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Executive Communication

Communicating with C-suite and board members through executive briefs, presentations, storytelling, and strategic influence.

36 articles
Executive Decision Influence: Getting Your Initiatives Approved

Executive Decision Influence: Getting Your Initiatives Approved

Master the art of influencing executive decisions and securing approval for product marketing initiatives through strategic framing, stakeholder alignment, and compelling business cases.

August 30, 2025 8 min read
Crisis Communication Guide for Product Marketers

Crisis Communication Guide for Product Marketers

Navigate product crises, security incidents, competitive attacks, and reputational threats through strategic communication that maintains customer trust and protects brand equity.

June 22, 2025 8 min read
My Executive Communication Framework for PMMs

My Executive Communication Framework for PMMs

After three years of trial and error communicating with executives, I distilled everything that works into one framework. This is the structure I use for every executive presentation, email, and strategic conversation.

April 28, 2025 9 min read
Vision and Mission Alignment in Product Marketing

Vision and Mission Alignment in Product Marketing

Align product marketing strategy with company vision and mission to drive cohesive execution, secure executive support, and position PMM as strategic partner in organizational success.

April 8, 2025 8 min read
Navigating Executive Politics as a Product Marketer

Navigating Executive Politics as a Product Marketer

I spent two years trying to stay above executive politics. Then I realized staying neutral isn't possible—and trying to avoid politics just makes you irrelevant.

April 5, 2025 9 min read
Executive Storytelling: Making Data Compelling for C-Suite

Executive Storytelling: Making Data Compelling for C-Suite

I used to present data as charts and metrics. Executives would nod politely and forget it immediately. Then I learned data without narrative is just noise.

March 13, 2025 9 min read
Presenting Customer Research Insights to the Board

Presenting Customer Research Insights to the Board

I thought boards would want to hear detailed customer research findings. Instead, I learned they want three things: market validation, competitive threats, and strategic implications.

February 18, 2025 9 min read
ROI Storytelling for Executive Audiences

ROI Storytelling for Executive Audiences

Transform complex ROI data into compelling executive narratives that secure buy-in, demonstrate value, and position product marketing as strategic investment rather than cost center.

February 14, 2025 8 min read
My Monthly CEO Update Format (and Why It Works)

My Monthly CEO Update Format (and Why It Works)

For a year, I sent ad-hoc updates to our CEO whenever I had something to share. He rarely responded. Then I switched to a structured monthly update—and suddenly I had his attention.

January 26, 2025 8 min read
Getting Executive Buy-In for a Major PMM Initiative

Getting Executive Buy-In for a Major PMM Initiative

I spent months building what I thought was a game-changing competitive intelligence program. Then I realized nobody asked for it, nobody funded it, and nobody would use it. Here's what I learned about getting buy-in before building.

January 3, 2025 9 min read
Presenting a Positioning Change to the CEO

Presenting a Positioning Change to the CEO

Proposing to change how your company positions itself is high-stakes. Get it wrong, and you lose credibility. Get it right, and you reshape company strategy.

December 11, 2024 9 min read
5 Executive Communication Mistakes I Made (and How I Fixed Them)

5 Executive Communication Mistakes I Made (and How I Fixed Them)

These mistakes cost me credibility, meeting invitations, and promotion opportunities. Fixing them changed how executives saw me—from tactical executor to strategic advisor.

November 18, 2024 9 min read
Investor Communication Strategies for PMM Leaders

Investor Communication Strategies for PMM Leaders

Master investor communication through market positioning narratives, competitive intelligence, and go-to-market traction metrics that build confidence in company growth trajectory.

November 15, 2024 8 min read
Leadership Stakeholder Management: Building and Maintaining Executive Relationships That Drive Product Marketing Success

Leadership Stakeholder Management: Building and Maintaining Executive Relationships That Drive Product Marketing Success

Develop systematic approaches to identifying, engaging, and managing relationships with key executive stakeholders who enable product marketing effectiveness and strategic influence.

November 1, 2024 8 min read
Building the Competitive Intelligence Section for Board Decks

Building the Competitive Intelligence Section for Board Decks

Boards don't care about competitive feature comparisons or market share percentages. They care about three things: Are we winning, are we defensible, and what threats could hurt valuation?

October 26, 2024 9 min read
Strategic Communication Tactics: Navigating Complex Organizational Dynamics as Product Marketing Leader

Strategic Communication Tactics: Navigating Complex Organizational Dynamics as Product Marketing Leader

Master communication strategies that build cross-functional alignment, navigate organizational politics, and position product marketing as essential strategic function.

