Though a relatively new role, Product Marketers have never been more popular. Hundreds of new brands enter the market every year to launch products or services that create new value for consumers. Only a few make it.
In today’s competitive market, it is fair to say that a Product Marketing Manager makes or breaks a product. Without proper targeting and messaging, the best of products can fail to make an impression. Therefore, an efficient Product Marketer is critical to any firm. With no structured education dedicated to this line of work, how do companies select these geniuses?
If you’re preparing to pursue product marketing as a career, here are a few questions you must be prepared to answer before walking into an interview.
Tell us about a recent marketing campaign that you loved. What did you like about it and what are your takeaways?
These questions are meant to gauge your intellectual curiosity. Employers want to know what do you follow? What kind of campaigns spark your attention? What do you define as good? For any such questions, there are no right or wrong answers. Start with focusing on the ‘why’. What exactly did you think was brilliant? Why was it unique and why do you think it worked for the brand? It is good to keep a bank of examples ready as such discussions can often expand into broader conversations.
How would you describe our company’s target audience? What would be your top three choice of channels to market to them?
The primary job of a product marketer is to understand the target audience and design effective strategies to communicate with them. An interviewer expects you to have taken the time to research about the company, its products and marketing strategies. A candidate who can quote specific reports, reviews or customer insights at an interview and give specific feedback is bound to grab the attention of the interviewer.
Tell us about one of your projects that didn’t work. What went wrong and what did you learn?
No one expects you to be perfect, so don’t try to dodge this one with a diplomatic answer. Employers want to know what challenges you’ve faced in the past, how you respond at difficult times and how you bounce back from it. Use the STAR technique to define what was the goal of the project, what strategies were used, what worked and what didn’t, what did you do for damage control and finally, what did you learn from it. Product Marketing is all about experimenting and using what fails to find what works.
What according to you, are some great ways to build relationship with employees?
People skills are important for every role at a firm. However, a product marketer is constantly required to collaborate with multiple teams at all times and therefore, relationship building is almost as important as the technical aspect of this job. Use this opportunity to tell them what makes you a good professional and how you’ve built strong professional relationships in the past. If you’re new at this, you can speak about volunteering or internship experiences.
Generally, Product Marketing interview questions are more focused more on marketing than the product. Make sure to brush up on your marketing knowledge, keep a close track of what’s happening in the field, and be insightful.
Check out Chet’s Product Marketing microcourses to fully prepare and be one step closer to a Product Marketing expert.
