You're a product marketing manager with limited technical skills. How can you stay ahead of the curve?

- Continuously educate yourself on the latest technology - Get closer to the engineering team & understand how they operate - Attend conferences, participate in webinars, and network with other professionals in the field - Set aside dedicated time each week to learn about the technology behind your product - Actively use and familiarize yourself with the product - Have a growth mindset and be open to learning new skills - Take courses or workshops to improve technical knowledge - Network with other product marketers and seek mentorship from experienced professionals.

In my experience, don’t understand estimate your team, empower your team to upskill and exchange learning. Build team strength, there strength is your leadership strength

A product marketer is constantly learning new tech because technology doesn't stand still. Set aside 15-30min every day to dedicate to learning. IMO the key to learning is knowing what questions to ask. Identify what you want to know, the gaps you have to get there, and fill it with reading for background info, check your understanding with certifications and validate by talking to SMEs who know your topic. Once you think you know the new tech, write a blog about it. There's nothing like trying to teach others to reinforce and acknowledge your new found knowledge.

As a PMM, you don't need to know how to code. But learning the basics of product management would be highly beneficial. You work with PMs daily, so understanding the terminology, the frameworks, and other methodologies that PMs use every day is definitely beneficial. It'll help you communicate and collaborate better with one of your key stakeholders - product. For example, understand roadmap prioritization frameworks, customer journey mapping, metrics (north star, engagement, conversion), and technical terminology like frontend, backend, APIs etc.

There are two core areas of programming: ? Front end: coding the interface users use by bringing to life product designers UX/UI work (eg HTML, CSS, JS) in web pages, SaaS products and apps ? Back end: coding what goes in the back scenes, the logic of what appears in the UI, based on algorithmic suggestions and recommendations (eg Python, Java, Ruby) To learn more about how it works, you can: ? Spend time in engineering or product meetings ? Ask ChatGPT to relay specific topics in a “for dummies” format ? Take a course on CodeCademy and learn how to code your own website

Integration tools like Zapier are a game changer for PMM lacking technical skills. We use Zapier to scrape data (e.g from meeting recap sales input in Slack workflow post to aggregated in Gsheet file for analysis) or send reminders (e.g. every time each post includes a competitor name, we automatically send a reminder to sales to check the competitor battle-card.) Notion also is developing great automation focusing on the databases (e.g. every time the status of database is set completed, send a slack message)

Before knowing the tools, you need to: ? Map your customer journey: know every single touchpoint your user goes through from when they first learn about you to when they become a loyal customer ? Assign KPIs to each touchpoint: get specific and define clearly defined day user state; visitors, lead, signup, activated user, casual/core/power user, at risk, dormant, churned (voluntary/involuntary) ? Quantify each KPI with a baseline: understand which tool you need to have a complete picture of the customer journey. That’s how you set up your tooling ? Go deeper based on focus: if it’s acquisition, go deeper into marketing analytics (eg GA, GSC); if it’s retention, dive into product analytics (eg June, Amplitude)

- Master tools for showcasing product value and identifying market opportunities. - Understand competitor and customer tool usage to differentiate your product. - For SaaS apps, excel in Google Analytics, HubSpot, Zapier, and Intercom. - Mobile app PMs should be proficient in App Store Connect, Google Play Console, Firebase, and Mixpanel. - Stay updated on industry tools for continued success.

As a product marketer, it is vital to understand which industry trends impact your target audience as well as how and when. Some emergent trends may not hit your audience for years and so only a watching brief is required. A twice yearly cross functional workshop on how trends might impact the problem your product solves is good practice to inform both marketing and product planning.

Diving into VR meetups has transformed my perspective. Virtual Reality gatherings in platforms like AltspaceVR allow for immersive networking and learning experiences beyond traditional webinars or conferences. Additionally, I initiated a "Future Fridays" session in our team, where we explore futuristic concepts and technologies possibly impacting our industry. It once led us to experiment with AI in our product development, setting us ahead in our market. Embracing the unconventional has been key to staying ahead.

