Who should product marketing report to?
It's one of the most debated questions in PMM. The answer is:
...it depends.
It depends on your company's go-to-market motion, the maturity of the organization, and the technical complexity of your product.
And honestly, it depends on the type of PMM work YOU want to be doing.
The conversation often fluctuates between Marketing or Product. I've always added a third option to this debate: Strategy.
That's how I had it set up at Unbounce, and it worked well for us. Our team could be a truly unbiased strategic partner (and it let me grow into a Chief Strategy Officer role).
But, that doesn't make it the right answer for everyone.
What I think is often missing from these conversations is an understanding of the trade-offs.
Because who you report into changes many nuances of the role.
ā Your mandate and day-to-day priorities
ā The stakeholders you'll spend the most time with
ā The metrics you'll be measured against
ā The upsides you'll benefit from
ā The downsides you'll need to navigate
And so much more.
These aren't small differences. They have the power to shape your career trajectory.
There's a lot of overlap between all three options, and the boundaries aren't rigid. But knowing the nuances helps you make more intentional choices.
Where does your PMM team report today?
_____
šš» I'm Tamara, and I help product marketers build leadership range.
š Want my Sunday strategy sessions? Join 9,000+ PMMs who get the PMM Camp newsletter every week. Subscribe for free: https://lnkd.in/g3KdUBg9
It's one of the most debated questions in PMM. The answer is:
...it depends.
It depends on your company's go-to-market motion, the maturity of the organization, and the technical complexity of your product.
And honestly, it depends on the type of PMM work YOU want to be doing.
The conversation often fluctuates between Marketing or Product. I've always added a third option to this debate: Strategy.
That's how I had it set up at Unbounce, and it worked well for us. Our team could be a truly unbiased strategic partner (and it let me grow into a Chief Strategy Officer role).
But, that doesn't make it the right answer for everyone.
What I think is often missing from these conversations is an understanding of the trade-offs.
Because who you report into changes many nuances of the role.
ā Your mandate and day-to-day priorities
ā The stakeholders you'll spend the most time with
ā The metrics you'll be measured against
ā The upsides you'll benefit from
ā The downsides you'll need to navigate
And so much more.
These aren't small differences. They have the power to shape your career trajectory.
There's a lot of overlap between all three options, and the boundaries aren't rigid. But knowing the nuances helps you make more intentional choices.
Where does your PMM team report today?
_____
šš» I'm Tamara, and I help product marketers build leadership range.
š Want my Sunday strategy sessions? Join 9,000+ PMMs who get the PMM Camp newsletter every week. Subscribe for free: https://lnkd.in/g3KdUBg9