Marketers can feel frustrated by the constant need to educate the company on their work. However, effective leaders reframe this perspective, understanding that internal communication and building trust are not distractions from the 'real work'. Instead, they are a core, essential part of the leadership role itself.
Zoom's initial messaging resonated because it bluntly addressed universal user frustration with existing tools. This simple, direct approach on billboards, combined with a freemium model that encouraged trial, effectively captured attention in a crowded market by speaking the customer's language.
For companies that aren't yet household names, securing top-tier media coverage is incredibly difficult. A more effective PR strategy is to set internal expectations and focus on achieving a consistent presence in niche trade publications. This builds credibility with the most relevant audience and is a more achievable goal.
Unlike software, marketing physical hardware demands a significant focus on in-person experiences like trade shows and partner events. Customers need to physically touch and interact with the product to understand its differentiation, something a spec sheet cannot convey. This fundamentally shifts the marketing mix away from purely digital channels.
A leader's value isn't being the expert in every marketing function. It's identifying a critical problem, even one they don't fully understand, and taking ownership to push it forward. This often means acting as a project manager: booking the meeting, getting the right people in the room, and driving action items.
Even with a successful playbook from a company like Zoom, a marketing leader must adapt significantly when moving to a new context. Selling a physical product globally introduces complexities like homologation, customs, inventory, and channel sales that require eating 'humble pie' and learning the new business from the ground up.
When leading a function outside your expertise (e.g., a comms leader managing BDRs), success depends on hiring a great functional leader. Your role becomes asking them to explain concepts simply until you understand, trusting their expertise, and advocating for their needs, rather than trying to become the expert yourself.
To ensure you receive senior-level strategy and relationships, avoid large PR agencies where your company would be one of their smallest accounts. Instead, opt for boutique firms. During the pitch, ask specifically which senior people in the room will be on your day-to-day team to avoid being passed to a junior team post-sale.