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.

Why PMM Promotions Don’t Happen (Even When You Deserve One) It’s Friday at 5 PM, and Colleen is still working. She’s knee-deep in the new repositioning work - one of her team’s most critical strategic projects. Her manager told her she was the only one trusted to handle this kind of work. She should feel valued. But she doesn’t. Because despite getting great performance reviews  for three years in a row , despite taking on the hardest projects , and despite working late…she still hasn’t been promoted. She’s wondering: Should I stick it out just a little longer? Maybe my career switch from content marketing is the reason I keep getting overlooked. Maybe I just need to prove myself more. The truth is, Colleen’s story isn’t unique. Every week, I hear the same frustration from PMMs at high-growth companies: “I hit my goals. My manager praises my work. But somehow, I’m still not getting promoted.” "I'm always the one ready to pitch in on a project, but I feel constantly overlooked." It’s frustrating because it feels  like you’re doing everything right. You’re taking on tough assignments. You’re delivering real impact. You’re a trusted voice in meetings. So what’s actually happening here? Here is the truth: promotions aren’t just about performance . They’re about strategy, timing, and visibility . So how do you ensure leadership sees you as the next obvious candidate for promotion ? It comes down to 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” ) Today, we’ll focus on the first two steps . In the next newsletter, we will focus on steps 3 and 4. Step 1: Be in the Right Place Before you even think about proving yourself, you need to ask: 👉 Am I even in an environment where promotions happen? You can be the best PMM in the world, but if your company doesn’t prioritize career growth - or your manager doesn’t advocate for their team - you’re already fighting an uphill battle. So when it comes to selecting the right company, it’s important to consider two important factors: the company’s health and your manager. Signs of a good company What to look for in the right company First, you want to join a company that's on a solid trajectory. No one can succeed by being the captain of a sinking ship. This means looking beyond the flashy perks or temporary extras and digging deeper into the company's fundamentals. Ask the following: Financial health:  Is the company financially stable and experiencing growth? Cultural alignment:  Does the company's culture resonate with your values and work style? Skills alignment:  Are your skills and strengths a good match for the role and the company's needs, and are the skills needed for the role realistic? Growth opportunities:  Does the company have a clear path for growth and advancement, even if it's a startup? Caution:  There are many roles out there that masquerade as PMM roles, but are not actually  PMM roles; for instance, roles that require you to spend 80% of your time on content creation, or running campaigns. It’s extremely important to verify whether the ​responsibilities are true PMM​  (research, positioning and messaging, product launches, enablement). What to look for in a manager Just as crucial as choosing the right company is finding a manager who will champion your growth and advocate for your success.  A supportive and influential manager can make ALL the difference in your career trajectory. Here are some qualities to look for in a manager: Prior track record:  Does your manager have a track record of promoting their team members and helping them develop their careers? Competency/skills:  Does your manager possess skills and expertise that you can learn from, whether in product marketing or general business acumen? Compatible work styles:  Are your work styles complementary? While your styles don't need to be identical, they should be compatible enough to foster a productive and collaborative working relationship. Influence and advocacy:  Does your manager have a strong voice at the table when it comes to promotion decisions? Can they effectively advocate for their team members and ensure their contributions are recognized by senior leadership? The last point is perhaps the most important. If your manager is politically weak  within the organization, it will be 10 times harder for you to succeed, as they will not be effective advocates for you or your team. Pro Tip:  You can learn a lot about the manager and the company by paying attention to how cross-functional partners talk about your potential manager during interviews. In addition, don't underestimate the power of networking and gathering information from sources outside of the formal interview process. Back-channeling, which involves connecting with ex-employees or other individuals within the company, can provide invaluable insights  into the company culture, management styles, and growth opportunities. Assessing your current environment If you're already working in product marketing, it's important to periodically assess your current environment to ensure it's still conducive to your growth . I have developed a worksheet for my clients to conduct this check regularly, and it’s been a game changer. The goal here is not to quit immediately if things don’t look great, but to pay attention to decide what factors are good enough, and which ones are deal breakers. Colleen’s Story (Continued) After realizing her company and manager weren’t setting her up for success, Colleen knew she needed a change. She reached out to me, and we worked together to conduct a health check on her role. It became obvious her manager did not have her best interest at heart and she needed to leave. We then worked on a job search strategy, one that positioned her as a senior-level strategic PMM, not just an executor. Within two months, she landed a Senior PMM