Many tech marketers learn about the features and functions of their products and how these generally help their customers attain high-level business goals. But in a world where agile software development and the cloud have significantly upped the pace at which products can be developed and rolled out, it’s impossible to differentiate most solutions based on what the product does. The secret sauce is usually in the “how,” not the “what,” and it’s every marketer’s job to understand and connect the “how” to the personal goals of various buyers. Successfully making this connection is nearly impossible unless you have an intimate understanding of your products.

1. The Grand Unified Theory of Marketing

2. Industry Narrative

3. Differentiation

4. Ingredient Branding

5. Leveraged Acquisition

6. Repeat

7. PR APIs

• Controversy
• Acquisition
• Financial / Funding (IPO, quarterly results)
• Partnership
• Product Launch
• Hiring
• Metrics

• Maximize impact on the business. Over a decade’s worth of research across hundreds of b-to-b organizations tells us that the product marketing function can thrive and provide a more significant impact on the business when it is under the direction of marketing leadership.
• Move towards audience centricity. As b-to-b companies make the shift away from being product-centric to becoming audience-centric, product marketers are key shepherds of these initiatives.  
• Ideal position in workflow process. To effectively inform content and campaign strategies, product marketing should be located upstream in the marketing ecosystem.