Beyond external communication, drafting a press release acts as an internal forcing function. The C-suite approval process solidifies the company's messaging, value proposition, and target audience for a new product or feature before it goes to market.
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A strong product-marketing relationship goes beyond friendship. To achieve true alignment, marketing must embed product leaders into their processes from day one, inviting them to keynote jam sessions and press release reviews to eliminate surprises and build shared ownership.
If everyone in the company instantly understands and agrees with your launch message, it might be too safe. A great launch reframes the market, which should provoke some initial internal skepticism. This indicates the message is bold enough to break through external noise.
Establishing a strong brand involves more than customer research. It's critical that the internal team and key partners are aligned on the brand's vision and messaging. This internal clarity serves as the stable foundation for all external marketing efforts.
Effective product marketing is not a downstream function. It is a strategic role that sits at the intersection of product management, go-to-market teams (sales), and external influencers (analysts). It synthesizes inputs to shape both product strategy and market messaging.
Amazon's "Working Backwards" method requires teams to write a future press release and FAQ before building. This frames complex AI products from the customer's viewpoint, simplifying the value proposition and ensuring the end goal is always clear.
Instead of starting with a sales deck or homepage design, write the core company story in a simple Google Doc or script. This forces leadership to align on the narrative itself, separate from the distractions of format, ensuring consistency across all future assets.
Instead of waiting for features to build a story, develop the compelling narrative the market needs to hear first. This story then guides the launch strategy and influences the roadmap, with product functionality serving as supporting proof points, not the centerpiece.
Positioning involves high-level strategic decisions about your market and competitors. Messaging is the critical next step: crafting the core sentences that bring that abstract strategy to life and direct all subsequent copywriting.
Instead of debating whether Product Management or Product Marketing "owns" positioning, teams should treat it as a critical point of shared alignment. It's a collaborative space where the entire team agrees on the product's value and market strategy.
A product vision won't stick unless it's marketed internally. CPOs should build an internal communications plan using compelling storytelling, multiple formats (video, text), and frequent repetition. This marketing-like approach is essential to rally the organization and ensure the strategy is remembered and acted upon.