role with a $50K salary increase. Here is the thing: no good manager wants to hold you back, even if it means having to find a replacement for you. The work Colleen had been doing at her old company was keeping her stuck. Deciding to quit, and positioning her skills at the level she deserved unlocked her career growth. Step 2: Do the Right Work Being in the right environment is important, but it’s just the starting point. If you want to stand out and position yourself for promotion, it’s not about doing more - it’s about doing the right things. Yet, here’s the biggest misconception I see: Many PMMs believe that “career growth” means mastering every skill  on the PMM career ladder. It couldn’t be further from the truth. I cringe every time I see massive career matrices—those exhaustive checklists that seem structured and impressive but are impossible to execute in real life. I often coach Heads of PMM to redesign these frameworks because they create a false sense of progression. They push PMMs to become generalists, when in reality: 💡 PMMs who get promoted aren’t the ones trying to do everything. 💡 They’re the ones who excel in a few key areas that drive impact. The key to career acceleration isn’t checking every box - it’s mastering the specific skills that move the needle. If you’re feeling stuck in your growth, ask yourself: Are you focusing on what truly matters, or just trying to do it all? The T-Shaped and π-Shaped PMM Rather than spreading yourself too thin, focus on one or two key areas of deep expertise while having broad exposure across the rest of product marketing. Depth:  You have deep expertise and proficiency in one or two core product marketing skills, making you a go-to expert in those areas. This could be in areas like product launches, competitive intelligence, or messaging and positioning. Breadth:  You have broad exposure and a general understanding of all other areas of product marketing, allowing you to collaborate effectively with different teams and contribute to a wide range of projects. And instead of waiting for leadership to define your strengths, you need to define them yourself. Ask yourself: 💡 What do I want to be known for? 💡 What work do I consistently deliver at an exceptional level? 💡 Which projects have I worked on that created measurable business impact? Here are examples of high-impact skills areas for PMMs: Positioning & Messaging  → You own how your product is perceived and differentiated. Product Launches & GTM  → You drive strategy that leads to revenue impact. Research and insights  → Your insights influence executive decisions and roadmap strategy. Sales Enablement → You build materials and processes that help sales close more deals. The goal is to be the “go-to” person for one or two of these—and make that expertise undeniable. Three Fundamental Areas to Master in Product Marketing You might be thinking, "Great, I’ll just focus on developing those core skills, and I’ll be all set, right?" Not quite. While core PMM skills are essential, they’re only part of the equation. To truly stand out, you also need to build your visibility, influence, and strategic thinking.  These are the skills that, over time, will set you apart the most once you’ve mastered the basics. At every PMM level, the key is to focus on the most important skills within these buckets to grow. When I figured that out, my career took off. Here’s how that looks: 🌱 PMM (Entry to Mid-Level PMM): Core Skills: Gain broad exposure across the 4 foundational areas, while delivering high-quality work in at least 2 areas. Visibility & Influence: Build strong, two-way relationships with key stakeholders with minimal supervision. Strategic Thinking:  This is still a developing skill at this stage, as PMMs typically execute plans set by leadership. 🌿 Senior PMM (Highest IC Level): Core Skills: Demonstrate experience across all core PMM areas with exceptional proficiency in at least one (e.g., the go-to positioning expert). Be truly T-shaped or π-shaped and operate with little to no supervision. Visibility & Influence:  Beyond stakeholder relationships, senior PMMs excel at making business cases and managing up effectively. Strategic Thinking: While you may not own the full team strategy, you actively contribute to it and propose opportunities based on insights. 🌳 Director (People Manager Level): Core Skills:  Guide the team to success by coaching and leveraging a deep understanding of PMM fundamentals rather than doing the work themselves. Visibility & Influence:  Be a trusted advisor to peers and C-suite leaders and contribute significantly to cross-team projects (e.g., a market entry initiative). Strategic Thinking: Own the strategy for the entire PMM team and influence company-wide direction. Creating Your Career Growth Plan Now that you have a clearer understanding of the skills you need to develop, you need to put it into action and track your progress. For that, I recommend the following steps: Define your target level:  What level do you want to reach in your career? Identify the skills and experience required for that level, using the chart above as a guide. Assess your current state:  Honestly evaluate your current skill set and experience. How would you rate yourself on a scale of 1-10 for each of the required skills? Identify skill gaps:  Determine the areas where you need to develop your skills or gain experience to reach your target level. Develop actionable steps:  Create a list of specific actions and activities you can take to close those skill gaps. This could include taking courses, attending workshops, volunteering for challenging projects, or seeking mentorship from experienced professionals. Below is a career development plan that I use with my clients. What’s next? Getting promoted in product marketing isn’t just about hitting milestones - it’s about building lasting influence