A Product Marketing Manager can be described as the person who is responsible for advertising the value of the product to the marketplace. Compared to the Product Manager, the Product Marketing Manager is very much consumer and market-focused.
The Product Marketing Manager undertakes an assessment of any competitors to the product and will also conduct extensive market research. The PMM will be at the heart of all communications occurring about and around the product, and, as such, will be instrumental in positioning the product within the market.
In both analyzing the product and assessing the marketplace, the PMM will identify product features to emphasize via advertising. This can be fluid especially if there is more than a single market. Further to this, the PMM will be responsible for broadcasting the benefits and advantages of key product features to consumers. Other than using specific consumer-facing messages, the PMM will also drive demonstrations of the product, conduct presentations, and lead exhibitions. It is essential that the PMM goes beyond simply advertising the product. They are responsible for forging an understanding of the product to the wider marketplace.
Indeed, in smaller or less differentiated organizations, the roles of the PMM and the Product Manager might be merged into a single position. Either way, and distinct from the PMM, the Product Manager creates the vision and strategy of the product, engages and motivates the development team, communicates the value of the product to the business, produces and maintains product documentation, and interacts with the product’s stakeholders.
Regardless of how they are staffed, both roles are nonetheless essential to the successful delivery of the product. It is therefore integral that the Product Manager and Product Marketing Manager work together effectively.