Overview
I began the Vision series as the starting point for Cyber PMM because I felt strongly that I needed to begin this journey with the end in mind.
I’m not saying I didn’t miss anything or that it won’t evolve over time. But remember the quote I started with from Jeff Bezos, “Be stubborn on vision, flexible on details.” It’s like the vision to land on the moon, or the “moonshot” — it shouldn’t really change that much.
In order to crystallize the vision so far, I integrated four vision pillars into a cohesive unit. And since I grew up watching cartoons like X-Men and TMNT, I thought I’d take the opportunity to relate this vision to superhero characters in the same way so that the vision can become more…visual. In essence, each vision pillar encapsulates a visualized superpower of a ‘Cyber PMM of the future’.
The Four Cyber PMM Superpowers
This future Cyber PMM superhero will have four key superpowers with attributes that define an aspirational state. This is a half fun, half serious exercise to really start thinking about the question, “if Cyber PMMs do exist in 10 years, what strengths should we possess to succeed in our roles?”
In engineering or scientific terms, this is about creating a model. All Cyber PMMs are able to train themselves to attain these superpowers. Everyone will have their own pace of gaining these powers. And I’m very familiar with the George E. P. Box phrase, “all models are wrong, but some are useful.” So I get it. Nothing is perfect, but let’s give it a shot anyway. Maybe we’ll build something useful.
With that backdrop, here are the four superpowers of the Cyber PMM of the future, aligned to the four vision pillars laid out in the Vision Series.
THE SHAPESHIFTER
Vision Pillar 1: Defining Our Tetris Shapes
Superhero Name: SHAPESHIFTER
Power Description: Shapeshifters possess the power to strategically align and adapt various tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) in any situation, akin to arranging Tetris blocks in the most efficient manner. This power helps optimize and automate routine tasks, making for a master of efficiency and foresight in the cyber world.
Top Attributes
- Has Well-Defined Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs): We need to define standard TTPs, referred to as “Tetris shapes”. This is crucial for adapting to a future where AI assistants, particularly those leveraging Generative AI (GenAI), will play a significant role in executing routine PMM tasks. This creates the ability to rapidly and methodologically generate a market understanding, persona definitions, persona prioritization, messaging briefs, message testing, buyer’s journey maps, buyer’s journey content, and more.
- Has An Objective Definition of Success: We need better training from a digital ‘Mr. Miyagi’ figure, which depends on having well-defined processes and standards in place. This structured approach is necessary for effective measurement and to counter subjective measures of success, which often focus on perceived productivity rather than actual performance.
- Understands Cybersecurity’s Industry Dynamics: While PMM TTPs from other industries might offer some insights, the cybersecurity industry has its own unique challenges and needs. Therefore, standard processes and templates need to be adapted or specifically created for the cybersecurity context to ensure their effectiveness.
- Brings a Human Element: There’s also a growing need for human skills such as critical thinking, innovative problem-solving, and effective storytelling. These skills are crucial for creating compelling marketing strategies, engaging content, and building strong brand narratives, thereby driving more impactful and successful marketing initiatives.
THE AI COMMANDER
Vision Pillar 2: Sharpening our Digital Ax
Superhero Name: AI COMMANDER
Power Description: The power to command and collaborate with an AI/GPT sidekick. This AI ally is adept at processing and executing complex tasks swiftly. The AI Commander power allows Cyber PMMs to delegate effectively, analyze vast data sets instantaneously, and generate innovative solutions, all while maintaining a strategic overview of the cyber landscape. Gone are the days of “waiting for headcount”. With an AI sidekick in place, we can move digital mountains.
Top Attributes
- Embraces AI as a Practical Tool: The power emphasizes the practicality of using AI, particularly a GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer), as a sidekick for Cyber PMMs. It’s not about following AI trends blindly, but about assessing its viability and effectiveness in enhancing productivity in product marketing.
- Trains and Utilizes a GPT for Cyber PMM Tasks: A GPT sidekick, once properly trained, can handle a variety of tasks for Cyber PMMs. This approach is likened to “sharpening the ax,” highlighting the importance of preparation and leveraging tools smartly to make work more efficient.