and positioning yourself for continuous growth. In the next newsletter, I’ll dive into how to build influence, advocate for yourself, and time your ask strategically to land your next promotion. But why wait? You can take action NOW, and you don’t have to do it alone. Through my ​Thrive Coaching Program​ , dozens of PMMs have secured promotions - such as the client below: Here’s how I can help: ✔️ Personalized growth plan tailored to your goals ✔️ Custom resources to sharpen the skills needed for your next level ✔️ Influence-building strategy suited to your personality ✔️ Self-advocacy techniques to help you push for what you deserve I can even help you make the case to your employer to use L&D or professional development funds. Schedule a Free Consultation Today! Thank you again for reading! If you have feedback for my newsletter, please reply anytime - I read and respond to every email! To your success, Yi Lin

Hey, it’s Yi Lin! 👋 Welcome to my monthly newsletter on how to land, grow, and thrive in your dream product marketing roles. Today’s issue is inspired by my newest program, ​ The PMM Dream Job System ​ ,  designed to guide you step-by-step through every stage of the hiring process - from application to offer. 👉 Join the waitlist now and get 3 exclusive bonuses! Bonus 1: The perfect mock interview answer on how to introduce yourself Bonus 2: Interview insights and tips delivered to your inbox Bonus 3: Exclusive early access to The PMM Dream Job System What Hiring Managers REALLY Want (and What You Need to Ace the Product Marketing Interview Process) I’ve helped over 200 candidates land their dream jobs, coached dozens of hiring managers, and designed multiple hiring processes myself. Here’s what I’ve learned: Most candidates work incredibly hard but don’t always focus on the right  things. Why? Because they don’t truly understand what hiring managers want. It’s like studying for an exam without knowing the test material. With layoffs increasing and the end of the year approaching, it’s more important than ever to get this right. That’s why I’m here to help. In this newsletter, I’ll share: What hiring managers are really  thinking at each stage.  The mistakes that quietly cost candidates their chances How to stand out and land the job - by tailoring your approach Now, let’s dive in. Step 1: Define the role and source candidates Good hiring managers don’t start with a job description - they start with a problem. They ask: What’s missing on the team right now? What skills will make the biggest impact? What kind of candidate fits our growth stage and budget? The job description (JD) is the result of these questions. For PMM roles, it’s often broad - listing general requirements - but the priorities are specific. Hiring managers want a T-shaped marketer : someone with a range of skills but deep expertise in areas like messaging, product launches, or customer insights. Once the JD goes live, hiring managers don’t just wait for applications. They’re: Tapping into their networks (sometimes reaching out to me). Searching LinkedIn for candidates who’ve solved similar problems. As one hiring manager told me: “I needed someone to refine positioning and messaging for our platform product. The JD mentioned other responsibilities, but the main focus was on someone who could solve this specific problem for the complex ecosystem we are in.” What You Need to Do: To stand out, you need to think like a product marketer and position yourself as the solution to their problem. Here’s how: 1. Identify Your Ideal Company Profile (ICP) Pinpoint companies that need your unique expertise - whether it’s messaging, product launches, or a specific domain. Craft a clear, differentiated positioning strategy that shows you’re the perfect fit for their needs. 2. Don’t Be a Jack-of-All-Trades The biggest mistake candidates make? Applying everywhere and presenting themselves as “I can do everything.” Hiring managers rarely hire generalists. Instead, focus on showcasing your specialized value proposition. Read between the lines of the JD to highlight how your skills align with their priorities. 3. Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile Use keywords that hiring managers and recruiters are searching for (e.g., B2B SaaS, Platform, Ed-tech). Highlight measurable achievements and be specific about the value you bring to attract the right attention. Remember: clarity and focus will always stand out over trying to be everything to everyone. Step 2: Screen Applications Once a JD is posted, applications flood in. A typical PMM role can attract 300+ candidates in just a few days. Hiring managers need to narrow it down quickly—often reviewing hundreds of resumes to identify the top 10–20 candidates for interviews. Here’s how it breaks down:  ❌ 80% of resumes are rejected in the first pass.  ❓20% make it to the “maybe” pile.  ✅ Only half of those move forward to interviews. What are hiring managers skimming for Relevant experience  aligned with the role’s priorities. A clear narrative  connecting your skills to the company’s challenges. Signals of effort , like tailored resumes and thoughtful cover letters. As one hiring manager put it: “When I get a hundred applications, I skim quickly to separate the ‘no’ from the ‘maybe.’ If a resume doesn’t connect the dots for me in one paragraph, it’s a no. I need to see clear, relevant experience at a glance.” At startups and scale-ups, hiring managers often screen resumes themselves. At larger companies, HR may handle the first pass, but hiring managers still review the final shortlist to ensure alignment with their team’s needs. Either way, the process is the same: stand out or get overlooked. What you need to do: 1. Tailor your resume: Your resume isn’t a list of responsibilities—it’s a solution to their problem. Highlight relevant achievements:  Choose 2-4 standout accomplishments that directly solve the company’s challenges. Do not stuff the resume with more than 5 bullets per job. Add a strong summary statement:  Position yourself as the ideal candidate right at the top. Example Summary Statement: “Product marketing manager, ex-consultant with expertise in GTM strategy, positioning, and messaging for B2B SaaS products in [industry]. Increased adoption by 30% through data-driven campaigns. Excited to bring similar results to [Company].” 