What Is a Product Marketing Manager? How to Become One, Salary, Skills.

Product marketing managers are responsible for crafting the messaging and branding surrounding a product or service. By communicating the value of a product to target audiences, product marketing managers help generate demand that leads to sales. Here’s what to know about a product marketing manager’s needed skills, salary and how to become one.

What Is a Product Marketing Manager?

Product marketing managers are responsible for developing an effective go-to-market strategy by detailing the “what” and “why” behind a product to potential customers. The primary goal of a product marketing manager is to create demand for a product, understand market and customer demand as well as distribute promotional campaigns.

What Do Product Marketing Managers Do?

Product marketing managers use their knowledge of marketing strategy combined with customer feedback and market research to set goals for promotional campaigns. They study both their company’s products and  competing products to understand their target market and ensure products align with customer needs. 

Product Marketing Manager Responsibilities

• Develop and implement marketing strategies for specific products. 
• Establish the product’s value proposition, positioning and messaging.
• Conduct market research on target audiences and competing products. 
• Collaborate with product, finance and sales teams to set pricing strategies and brainstorm marketing strategies.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities of Product Marketing Managers

• Conduct market research.
• Draft messaging and communications around a product.
• Find new product opportunities.
• Create customer personas.
• Collaborate with the marketing and product teams to maintain ongoing and future product releases.

Product Marketing Managers Within a Company

Product marketing managers typically work within a company’s marketing team. They also work closely with product teams and sales teams. Product marketing managers are typically individual contributors, but they may have direct reports depending on the size and structure of the company. 

Importance of Product Marketing Managers

Product marketing managers are crucial to the success of a product’s release. Companies rely on them to run marketing campaigns and create positioning and messaging that ultimately leads to sales. 

What Skills Are Needed to Be a Product Marketing Manager?

Qualifications to Be a Product Marketing Manager

• Ability to think creatively and empathize with customers. 
• Understanding of current market trends. 
• Ability to prioritize assigned tasks and manage multiple projects simultaneously. 

Product Marketing Manager Prerequisites

• Product marketing managers typically hold a bachelor’s degree in marketing, product development, business or a related field. 

Product Marketing Manager Hard Skills

• Ability to collect and synthesize data and analytics. 
• Market research skills. 
• Campaign and project management skills. 
• Understanding of marketing strategies and best practices. 

Product Marketing Manager Soft Skills

• Communication and presentation skills. 
• Storytelling ability.
• Strong organizational skills. 

Tools and Programs Product Marketing Manager Use

• Typeform
• UserTesting
• Ahrefs
• MailChimp
• HubSpot
• Asana
• Productboard

How to Become a Product Marketing Manager

Product Marketing Manager Education and Experience

Most product marketing managers have a bachelor’s degree in marketing or a related field. Building experience in all aspects of marketing is an important part of becoming a product marketing manager. Having a portfolio of past campaigns, user personas and proven experience developing go-to-market strategies can help highlight the skills necessary to be a product marketing manager.

Product Marketing Manager Certificates and Courses

• Meta Marketing Analytics Professional Certificate
• Become a Product Marketing Manager | Product Management MBA
• Product Marketing: Meeting the Needs of Your Customers

Product Marketing Manager Career Path

Many product marketing managers begin their careers as interns or entry-level professionals in marketing or content. After becoming a product marketing manager, there are typically opportunities with varying levels of seniority available, such as senior product marketing manager or director of product marketing. Someone may even move onto a vice president of marketing role.

Product Marketing Manager Salary and Job Outlook

The field of product marketing is expected to grow over the next several years. The market for product marketers and analysts is predicted to grow 8 percent by 2028.

The full compensation package for a product marketing mana depends on a variety of factors, including but not limited to the candidate’s experience and geographic location. See below for detailed information on the average product marketing manager’s salary.