Product Manager vs Product Marketing Manager

In this post, let’s look at Product Manager vs Product Marketing Manager.

Product managers and product marketing managers are two different roles that are often found in technology companies and other organizations that develop and sell products. While these roles have some overlap and similarities, there are also important differences between them.

Product managers are responsible for the overall strategy and direction of a product. They work closely with engineering, design, and other teams to develop and launch new products, and are responsible for setting the product vision and ensuring that the product aligns with the company’s overall goals and objectives. Product managers are also responsible for gathering and analyzing customer feedback, conducting market research, and making decisions about which features and improvements to prioritize in the product roadmap.

Product marketing managers, on the other hand, are responsible for marketing and promoting a product to customers and other stakeholders. They work closely with the sales, marketing, and other teams to develop and implement go-to-market strategies, and are responsible for positioning the product in the market, creating demand for the product, and driving sales. Product marketing managers are also responsible for collecting and analyzing data on customer behavior and market trends, and using this information to inform the product roadmap and other decisions.

In summary, product managers are focused on the overall strategy and direction of a product, while product marketing managers are focused on marketing and promoting the product to customers and other stakeholders. Both roles are important for the success of a product, but they have different responsibilities and focus areas.

Here is an example of how the roles of product manager and product marketing manager might differ in a technology company that develops and sells software products:

  • The product manager is responsible for setting the product vision and ensuring that the product aligns with the company’s overall goals and objectives. They work closely with the engineering and design teams to develop and launch new products, and make decisions about which features and improvements to prioritize in the product roadmap.
  • The product marketing manager is responsible for positioning the product in the market and creating demand for it. They work closely with the sales and marketing teams to develop and implement go-to-market strategies, and are responsible for developing marketing materials, pricing and packaging the product, and driving sales.

In this example, the product manager is focused on the overall strategy and direction of the product, while the product marketing manager is focused on marketing and promoting the product to customers. Both roles are important for the success of the product, but they have different responsibilities and focus areas.