2. Make your application stand out: Write a thoughtful cover letter:  Use it to connect your achievements to the company’s challenges and demonstrate your communication skills. (Hint: Cover letters are NOT dead. Reach out thoughtfully:  Don’t rely solely on your application. Contact hiring managers or advocates directly. This shows initiative and highlights your unique value. Even if not every manager replies, those who do can significantly boost your chances. Remember: hiring managers are looking for clarity and relevance. Show them you’re the perfect fit, right from the first glance. Step 3: Interview Candidates Once a candidate passes the application screening, the product marketing interview process begins. A strong hiring manager should design each step with a specific purpose to narrow down the best match. For example, I typically create a detailed interview plan for every hiring process. This includes identifying the right stakeholders to involve, defining the areas they need to evaluate, and outlining the key questions they should ask. Involving key stakeholders ensures alignment and builds buy-in from the teams the candidate will work closely with. Unfortunately, many interview processes today are excessively long, often due to poor planning. A well-structured process should take no more than two months—dragging it out signals inexperience. After every stage, there’s a team debrief. Hiring managers ask:  Can this person solve the problems we need addressed? Do they align with the team dynamic, culture, and role? Will they bring energy, ideas, and be a strategic asset? Why “good answers” aren’t enough Here’s the truth: even good candidates can fade into the background. As one hiring manager told me after eight back-to-back interviews, “I couldn’t remember who said what—most candidates gave the same cookie-cutter responses.” The issue? Candidates focus on what  they’ve done without explaining the why . Most answers are forgettable, even when they’re technically correct. What you need to do instead Standing out requires thoughtful preparation and structured responses. This isn’t about overloading your answers—it’s about making them memorable. Here’s how my clients prepare using a tailored interview prep workbook: Study the company and role. Research each interviewer’s background. Craft a personal story that highlights your most relevant experience. Tailor responses to match the unique demands of every interview stage. How to take your responses from good to great in 4 steps: Use a structured framework like PSAR that I created (Problem, Solution, Action, Result) to organize your answers. Focus on the “why” behind your actions. Hiring managers care about your thought process. Refine your delivery. Confidence and authenticity make your answers stand out. Ask thoughtful follow-up questions to demonstrate curiosity and engagement. Here’s the thing: mastering interviews is one of the hardest skills to learn. It’s not just about what you’ve done—it’s about aligning your experience and messaging with the company’s needs. That takes preparation and practice. A hiring manager I coached told me: “I remember a candidate who had never been a dedicated product marketer but had a strong related background in content marketing. What impressed us was how they discussed collaborating with sales and using customer feedback to refine messaging, with very detailed examples that didn’t get lost in the weeds. It showed they understood the bigger picture.” Stage 4: Evaluate with an Assignment Ahh, the dreaded assignment stage - the most time consuming round in the interview process. While I don’t agree with overly lengthy or poorly designed prompts, assignments give hiring managers a deeper glimpse into how you’d perform on the job. In fact, I’ve seen candidates who were just “okay” in interviews blow the competition away with their assignments—and vice versa. So, while this stage can feel daunting, treat it as your opportunity to shine. Assignments are typically crafted to mirror key tasks you’ll handle in the role. For PMM positions, common assignments include: GTM launch strategies Sales pitch decks Positioning and messaging exercises This is what hiring managers are really looking for: Strategic thinking:  Does your solution directly address the company’s challenges? Creativity:  Do you bring fresh, innovative ideas? Storytelling:  Are your ideas clear, compelling, and easy to follow? One of my clients, for instance, delivered an outstanding GTM launch assignment that not only answered every single step logically but included additional “wow” components, including a real customer video he made by interviewing a customer to articulate the value of the feature. He got the offer within the same day. 4 things you need to do instead: 1. Understand the goal: What is the hiring manager really  asking for in the assignment? If anything is unclear, don’t hesitate to ask for clarification. Most hiring managers are happy to provide additional context. 2. Create an outline first: Map out key story points or themes before diving into the details. Many candidates skip this step and end up with disjointed work or missing key information. Starting with a solid structure ensures your narrative flows logically. 3. Research and build content thoughtfully: Focus on quality, not quantity. Include one or two standout elements that showcase your creativity or unique perspective. 