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How Manufacturers Can Leverage the Role of the Product Marketing Manager
When it comes to leadership in manufacturing, product marketers and product managers are closely linked. Both roles require a deep understanding of the product and the needs and pain points of the ideal customer. Their daily tasks involve strategic planning and collaboration to ensure customer success.
Although these roles overlap, their main focuses differ. A product manager concentrates on the features, priorities, and roadmap of the product, while a product marketing manager focuses on promotional messaging and go-to-market strategies.
What Does a Product Marketing Manager Do?
Product marketing managers are vital to the success of your product lines. They need to fully grasp the product’s value to customers and effectively communicate it. They often work closely with sales teams and other marketers to shape product messaging and marketing campaigns.
For example, an electronics manufacturer with a wide product portfolio across various markets will need several product marketing managers. If this company launches mobile devices in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, each region will require a specialized product marketing manager. Each area has unique customer preferences, pain points, and regulations affecting product design.
While focusing on marketing metrics like brand awareness, lead generation, and customer acquisition, product marketing managers are not traditional marketers. Their primary job is to explain the product’s value so marketing teams can create targeted campaigns.
Scope of Responsibilities
Product marketing managers usually oversee a specific product or product line. In our example, one might focus on smartphones in Europe and another on the same product in Africa. This concentrated approach allows them to develop a detailed understanding of the product and its market, contributing to the overall marketing vision. Unlike traditional marketers, who handle campaigns for all product lines in a region, product marketing managers gain a deep, focused knowledge of their assigned products.
Focus on Strategy
Product marketing managers are deeply involved in marketing strategy. They develop go-to-market strategies, identify ideal product positioning, create pricing strategies, and work with teams to develop marketing materials like sales decks and promotional videos.
Collaborative Work
A significant part of a product marketing manager’s job is collaboration. They act as a link between sales, marketing, and product development teams. They provide feedback based on customer preferences and work on creating sales materials and training sales teams on effective value communication.
How Product Marketers Can Have a Positive Impact on Manufacturing Businesses
The main goals of product marketing managers are commercial growth and increasing customer value. They achieve this by developing effective marketing strategies and guiding product teams on what features customers need most. Growth in manufacturing typically focuses on creating impactful products, rather than just pursuing revenue.
Capturing and Managing Customer Needs
Manufacturers can better understand customer needs through various methods, such as direct interactions, focus groups, and surveys. Continuous market research and feedback collection are crucial. Customer success teams, partnering with product marketing managers, can maintain systems for feedback collection and analysis, staying updated on trends and market changes.
Incorporating Customer Feedback
Once feedback is gathered, it should be shared with product development teams. Product marketing managers play a key role in ensuring valuable insights are identified and shared using collaborative tools and team meetings. Software accessible to all collaborators helps organize and share this information, keeping everyone informed.
Product Marketers and Product Management Teams
Product marketers and management teams work together to drive growth and product success. They share a vested interest in the product’s lifecycle. Product marketers gather data to inform their marketing decisions, while also supporting product managers by aligning activities with the product vision. Both roles may collaborate on reporting key metrics to executives.
Use Product Roadmap Management Software to Connect Key Players
Product marketing managers need to work closely with product teams and stay updated on the product roadmap. They introduce initiatives like customer feedback projects or launch campaigns, important for other teams to know. Although product managers create roadmaps, all key players should contribute data for a holistic view.
Product Roadmap Management Software for Product Marketing Managers
Gocious’ product roadmap management software enhances team collaboration by streamlining communication. This tool helps product leaders create clear presentations to communicate product value or manage a product backlog to prioritize features.
Book a free demo to see how your organization can benefit from product roadmap management software.
Topics: Product Management, Marketing