When Hiring PMMs, Seek Problem Solvers Over Framework Pushers

Someone asked me the other day, “How easy is it to develop and scale the PMM function in an organization?” From my vantage point, as a Product Marketing Consultant, it’s anything but simple. 👥 Hiring the right folks who can consistently produce tangible business results versus driving vanity PMM metrics is hard.

Yes, you can hire those proficient in frameworks: Brand Identity Prism, Messaging Maps, 7 Steps for Customer Research, PM vs. PMM Venn Diagrams, etc. 💡 They’ll undoubtedly have a firm grip on the lingo and be up-to-speed with the latest tools. However, the real challenge lies in product positioning when they’re thrown a real-world curveball, and more often than not, that’s when things start to unravel.

Frameworks, in my book, serve two core functions:

📝 Acing interviews by flaunting role-related knowledge. References to frameworks will help interviewees sound knowledgeable and experienced. 📈 Drafting a team charter and steering annual planning. Frameworks come in handy as a go-to checklist for planning and sequencing activities. But what do you do when you’re asked to tackle a real business problem —like ramping up the quality of leads, prioritizing features for the next product iteration, or helping an organization enter a new market with Saas product marketing? 🚨 Suddenly, shoehorning frameworks into the mix feels like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.

You’ll find yourself navigating a minefield of challenges:

⏱️ Racing against the clock to execute research that is theoretically sound. 🙅‍♂️ Customers are unavailable for 1:1 discovery or survey because they are needed for an upsell. 📊 Case studies that fall short in furnishing the hard-hitting proof points vital for crafting compelling product messaging. 💸 Lack of budget, bandwidth, product team attention etc... … and the hurdles just keep coming. Against this backdrop, PMMs should pivot towards 90% problem-solving and 10% framework application.

If you’re in the market for a PMM that’s poised to move the needle, zero in on:

🧠 Problem-solving (or what Google dubs as General Cognitive Ability). In my interviews, I often asked estimation and market sizing questions to gauge a candidate’s approach to problem-solving and their application of logic. A heads-up: this filter will thin the applicant pool substantially. 🤝 Mastery in communication and building rapport with stakeholders. Stellar problem-solving acumen, albeit crucial, won’t cut it in isolation. To find valuable insights within an organization and rally the troops, a PMM needs to weave a web of relationships both across the board and up the ladder. PMMs that ace this game not only hit the organizational sweet spot but also set the stage for transformative outcomes.