4. Edit, review, and practice: Polish your work for clarity and conciseness. Practice delivering your assignment if it involves a presentation. Confident delivery can elevate even a solid but unspectacular idea. Step 5: Make the Offer Congratulations—you’ve made it to the final stage! At this point, the hiring manager wants to close the deal. They’ve spent time and energy finding the right candidate, and now they’re ready to secure you quickly. What you need to know: Sometimes the process stalls - don’t panic. If you haven’t heard back, reach out to the recruiter or hiring manager with a polite follow-up. Delays often happen due to internal discussions or evaluation of other candidates. If you’re in competition at the final stage (likely), set yourself apart with something extra: Send a thoughtful follow-up email sharing actionable ideas or insights. Reinforce your value with creative, specific contributions. (This is how I landed my first tech role!) When you get the offer, always negotiate.  Companies expect it, especially from strong candidates. This is your moment to secure the best package, and good hiring managers will advocate for you. Pro tip:  Negotiation isn’t just about salary. Look at the full package including benefits, equity and perks. Make sure the role aligns with your personal and professional goals. Stay professional and focused. Negotiation is about ensuring the role works for both you and the company. Closing the deal isn’t the end - it’s the start of your next big chapter. How can you land your dream job faster? Here’s the truth: landing your dream PMM role is an entirely different skill set than being a great PMM. It takes strategy, focus, and support. Even confident VPs struggle to stay motivated and consistent in today’s volatile market. So over the past months, I’ve put everything I’ve learned from years of coaching, student feedback from my previous courses, running my community, and industry changes into creating my newest program - the ​ PMM Dream Job System ​ . This is a proven program to help you: Navigate the entire job search process with 30 impactful, bite-sized lessons across 9 actionable modules, packed with exclusive PMM job search content, templates and guides. Stay motivated with monthly  live group coaching,  a daily-active job search community , and a buddy accountability system . This is truly my best work yet. Ready to take the next step? Join the waitlist today and start building the career you deserve. As a reward for those who take action, you’ll get access to 3 exclusive bonuses 🎁 : Bonus 1: The perfect mock interview answer on how to introduce yourself Bonus 2: Interview insights and tips delivered to your inbox Bonus 3: Exclusive early access to The PMM Dream Job System To your success, Yi Lin

Product marketing is on the rise. According to the ​most recent data shared by MKT1​ , PMM is currently the most popular role within marketing hiring. This means many companies are hiring product marketers for the first time, and many of these successful PMMs will go on to build the first PMM team. If this is you, that’s amazing! But how do you ensure your success, and how do you build your team? This is part four of my newsletter series, How to Build Your Product Marketing Strategy, and we’ll be diving into just that. ​​Part 1: The 3-step product marketing strategy framework ​​ ​​Part 2: Aligning the strategy with the business stage ​​ ​Part 3: Operationalize product marketing through growth tactics ​ Part 4: How to thrive as a founding PMM and build your first team ← today’s newsletter 🎉 Section 1: How to be a successful founding PMM Before we discuss building a team, let’s discuss how to be a successful founding or first-time PMM. First, you want to ensure you are in the right role and environment to succeed. I recently wrote ​this post​  on 3 recommended profiles and anti-profiles for founding PMMs. This is not meant to be prescriptive but a general guideline to help you ensure you are set up for success. Once you are in the right environment to succeed, here are 4 tips that are essential for you to drive early (and sustained) success: 1. Pick the key strategic initiatives first.  The biggest failure mode of the founding PMM is you get spread peanut butter thin against a backlog of everyone’s “we want this from you” needs. Don’t serve all masters. Pick one area of strategic importance and pilot  how the function should work for that initiative. Then you have an example of what success looks like rather than getting buried under a pile of to-dos that don’t let the function act with the strategic purpose. To identify the highest priorities, I recommend: Get deep into the company's business model (e.g., how it makes money), its key goals/metrics, and audit the GTM motion across key funnel parts. Examples of initiatives you might uncover could be a need to revise pricing and packaging or get better messaging tested by sales. Align with founders and key leaders. Understand how they view the biggest challenges and blind spots. Most importantly, ask, "How do you want the company to be perceived 12-18 months from now?"  Remember, PMM's unique purview is to keep the long-term and short-term POVs together so the short-term better serves the long-term position the company should hold. Come up with a gap analysis/opportunity assessment of the biggest needs, categorizing them according to different growth levers (to read more on growth levers, ​check out this article​ ). Then, prioritize your opportunities and communicate them with a framework. The ​Action Priority Matrix​  from product management can be helpful here. 2. Say what you won’t do. This is as important as what you do take on. Being strategic means there has to be a “no” or “not now” bucket, as again, there is an endless list of things you could do. Draw a firm boundary. This is precisely where the Action Priority matrix can also help you. You can always make pragmatic exceptions if you need to, but without the hard boundary, the pile on your virtual desk will get too high to be successful when you’re a team of one. 3. Evangelize the role of product marketing.  