October 15, 2024 8 min read
Presentation Skills for Senior Leadership Audiences

Presentation Skills for Senior Leadership Audiences

Master executive presentation techniques that command attention, communicate strategic insights, and drive decision-making through clear structure, visual clarity, and confident delivery.

October 3, 2024 8 min read
My QBR Presentation Framework for C-Suite

My QBR Presentation Framework for C-Suite

I used to present quarterly business reviews as backward-looking performance reports. Then I learned QBRs are about forward strategy, not historical data.

October 3, 2024 8 min read
Data-Driven Narrative Construction: Building Compelling Executive Stories From Product Marketing Analytics

Data-Driven Narrative Construction: Building Compelling Executive Stories From Product Marketing Analytics

Transform raw product marketing data into persuasive narratives that inform executive decisions through strategic data selection, interpretation, and storytelling frameworks.

September 25, 2024 8 min read
Business Case Development for Product Marketers

Business Case Development for Product Marketers

Build compelling business cases that secure executive buy-in for product marketing initiatives through rigorous financial analysis, risk assessment, and stakeholder-aligned value propositions.

September 12, 2024 8 min read
Building Executive Presence as a Product Marketer

Building Executive Presence as a Product Marketer

I used to think executive presence meant being confident and polished. Then I learned it's about something entirely different: Making executives trust your judgment under uncertainty.

September 10, 2024 9 min read
Executive Storytelling Techniques: Using Narrative to Make Product Marketing Strategy Memorable and Compelling

Executive Storytelling Techniques: Using Narrative to Make Product Marketing Strategy Memorable and Compelling

Master storytelling frameworks that transform dry product marketing updates into engaging narratives that inspire action, build support, and drive strategic alignment with executives.

September 3, 2024 8 min read
The CFO Asked Me to Prove PMM's ROI

The CFO Asked Me to Prove PMM's ROI

In a budget planning meeting, our CFO asked me point-blank: 'What's the ROI of product marketing?' I had 30 seconds to answer. Here's what I learned about quantifying PMM impact.

August 18, 2024 9 min read
QBR Frameworks for Product Marketing: Conducting Quarterly Business Reviews That Drive Strategic Alignment

QBR Frameworks for Product Marketing: Conducting Quarterly Business Reviews That Drive Strategic Alignment

Design and execute quarterly business reviews that demonstrate product marketing value, align stakeholders around priorities, and secure resources for strategic initiatives.

August 8, 2024 8 min read
How I Influenced Product Strategy Through Executive Communication

How I Influenced Product Strategy Through Executive Communication

For two years, Product built what they wanted while I documented customer feedback. Then I learned how to present market intelligence in a way that actually changes roadmaps.

July 26, 2024 9 min read
Executive Status Updates: Communicating PMM Progress to Leadership

Executive Status Updates: Communicating PMM Progress to Leadership

Master the art of executive status updates that build credibility, demonstrate impact, and secure leadership support through clear metrics, strategic framing, and outcome-focused communication.

July 18, 2024 8 min read
Influencing C-Suite Decisions: Building Product Marketing Credibility with Executive Leadership

Influencing C-Suite Decisions: Building Product Marketing Credibility with Executive Leadership

Develop strategies for earning C-suite trust, shaping strategic decisions, and positioning product marketing as essential business function through credibility-building and strategic communication.

July 12, 2024 8 min read
My Executive Summary Template for Launch Results

My Executive Summary Template for Launch Results

I used to present launch results as 30-slide decks full of metrics. Then I learned executives want one thing: Did it work, and what are we doing next?

July 3, 2024 8 min read
Writing Executive Briefs That Get Read: Communicating Product Marketing Insights to Time-Starved Leaders

Writing Executive Briefs That Get Read: Communicating Product Marketing Insights to Time-Starved Leaders

Craft executive briefs that busy leaders actually read and act on through concise writing, clear recommendations, and strategic framing that respects their time constraints.

June 18, 2024 8 min read
Learning to Speak 'Boardroom' as a Product Marketer

Learning to Speak 'Boardroom' as a Product Marketer

I thought I was fluent in business language until I presented to the board and realized I was speaking a different dialect. Here's how I learned to translate PMM work into boardroom currency.

