Product Marketing Should Report to the CEO

Product marketing is one of the most misunderstood roles in SaaS. Most companies avoid hiring the role until they’ve achieved millions in ARR. There is an ongoing debate on where product marketing should lie with the most common answers being product or marketing. Product marketers are often seen as the creators of countless slide decks and old-school sell sheets. It’s an interesting dichotomy because product marketing should actually be at the center of everything a SaaS company does. So, what should the role of product marketing look like?  

That’s why we’re talking with Maureen West, VP of Marketing at Brillion, an accomplished product marketing leader with over 15 years of experience in the B2B SaaS industry. She has a proven track record of driving company growth by developing and executing go-to-market strategies, streamlining product launches, and building strong relationships across teams. Maureen excels at creating integrated marketing campaigns, enabling sales teams, and conducting market analysis to refine product positioning and messaging. She’s also held leadership positions at various companies, including Cytel, Uberflip, 6sense, Conga, and Emarsys. 

In this episode, Stephanie and Maureen talk about why product marketing should report directly to the CEO, the biggest misconceptions around product launches, how to create messaging that resonates with buyers, and so much more. 

Key Takeaways:

1. Product marketing should be the first marketing-related hire. You can’t build demand for a product no one effectively understands. That’s why you need to hire a product marketer first. 
2. Product marketing should report to the CEO. Not product. Not marketing. Directly to the CEO.
3. Brand marketers and product marketing should work collaboratively to build the brand 
4. Use your customer’s language on your website. Stop trying to be creative with words. Talk like your customers. 
5. Stop making slides. Buyers don’t want them. Sales doesn’t love them either. Have a conversation instead. If your product requires slides to explain, then your messaging needs work. 
6. Continuous software deployment can lead to a lack of accountability and challenges with planning product launches. 
7. Product launches should last 90 days and align with your business goals. Don't have a product launch just to have one.