As you are the sole PMM, take time to educate others on how product marketing will function at YOUR company. No two companies draw all the lines around it exactly the same way, because the range of what’s important and the market situation shifts over time, how it can add value across business metrics, and how you expect it to work with your partner teams (product, sales, marketing) to deliver results. Creating a PMM team charter with stakeholder input can be really useful, as can regular feedback loops with stakeholders. A PMM charter should include information on the scope and goals of the product marketing function, ​ the strategy​ , how it works with other departments, key projects, and focus areas. 4. Introduce processes and plan for scaling the function over time. As you start getting wins under your belt, and have better understanding of the role (could be anywhere from 3-12 months), you can start thinking about building out standard processes (e.g. a standardized launch process). In the model where you launched this as a pilot , you can define the standard for launch process by example, then roll it out to other areas. Section 2: How to build your product marketing team As your company grows, and as you build more value, you will need to grow your team. How do you set them up for success? While no two teams will look exactly alike, this is a framework I built and evolved to help you guide you on building your first PMM team. I use the 4Ps framework (not the one you are thinking!):  Purpose, People, Process and Performance  to do this (from the seminal book “The Wisdom of Teams"). Purpose This is about setting up a clear understanding of why the team exists and what it aims to achieve. It means having a clear mission and vision for the team and clearly articulating the team’s objectives, goals, and highest priorities. This should be a more refined version of the founding PMM charter you have created, aligned with the most important company objectives. People With clarity on the team strategy from step 1, the next step is to identify the hiring strategy. Based on the team's specific needs, break down the areas where you need help and then determine what kind of help you need and the profiles of each hire you need. Here are 5 tips you need to keep in mind when hiring: 1. Build the smallest team first. One of the common mistakes I see first-time hiring managers make is over-hiring. I recommend mapping out the responsibilities of each role for at least 12 months (it’s really hard to see past that, presuming these are less mature companies–since, after all, this is their first time building a PMM function). If you can do that confidently, then it’s likely a full-time hire is justified. Let us not contribute to the terrible culture of hiring and firing (and mass layoffs due to poor planning). 2. Consider part-time and third-party hires ALONG with full-time hires.  Given limited resourcing and point #1 above, it’s important to consider all types of hire. Inspired by Peter Mahoney’s framework shared on Exit 5, here is my version of it to help you choose which type of hire is needed. 3. Hire based on gaps and strengths.  Instead of focusing purely on the skills and excellence of each individual, also consider how the skills will complement your own gaps/weaknesses. E.g. if you are amazing at sales enablement but are weaker on positioning, you may consider hiring someone whose primary strength is positioning. This also means hiring someone who aligns intrinsically with the culture of the team and company. 4. Hire T- or π- shaped generalist PMMs first. Early hires should be more full-stack PMMs with special expertise (like analyst relations or partner marketing) in one or two core areas. This provides you with flexibility to meet changing demands, while also allowing each team member to own a specific area in more-depth. The specializations could also be domain expertise, especially in highly niche or technical industries (e.g., cybersecurity). 5. Don’t hire in a silo.  One highly overlooked yet common mistake is hiring in a silo. It’s important to review your hiring plan and requirements with adjacent teams, such as product and sales leaders to ensure the hire will align with their needs. So much of the work of PMMs is to enable OTHER teams to succeed, so getting cross functional buy-in is so important. Below is a table that shows possible roles and division of labor for the first PMM team. Note that no two teams look the same, so please adapt to your own needs. This is also I area I frequently advise my coaching clients on. In this example, there are two full-time hires, each mapping to 3 PMs across several product pods. Each is also responsible for special projects within their expertise. This does not mean they are the ONLY people who get to do that particular work, but they are the go-to person and main owner of it. This team is also hiring an agency to perform critical pricing analysis–a skill missing from the team. Make sure you also assign projects that allow intra-team collaboration, so they don’t each work in a silo. For instance, all members could contribute to a positioning project for the entire product. I have also seen leaders hire a dedicated sales enablement manager early on. While sales enablement is extremely important, in the early days, enablement responsibilities should be handled solely by each core PMM, which will allow them to truly understand customer needs and build relationships with sales. Only consider a dedicated enablement role past the tens of millions in ARR mark. When you start to feel the