Within two months, at her next review, she was promoted to Senior Product Marketing Manager with a 17% salary increase. But Dia didn’t stop there. Committed to reaching Director, she worked on a structured development plan, aligning her growth with her manager’s goals. This proactive approach set her up for long-term success and strengthened her leadership impact. Putting It All Together: Your Action Plan Remember, to maximize your promotion chances, focus on these four steps: Be in the right place:  Use the career health checklist to assess your environment Do the right work:  Create a career growth plan to target high-impact projects Get in front of the right people:  Map your influence circle and create a socialization strategy Ask the right way:  Develop a career development plan with your manager and time your request strategically Three Actions You Can Take This Week: Map your circle of influence  – Identify the 5-10 people who most impact your promotion prospects Schedule a career development conversation  with your manager separate from your regular 1:1s Choose one high-visibility project  to focus on this quarter and create a plan to socialize its results In the next newsletter, we will discuss alternative paths to career growth. As you have probably seen on my LinkedIn post, getting promoted is NOT the only way to grow, because our career is not linear, and it’s not just about pursuing going up the ladder.  How I can help  If you read this and thought, Wow, this is great , but you also know that just reading advice isn’t enough to actually get promoted—then my coaching might be exactly what you need. In Thrive , I work with PMMs who want to move up to high IC and Director (or adjacent leadership roles) without wasting months figuring it out alone. This is a highly tactical and effective mix of PMM coaching + career coaching, designed to get you real results. If you’re ready to take control of your career path, let’s talk.  That’s all for now!  See you next time.