Understanding the Product Marketing Equation at Oribi 📊

A comprehensive framework for product marketing that clarifies roles, priorities, and measurable outcomes.

1. The Essence of Product Marketing 🎯

Product marketing can be visualized as a mathematical equation. On one side, we have the desired outcomes, while on the other, the inputs leading to these results. To foster a deeper comprehension, we can represent the Product Marketing Manager’s (PMM) responsibilities through a simple equation:

Internal PMM + External PMM = PMM Role

However, the equation lacks clarity and actionable detail. By breaking down each component into sub-equations, we can identify actionable insights that drive results.

2. Internal PMM Breakdown 🔍

Internal PMM encompasses vital components that, when optimized, enhance the product's market success. The framework can be detailed as follows:

2.1. Empowering the Product Team

Internal PMM’s first component is to ensure the product aligns with customer value. This requires an in-depth understanding of the target personas, their pain points, and the specific use cases associated with your product. Armed with this knowledge, a PMM can effectively collaborate with the product team to optimize features and establish a valuable roadmap.

2.2. Enhancing Marketing Communication

The second element involves empowering the marketing team to convey the value proposition effectively. This can include improving acquisition strategies through better messaging, enhancing lead conversion rates, and increasing demo schedules and attendance.

2.3. Supporting Sales Enablement

The third component focuses on enabling sales effectiveness. By optimizing metrics such as win rates, deal sizes, and closing times, PMMs can implement strategies that significantly improve sales velocity.

2.4. Facilitating Customer Success

Finally, empowering the Customer Success (CS) team is crucial. This includes assisting in customer onboarding, reducing time-to-value, and increasing early engagement levels. Each of these aspects constitutes an independent sub-equation that contributes to the overall PMM effectiveness.

3. Tactical Approaches to Sales Support 🔑

When aiming to enhance sales effectiveness, one effective method is analyzing the sales velocity equation:

Demo show rate * win rate * deal size / close time = sales velocity

To elevate sales performance, focus on the components that need reinforcement. Conduct conversations with Account Executives (AEs) to identify obstacles. From these discussions, develop resources like competitive battle cards, enablement training, and effective post-call materials that empower AEs to connect with prospects.

Prioritizing Tactics

Implementing tactics should be a strategic process. Assess each tactic based on three criteria:

• Impact: How much difference will the tactic make?
• Effort: What resources are required to implement it?
• Confidence: How likely is it to succeed?

Using a template to evaluate potential tactics can lead to focused and effective actions.

4. The Interplay of Internal and External PMM 🌍

Internal and external PMM initiatives often overlap. For instance, marketing efforts such as creating content for email sequences can directly drive demo signups.

4.1. Aligning Go-To-Market (GTM) Strategies

The external PMM equation primarily deals with the GTM strategies for new features or products. Crafting a successful GTM launch includes several critical steps:

• Researching the Market Need: Identify customer pain points.
• Articulating Value: Use frameworks like the "5 Whys" to inform messaging.
• Timing and Audience Selection: Determine the optimal launch timing and target audience.
• Channel Management: Choose the most effective channels for communication.
• Success Measurement: Implement tracking metrics to evaluate launch effectiveness.

5. Embracing the Role of a Generalist 🔧

In dynamic environments, PMMs often adopt a generalist approach. This adaptability is essential due to the cross-functional nature of the role. A PMM may find themselves addressing various issues, from drafting email responses to supporting new employee onboarding.

5.1. Strategic Focus

To maximize impact, it's vital to align efforts with company objectives. By identifying the most influential areas—whether in product, marketing, sales, or customer service—PMMs should dedicate the majority of their time to achieving set OKRs.

Conclusion

The product marketing equation at Oribi provides a structured approach to align activities across different teams, ensuring that each input contributes to meaningful outcomes. By employing this framework, PMMs gain clarity, prioritize tasks effectively, and ultimately drive substantial value within their organizations.