need for dedicated partner marketing, customer marketing, solutions marketing etc., that means your GTM motion is evolving. Your organizational structure should reflect this as well. In the next (bonus) part of this series, my collaborator and 30-year PMM veteran Martina Launchengco will focus on how you layer in this vertical/market/solution/partner expertise–its purpose and where it can live–depending on the shape, scale, and market challenges you're trying to solve. ​Follow her on LinkedIn​  to receive the next part when it drops! Process Going back to our Ps, the next one is process. Process should be developed based on the foundation you build as a founding PMM through the pilots  you have ran/will run, or co-developed with your team based on the actual context within the company. I strongly caution against building processes using cookie-cutter frameworks without having piloted them within the company. Death by rigid process without testing is exactly the opposite of what is needed at this stage. Examples include feature launch, positioning, messaging, sales enablement, and research processes. What's most important to make this work is to get feedback from the adjacent teams along the way. Are we working as well as we could? What could be better? Performance Finally, define success for the team and each individual. Success should include both quantitative metrics and qualitative metrics (such as feedback from stakeholders). Create individual development plans for each team member and coach them to succeed and monitor their growth and performance. Don't shy away from feedback that could be hard to hear i.e. “ I think this messaging isn't clear enough.” As the founding PMM leader, you're setting the example and the standards by which all future work will be measured. Don't be afraid to set the bar high and coach your team to meet it. With that, you should be well on your way to building a high-performing first PMM team... ...but you also don’t have to do it alone. Whenever you need, here are two programs I offer that can help: ​ Grow: A program to help you onboard fast while keeping stresses low​ ​ Thrive: A program to help you find your career path and reach your career potential​ ​With these signature coaching programs , you can confidently step into your new role or become the leader you’re meant to be. And if you are a startup looking to hire your first PMM, reach out to my directly for custom services directly at hello@courageous-careers.com That's all for today. See you next time!

Hello, and welcome to the Courageous Careers newsletter, read by 4,000 professionals looking to land, grow, and thrive in their dream product marketing roles. Want to sponsor a future newsletter or learn more about other sponsorship opportunities? Email hello@courageous-careers.com . I recently returned from a much-needed family vacation in Switzerland, which was refreshing (to say the least!). I want to emphasize to everyone that taking time off is both possible  and essential . Don't get caught up in the hustle; take a step back and recharge. Today’s content covers part three  in a four-part series on How to Build Your Product Marketing Strategy : ​ Part 1: The 3-step product marketing strategy framework ​ ​ Part 2: Aligning the strategy with the business stage ​ Part 3: Operationalize product marketing through growth tactics ← today’s newsletter 😍 Part 4: Scaling the strategy to action by building a team With that…let’s dive in! How To Build Your PMM Strategy Part 3: Operationalizing Product Marketing Through Growth Tactics Growth is all the buzz. Companies want to grow again, and they want to do it smartly. ​Lenny’s​  latest hiring data shows that growth-titled roles are growing faster than all other roles. ​ Source: Lenny’s Newsletter ​ While the data is mostly from product roles, the same applies to marketing. I recently helped a startup hire its first marketer. The profile we determined? A combination of product marketing and growth marketing skills—the golden combo. Why is this the golden combo? If you think about it, the best marketer needs to know strategy AND how to execute tactics. But the challenge I see with PMMs is they can be too much in the silo of their world. The result? They can’t tie what they do to their results and have a harder time proving value. Key point: To be a great PMM (whether you want to be a CMO or not), you must understand growth tactics and how they relate to strategic planning. So, let’s dive in to help you understand growth tactics and planning. Step 1: Understanding Growth Tactics Growth expert ​Elena Verna​  describes growth as “your ability to predictably, sustainably, and competitively answer the question of how you acquire, retain, and monetize customers.” So, to drive growth, we need to consider these three levers: Acquisition lever:  The company acquires customers through awareness (top of the funnel), interest (middle of the funnel), and activation/purchase (bottom of the funnel). Retention lever : The company retains and expands existing customer revenue through feature expansions, reliability, and services. Monetization lever : The company charges customers to optimize for revenue and profit. While these concepts are PLG-focused, they apply more broadly to every type of business. Most businesses, no matter what kind, use a combination of tactics across these three levers across sales, marketing, and product. Understanding the most common tactics is extremely important for PMMs to inform their own strategy and determine which efforts require collaboration with different teams. I built the tactics table below to use as a guide. Note that this is not exhaustive and some tactics will fall into multiple buckets across teams. A word on monetization—many PMMs have not worked on monetization, as it can be owned by other teams like product management or sales, depending