You're new to product marketing. How can you build a strong relationship with your manager?

Managers tend to trust team members who are intrinsically go getters and exhibit critical thinking skills. To add to that, motivation to learn/adapt and going the extra mile elicits trust in top management even if experience in product marketing is limited.

Communicate regularly...but take the time to first learn your customers so you have something to discuss. Managers trust people who learn their market and customer needs. Learn your customer so you and your manager are driving to the same goals.

Consider flipping things around and working backwards from what you want… For your manager to support you, trust you, give you guidance and resources when you need it, give you autonomy most of the time, and push for your promotion - What do you need to be doing for them? Be easy for them to manage, save them time, deliver outstanding results for their team and the company, have a simple COMMUNICATION mechanism so if anyone asks them about what you’re doing, they can respond quickly and effectively. One example would be a weekly report/scorecard via email. Even if they don’t read it and respond every week, they have the security of knowing it’s there anytime they want to get an update.

Whether you’re new to product marketing or have been doing it for years, communicating with your manager is crucial—not only for your personal relationship but for your marketing projects. Product marketers are often working on medium to long-term projects, so regular communication with your manager is essential to ensure to project is on track. Additionally, communicating updates with your manager allows for open dialogue about suggested improvements for the project or ideas for a new future project. Be proactive about your communication: - Agree on a style that works best for both parties. Meeting? Async Slack chat? - Set a cadence for these communications—i.e. touch base every Monday. - Take notes to document progress.

Communication should be a two-way street. Don't be afraid to initiate. Here are some tips: Seek proactive updates: Don't wait for your manager to reach out. Briefly share project updates, highlighting your contributions and any roadblocks you anticipate. Focus on solutions, not just problems: When facing challenges, come prepared with potential solutions or next steps to discuss with your manager. This demonstrates initiative and problem-solving skills. Request feedback and guidance, not just approval: Actively seek constructive criticism on your work and show your eagerness to learn. Offer to help with broader team goals: Demonstrate your willingness to contribute beyond your immediate responsibilities, showcasing your team's value.

Managers are all different, so taking the time to understand their preferences and expectations goes a long way in building trust. Some things to keep in mind: Analyze communication patterns: Do they prefer email, instant messaging, or in-person meetings? Observe decision-making: Do they delegate tasks freely or prefer close collaboration? Do they seek input before making decisions, or value individual initiative? Notice feedback style: Do they provide direct and specific feedback, or offer more indirect guidance? Do they focus on positive reinforcement or constructive criticism? Align your working style: Adapt your communication and approach to align with their preferences, promoting effective collaboration.

Not just the style, but one effective way to build a strong relationship is by identifying how your strengths complement your manager's skills. For instance, in my experience, transitioning from the customer side to a PMM role, one of my major strengths is being the "customer voice." This perspective has allowed me to deeply understand and advocate for customer needs and pain points. I've been fortunate to work with various PMMs who excel in different areas, such as crafting compelling messaging. By recognizing and leveraging my unique strengths, I've been able to contribute meaningfully to the team and support our collective goals, ultimately, complementing your manager's skills and fostering a collaborative and effective relationship.

1. Understand what makes them "tick" at a personal level 2. Understand what makes them "tick" at a professional level 3. Understand their market-driven goals an priorities: ask questions. 4. Come up with innovative ideas, concepts, and suggestions that, as much as possible, check all of the above "checkboxes." 😎

Whenever I take a new role I make it a top priority to get to know the Manager, understand their vision, expectations and how they see your role impacting the organization. But it's equally important to communicate your working style, as well as your understanding of the vision. it is always a two way street. These collaborative discussions not only help maintain alignment but it also helps build synergy between you and your new manager.

Understand their style: Take the time to observe how your manager prefers to work and communicate. Adapt your approach to align with their preferences, whether it’s through email updates, in-person meetings, or using specific project management tools.

Being a team player and aligning to the business goals from the get go makes it a more productive use of your resources. Once you have developed a good understanding of the game plan and established good relationship with your manager and team members, if you feel an initiative can help the business goals, bring them up with your manager, discuss the pros and cons and if it is go ahead, take it up to translate it to results. It is not only good for the business, it is also an investment in your own development and enriches your business approach & skills.

