The end of 2024 is approaching, but that doesn’t have to mean your final weeks of Q4 are spent in a frenzy. Actually, if you’re able to pause and focus on intentionality in your end-of-year push, the preparation you do now can make a substantial impact in the next year.
Making plans for full-stack product marketing hires are especially likely to pay off down the line. When we refer to a ‘full-stack product marketer,’ we’re talking about someone who can maintain strong external storytelling about your product throughout the customer lifecycle. Product marketing can be make-or-break for a startup; no matter how optimized your product is, it’s not likely to succeed if your persona is murky, value prop is fuzzy, and platforms to engage are uncertain.
We at Digital Knack get it. We’ve helped countless startups build PM teams that made the difference between simply getting a product to market and telling a compelling story about that product on an ongoing basis, from concept to launch to retention to advocacy. The external efforts are undeniably steep for product marketers, but look inward and it gets steeper. Product marketers are the internal voice of reason for the customer, and the diplomat for cross-functional teams. With such varied functions working to bring solutions of value forward, product marketers are relied upon as the diplomats and master collaborators.
We’ve seen it all, and we have one key piece of advice
That is to take a pause right now. We know the end of the year can be challenging, but it’s also a great time to take a minute to create a detailed sketch of the product marketing hires with the right tools and skills necessary to tell your company’s story. Here’s how VP of Marketing at TrueContext Alexis Ives put it:
“Given the broad scope of product marketing as a function, it can be challenging to find the right balance of skillsets to fit your company’s needs aligned to your size and stage of growth. Early-stage startups may require someone with both strategic and deep tactical skills, as well as a candidate with experience building out a cross-functional launch and go-to-market engine from the ground up. More mature businesses might require product marketers with deeper business acumen and data analytics to help connect their go-to-market strategy and product experience to revenue outcomes.”
We recommend thoroughly considering the product releases and GTM goals before the new year – you’d be surprised how often otherwise strong startups engage Product Marketing too late, which can lead to major roadblocks and dilute PM value.
Sr. Manager, Product Marketing at AppFolioChristy Mahar weighs in:
“Companies that engage product marketing early in the product lifecycle can gain valuable insights that guide development and drive an effective go-to-market launch. From defining the ideal customer profile to early A/B testing of messaging and identifying unique market considerations, proactive involvement brings intangible value, especially for early-stage startups. Every opportunity counts, and aligning product and product marketing early on maximizes success.”
Look critically at your own current, internal capacities too. When your new product marketing hires come aboard, you’ll want them to have a strong GTM/launch infrastructure to plug into.
Now, here’s what to look for in product marketing candidates
In Alexis’s opinion (and we agree) the best product marketers have business acumen that empowers them to think beyond the basics. It’s generally understood that product marketers are responsible for messaging, positioning, and GTM/launch. But real standouts in the field align storytelling with business needs on an ongoing basis. Truly committed product marketers can create a GTM strategy that unlocks revenue drivers throughout the entire customer lifecycle, not just at launch.
As you’re reviewing candidates, look for indications of this kind of focus on the customer journey in its entirety. Do they just talk about GTM, or have they made efforts to ensure success in retention and advocacy? Are they constantly thinking about how marketing can serve whatever business needs may have arisen?
Second, the strongest product marketers are also skilled project managers. Product marketing involves collaboration with many different stakeholders who have many different priorities and timelines. Good product marketers know it’s on them not just to keep track of what needs to get done when, and how that fits into others’ workflows, but to proactively anticipate challenges and areas of opportunity.
Finally, the best product marketers are dynamic. In a role that sits at the intersection of between product, sales, marketing and service, those in product marketing need to be able to adapt quickly to new priorities and directives. People who don’t embrace flexibility or become too rigidly attached to a certain way of operating may not be the right hire.
In sum, look for people who maintain excellent output in unpredictable environments
Good product marketers have a Swiss army knife approach to their work, and show a willingness to learn new skills if an unfamiliar challenge arises. If you foreground that kind of dynamism and can-do philosophy in your hiring efforts, you’ll give yourself the gift of a next-level product marketing team to propel you through 2025 and beyond.