on the business model. However, because monetization relies on a thorough understanding of personas and customer research, PMMs should have experience with it. In my private client community, I did training on monetization and pricing 101 and how to get involved in pricing as a PMM. Source: Yi Lin Pei, Courageous Careers Section 2: Operationalizing the tactics to drive marketing Now that you understand the common growth tactics by growth lever and business model, it’s time to use it as an input/consideration when you create a marketing plan. According to the book LOVED by Martina Launchengco , product marketing work gets embedded in larger marketing plans that cover all marketing activities. So, it’s essential to ensure the GTM strategy and PMM foundation research work are covered in the larger marketing plan. No matter who PMM reports into, ensuring marketing plans encompass details of GTM will help bring it to life through the GTM engine, and connect marketing with product. If you are trying to figure out how to do this, this is the process I used to go through every quarter to ensure our team’s plans are embedded in the marketing plan. Step A: Determine the key growth lever to meet the business goal It’s usually very hard to focus on multiple growth levers simultaneously and achieve the best results. Instead, I recommend prioritizing the most important lever and funnel stage first. For instance, if your company’s key goal is to reach $20M in revenue by driving pipeline and increasing conversion rates, then it’s important to focus on the Acquisition lever. Then, evaluate which stage of the acquisition journey has the biggest drop-off and therefore the most significant room for improvement. For instance, if your company consistently hits their top-of-funnel goals and captures a lot of leads, but they are not converting well into accepted opportunities, it makes sense to focus your efforts on this middle part of the funnel to drive better lead → opportunity conversion. Step B: Use the PMM framework to map out product marketing strategy and tactics Before jumping directly to growth tactics, it’s important to run through the key gap/challenge from Step A through the ​ PMM framework in Part 1​ . This ensures the foundational issues are addressed. Using the same example above, let’s say you are now trying to understand why leads are not converting to opportunities. You found two key reasons: The lead quality is low.  In this case, it’s important to define the audience, better define the ICP, and set better qualification criteria to select the leads. The lead quality is good. In this case, leads are not properly nurtured and segmented so the messaging sent to leads is generic. You need to segment the ICP and create more appealing segment-specific messaging. Step C: Choose the growth tactic to double down as a bit bet. With a solid strategy in place, it’s time to pick a growth tactic that fits the company’s business model. If the company has a history of being marketing-led and boasts a strong lifecycle marketing team with a good email marketing track record, a key growth tactic could be to create a segmented email nurture sequence. Even if product marketing doesn’t directly own this tactic, you’re in a great position to suggest co-owning it with lifecycle marketing. You can offer valuable insights on your ideal customer profile, segmentation, and messaging to help them develop effective email sequences. Step D: Complete the rest of the marketing plan with additional tactics. Once that tactic has been determined, you can use a similar process to complete the rest of the marketing plan and show the final result in a funnel, which could look like the graph below. Source: Yi Lin Pei, Courageous Careers Congrats! You’ve now used PMM fundamentals and growth tactics to build a strong PMM team plan that feeds into the overall marketing activities. You've pinpointed the highest-impact strategies for growth based on your market insights, customer understanding, and growth levers. Implementing this approach every quarter will shift you from a passive role to a more proactive and strategic PMM, whether you're an individual contributor or a team lead. Let me know what you think! You don’t have to do it alone. If these ideas sound exciting but a bit overwhelming, you’re not alone—I’m here to help! With my signature coaching programs , you can confidently step into your new role or become the leader you’re meant to be. Together, we’ll tackle any tactical or strategic topic that will help you achieve the best results for your team and hit your career goals. ​Learn more about both programs here.​ ​And schedule time with me to get set up here.​ “Through working with Yi Lin, I was able to identify my priority and craft an action plan that I was able to immediately put into action and deliver impact. Yi Lin also had the right resources and answers to all of my questions and customized our coaching to fit the specific challenges I faced at each juncture - from product activation, launches, to goal setting and more. I highly recommend Yi Lin's coaching if you are looking to level up!” How Susan Landed A Senior PMM Job in Just Five Weeks I’m thrilled to share Susan's inspiring journey from layoff to landing a senior PMM role at Semble! As a client of my Job Search Membership Program, Susan transformed her job search techniques and her career: She went above and beyond to "show vs. tell" in her assignment She honed her communication skills and other pinpointed areas of improvement identified in her interview process And she stayed positive. Her strategic efforts and my program’s support helped her overcome final-round rejections and land a dream role. Susan's story highlights the power of resilience and the right guidance. Learn more about how you can achieve similar success here (click on the membership program option).