Always come up with new ideas to improve business performance Don’t be hesitate to express your opinions Show your commitment to follow the business plans

Ask them a simple question: What can I help you with? OR What can I take off of your plate? Be insistent but not pushy. Use this wisely and you can start to shadow and even take on work that will put you in the thick of PMM-ing.

Be a quick product learner to find the market challanges, actively analyse key strategic points which made the sales curve growing and lastly be an team-aid to your manager to reach the targets.

Impressive your manager through new ideas and initiatives is a good idea but I wouldn’t do it just at the beginning, first learn the manager methods and assess the key challenges and inefficiencies and identity the right initiative that would be easy to do and most impactful and than act on it

Build a strong relationship with your manager in product marketing by actively seeking feedback, demonstrating initiative, and aligning your goals with the team's objectives. Communicate openly, show a willingness to learn, and contribute ideas that align with the overall strategy. Consistency, reliability, and a positive attitude go a long way in establishing trust and rapport.

Seeking feedback is crucial especially if your manager is new to the company. He or she may have specific expectations that may now be critical whereas in the past, not so much. Continuous feedback loops are critical for your success as well as your managers. No one wants to be surprised with unmet expectations at year end review.

Seek feedback: Actively seek feedback from your manager on your performance, projects, and areas for improvement. Use this feedback to enhance your skills and refine your approach, showing your dedication to personal and professional growth.

Coffee & Connect: Chat regularly with your manager (in-person or virtually) to share updates, seek advice, and actively listen to their feedback. Be a proactive communicator and build open, transparent communication. Decode Your Manager: Observe and ask open-ended questions to understand your manager's communication, decision-making, and leadership style. Adapt your approach to match their preferences while staying true to yourself. Remember, collaboration is key! Initiative Quest: Go beyond your tasks! Propose creative ideas, conduct competitor analyses, or create customer testimonials. Show initiative while respecting your manager's guidance and workload.

Appreciate their support: Express gratitude for your manager’s guidance, support, and mentorship. Acknowledge their contributions to your success and the team’s accomplishments, fostering a positive and supportive relationship.

Final thoughts on relationship building: Be reliable and meet deadlines: Consistency and reliability are crucial for building trust. Celebrate wins together: Acknowledge your manager's contributions and celebrate collective successes. Show appreciation: Thank your manager for their guidance and support. Maintain a positive attitude: A positive outlook fosters a more enjoyable working environment. Offer help outside your role: Demonstrate your willingness to go the extra mile, showcasing initiative and team spirit. Respect work-life balance: Be mindful of your manager's time and avoid unnecessary disruptions. Show genuine interest: Ask about your manager's well-being and engage in occasional casual conversations.

To build a strong relationship with your manager as a newcomer to #productmarketing team 1. Be good #listener  2. Share views, take advice before #Action 3. Do #Assignment on time. Meet deadlines 4. Show Genuine Interest in Product Development 5. Come up with #Ideas 6. Do #Research 7. Share #CaseStudies with the Manager on Similar #Brand Products 8. Contribute Genuinely. 9. Be #Positive, #proactive, and helpful in #Team 10. Seek #feedback to improve and grow as a resource 11. Be mindful of your manager's time and #strive for #success 12. Demonstrate willingness to go #extramile 13. Continuously strive to understand #product & processes 14. Complete #tasks efficiently request for further #responsibilities 15. Express #Gratitude  #rewardport

Be authentic, honest, ambitious, proactive, as well as, helpful to everyone, and always look to gain perspective and insights from leadership and peers, use feed back to become a better resource, expert, and leader. Remember, experts don't know everything, they just know how use all of their resources to remove barriers to success.

I think it's important to understand the products, portfolios and the processes in the organization. While it takes time to get to the speed, it's important to keep adding incremental value to your manager, it could be small tasks delegates to you that you can finish on time and ask for further tasks. While it relieves your manager, it would also develop your skill set and understanding much faster. If you are stuck, the manager would also be more happy to assist and make it easier for you.

If you are marketing products, the first thing to do is to understand the product(s) you are going to be marketing. Work with the product managers to understand their process from concept to mock up to production, get to know everything, including the user research. Attend shows and exhibitions and this will give you a broad understanding and credibility with stakeholders in other departments.