- Complements AI with Human Insight: AI is seen as a productivity aid rather than a PMM replacement. AI tools will free up Cyber PMMs to focus on areas where we excel, like consensus-building, creativity, emotional intelligence, trust, and personal engagement.
THE CUSTOMER WIZARD
Vision Pillar 3: From Hermits to Customer-Obsessed Wizards
Superhero Name: CUSTOMER WIZARD
Power Description: This power transforms Cyber PMMs into customer-obsessed wizards, enabling us to deeply understand and empathize with customers’ needs and challenges. The Customer Wizard can tune into customer insights with exceptional precision, anticipate market trends, and tailor strategies to meet evolving demands, forging a strong bond between the product and its users.
Top Attributes
- Prioritizes the Customer Voice: The Customer Wizard understands and amplifies the customer’s voice as the core of product marketing. Cyber PMMs must shift from minimal customer interaction to becoming deeply engaged and customer-obsessed. This transformation is crucial for effective execution and overall business success.
- Engages Customer Regularly: The emphasis here is on the importance of daily customer interaction for Cyber PMMs. This involves building a culture of open communication, trust, and regular feedback loops with customers. The aim is to make customer engagement a top priority, even before internal team or cross-functional marketing calls.
- Takes Action to Meet Customers: This outlines five actionable methods for gaining customer insights:
- Volunteering at events and conferences.
- Building relationships with the sales team and joining customer calls.
- Analyzing customer call recordings and notes.
- Conducting customer surveys.
- Participating in user Slack channels or community forums.
- Fights for Customers Internally: We have to acknowledge potential resistance and organizational barriers that Cyber PMMs might face in trying to increase customer engagement. Despite these challenges, fighting for customer insights internally can have huge effects on product resonance, differentiation, growth, and innovation.
- Is a GTM Realist: As the “voice of the customer,” this power is about validating go-to-market plans and making more realistic GTM decisions based on customer insights into our marketing efforts to ensure success in a customer-centric world.
THE ANALYTICS ACE
Vision Pillar 4: Becoming Measureable
Superhero Name: ANALYTICS ACE
Power Description: As an Analytics Ace, a Cyber PMM wields the power to quantify the value and impact of our actions in real-world business terms. This ability enables them to set measurable goals, track progress effectively, and demonstrate our contributions clearly. The Analytics Ace excels in converting abstract marketing strategies into concrete, data-driven results, proving an indispensable role in any Cyber PMM mission.
Top Attributes
- Understands the Importance of Measurement: This emphasizes the critical need for Cyber PMMs to provide concrete metrics that demonstrate our value to the business. The ability to quantify our contribution is crucial for the future success and validation of our role within the organization.
- Challenges Current Measurement Practices: This is about conquering existing obstacles in measuring the effectiveness of Cyber PMMs. These include lessening the reliance on other marketing teams for reporting, bridging the disconnection of Cyber PMMs from tangible results, and removing the lack of standard definitions for functional outputs. This results in a situation where Cyber PMMs feel attached to business metrics and are able to quantify our contributions.
- Is a Master of Time Measurement and Career Development: The post imagines a future where success in product marketing is based on measurable performance, leading to clearer criteria for success, fewer reactive tasks, better time management, and a more fulfilling career for Cyber PMMs.
- Communicates Cyber PMM Metrics: Specific metrics for Cyber PMM functions will be inspired by the clear and quantifiable metrics used in sales. These metrics could include differentiation scores from industry analysts, financial impacts of messaging, accuracy of buyer personas, utilization and ROI of content, and market understanding assessments.
Closing the Vision Series – What’s Next?
I really enjoyed working on this vision. I rarely get the chance to spend time in this type of thinking on a day to day basis while I’m in the “grind” of work, so this was truly rewarding. I think it’s important to look ahead so that we can better prepare for the future and be more effective. I’m excited to try and develop these superpowers! How about you? Please leave a comment on LinkedIn or below this post to share your ideas.
As the Vision series is now concluded, I’m also excited to introduce the next series – Industry Dynamics. The title speaks for itself — this series will explore the foundations of the business we operate in, so that we have situational awareness of the key trends, players, and products that make our industry rotate.
