Product Marketing’s Role in Driving B2B Revenue

Many B2B companies under-appreciate the impact of effective product marketing and its critical role in helping to generate revenue. Perhaps I value it higher because I’ve had a product marketing role at several major software companies and also been responsible for the function as CMO or VP of marketing. In my opinion, the lack of quality product marketing is a big hindrance to B2B marketing and sales success.

Lindsay Kolowich, senior marketing manager at HubSpot, has a brief and spot-on definition of product marketing: “Product marketing is the process of bringing a product to market. This includes deciding the product’s positioning and messaging, launching the product and ensuring salespeople and customers understand it. Product marketing aims to drive the demand and usage of the product.”

Many great companies are led by individuals who, despite their title, are very good product marketers. Examples include Elon Musk, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. These individuals, as well as many superstars who aren’t so well known, understand that it is often the “best marketed” product that wins, not necessarily the best product.