To stay ahead of the curve in product marketing, you can: ? Follow LinkedIn influencers in product and product marketing, and follow who they follow/interact with ? Sign up to communities like The Product Marketing Alliance ? Check Product Hunt and the tools launching there every day ? Read Substack newsletters on the topic ? Comment under LinkedIn posts and DM people with your questions

You can also stay ahead by networking with more senior PMMs, attending industry events, and leveraging online resources. *hint* *hint* Product Marketing Alliance.

- Stay updated on industry trends to anticipate new customer needs and adapt strategies. - Read industry publications, blogs, and listen to podcasts for insights. - Attend webinars, events, and conferences to stay informed. - Follow thought leaders and experts on social media platforms like LinkedIn. - Join online communities and forums to learn from peers and share insights.

Not everyone has access to potential mentors in their network. If you don’t, you can visit growthmentor.com or sidebar.com to book specific mentorship sessions product marketing leaders, share your challenges and ambitions, and get the help to advance faster. I’ve personally had great experiences on growth mentor and built long-lasting relationships with industry peers.

- Seek feedback from technical colleagues, managers, and mentors to improve skills. - Ask for regular feedback on work, projects, and presentations. - Request clarification on anything unclear and guidance on specific challenges. - Find a mentor or coach to support career development and growth. - Be open to learning new concepts and techniques from experienced professionals.

As No-code & AI is rising, lacking coding skills is not a barrier for PMM anymore to be technical & data-driven. Stay on top of the game with modern Website & Landing page Builders or even app & prototype builders requiring 0 coding skills, based on drag & drop

The willingness to learn new skills as an inexperienced product marketing manager is one vital key..... In my case I took most of Dekker Fraser's courses on udemy, and that was where I started as product marketing manager.... There are other free materials out there that most people can use .....

- Cultivate curiosity and a willingness to learn outside your comfort zone. - Be open-minded and proactive in exploring new topics or domains. - Take on challenges or projects requiring new skills or tools. - Embrace a growth mindset, viewing every experience as an opportunity to improve. - Expand your knowledge and perspective to become a more versatile product marketing manager.

Curiosity and a willingness to learn are even more critical for a product marketing manager with limited technical skills. Take advantage of any employer benefits, such as access to Pluralsight or A Cloud Guru. Use these online courses to at least become conversant with and speak with your counterparts on the dev team.

- Stay committed to ongoing learning. Attend workshops, webinars, or short courses to grasp technical aspects gradually. Leverage online platforms for accessible learning tailored to your schedule. - Foster strong collaboration with technical teams. Bridge the gap by fostering open communication, understanding their language, and translating technical details into marketing insights. This collaboration ensures a well-rounded approach to product marketing.

Resist the temptation and siren’s song of the “marketing industrial establishment,” where you outsource messaging, personas, competitive analysis, and collateral development and hide behind being a services broker and silo you off from the market. The real learning comes from talking to your sales, customer success, and engineering teams and, more importantly, working out ways to speak to customers who’ll teach you about their pain points. There’s a line between product marketing outsourcing gone wild and customer reality. Crossing that line is one of the many ways that product marketing can damage their credibility with other teams.

Leverage resources like online courses to enhance your technical understanding. Collaborate closely with your product and engineering teams, ask questions, and seek mentorship to bridge the gap between your marketing role and technical aspects. Stay curious and embrace continuous learning to stay ahead in the ever-evolving tech landscape. Focus on a specific technology landscape or a language that you feel most comfortable with (Python, JavaScript)

Here is what I consider: Become a Tech Translator: Bridge the gap! Partner with your engineering team to translate technical features into clear, concise customer-facing messaging. This collaboration keeps you in the loop and hones your ability to understand the "why" behind the tech. 2) Learn the basics of data analysis tools to understand user behavior and campaign performance. Even basic skills can reveal key insights to inform your marketing strategies. 3) Imagine a future tech trend impacting your product. Research it, brainstorm its implications, and present your findings. This proactive approach keeps you ahead of the curve and demonstrates initiative.