Starting a new gig as a product marketer?
Here’s one conversation to have in your first week that will set you up for success in your first 90 days.
Ask your hiring manager to suggest a strong, experienced sales rep for you to speak with.
Invite this person out for coffee or hop on a zoom call and ask them these questions:
➡️ = question to ask
🧠 = what the answer will help you understand
--—-
➡️ Who is our ideal buyer?
🧠 Your ideal customer profile
➡️ What problem(s) are they trying to solve?
🧠 Buyer pains
➡️ How are they handling this problem today?
🧠 Competing alternatives, esp. what status quo looks like
➡️ Who do we compete against most often?
🧠 Top direct competitors
➡️ What is the main reason we win?
🧠 Differentiators
➡️ What is the main reason we loose?
🧠 Weaknesses, objections to overcome
➡️ What is one thing I can do that would help you close more deals tomorrow?
🧠 Opportunity to drive immediate revenue impact
This may seem like a simple or obvious list of questions but you’d be surprised how many PMMs don’t ask them early on.
Of course, there are a number of conversations you need to have in your first 90 days as a PMM, but in my opinion, if you’re looking to get a quick understanding of your buyer, positioning, and competitive landscape, talking to your most seasoned sales reps is one of the best ways to do it.
This is also about building a strong ally in the company early on. A relationship that will continue to pay off.
So you’ll want to make sure this person is collaborative. Someone willing to work with you. If you attend any revenue team or sales meetings you can likely spot them pretty easily.
Time to make it happen.
What do you think? Anything I missed?