June 10, 2024 9 min read
Board Presentations for PMM: Communicating Product Marketing Impact to Directors and Investors

Board Presentations for PMM: Communicating Product Marketing Impact to Directors and Investors

Master the art of presenting product marketing strategy and results to board members through clear narratives, business-focused metrics, and strategic storytelling that earns credibility.

May 25, 2024 8 min read
Managing Up: Building Relationships With C-Suite Stakeholders

Managing Up: Building Relationships With C-Suite Stakeholders

I spent my first year as a PMM waiting for executives to notice my work. Then I learned that managing up isn't about impressing executives—it's about making their jobs easier.

May 18, 2024 9 min read
How to Present Bad News to Executives (Lost Deals, Failed Launches)

How to Present Bad News to Executives (Lost Deals, Failed Launches)

I used to hide bad news in optimistic framing and defensive explanations. Then I learned that executives respect PMMs who present bad news directly—with context, accountability, and a plan forward.

April 25, 2024 9 min read
Writing Executive Briefs That Actually Get Read

Writing Executive Briefs That Actually Get Read

I used to write comprehensive 8-page briefs that executives would skim and ignore. Then I learned the one-page format that gets read, shared, and acted on.

April 2, 2024 8 min read
The CEO Asked Me to Present Our Competitive Strategy

The CEO Asked Me to Present Our Competitive Strategy

I had three days to prepare a competitive strategy presentation for our CEO. What I learned: strategy isn't about knowing more than everyone else—it's about making the hard choices clearer.

March 9, 2024 9 min read
My First Board Presentation as a PMM (and What I Learned)

My First Board Presentation as a PMM (and What I Learned)

Walking into my first board meeting, I thought I was prepared. I had slides, data, and a clear story. What I didn't have was an understanding of what boards actually care about.

February 15, 2024 9 min read

Explore More Topics

Strategy

Frameworks for positioning, competitive strategy, and market analysis that drive long-term GTM success.

Go-to-Market

Tactical playbooks for coordinating cross-functional launches, aligning teams, and executing GTM motions.

Product Launch

Launch planning, timing, and execution strategies that maximize impact and drive adoption.

Sales Enablement

Battlecards, training programs, and sales tools that turn reps into product experts.

Messaging & Positioning

Crafting value propositions and messaging that resonates with buyers and differentiates from competitors.

Pricing & Packaging

Pricing strategy, packaging decisions, and monetization models that optimize revenue.

AI Agent Optimization

Optimizing product content, documentation, and data for AI agents like ChatGPT and Claude that recommend products to buyers.

Win/Loss Analysis

Systematic approaches to understanding why deals are won or lost and feeding insights back to product and GTM.

Customer Research

Methods for gathering customer insights through interviews, surveys, and jobs-to-be-done research.

Demand Generation

Lead generation strategies, campaign planning, and lifecycle marketing that drives pipeline.

Content Marketing

Content strategy and distribution frameworks that drive qualified leads and revenue.

Product Analytics

Using product usage data to inform GTM decisions, identify expansion opportunities, and prevent churn.

Market Research

Primary and secondary research methodologies for understanding markets, competitors, and customer needs.

Partner & Channel Marketing

Co-marketing programs, partner enablement, and channel strategies that drive revenue through partnerships.

Product-Led Growth

Self-serve onboarding, free trial optimization, and PLG strategies that turn users into paying customers.

Customer Marketing

Retention programs, advocacy initiatives, and expansion campaigns that grow revenue from existing customers.

Competitive Intelligence

Building competitive monitoring systems, positioning frameworks, and battle cards that help you win against competitors.

Product Marketing Operations

Team structure, tech stack, processes, and KPIs that make product marketing teams more effective and efficient.

Developer & Technical Marketing

Marketing to developers and technical buyers through docs, community, advocacy, and technical content.

International GTM

Strategies for international expansion, localization, regional planning, and managing global product launches.

Platform & Ecosystem Marketing

App marketplaces, developer platforms, partner programs, and ecosystem growth strategies for multi-sided platforms.

Founding PMMs

For the first PMM hire: building the function from scratch, proving value, working with limited resources, and establishing credibility.

Marketers at Scale-ups/Series A

Transitioning from startup to scale-up: building teams, standardizing processes, managing complexity, and driving systematic growth.

Product Marketing Frameworks

Proven frameworks, models, and methodologies that product marketers use to structure thinking, drive decisions, and execute consistently.

RevOps & PMM Alignment

Building partnerships with revenue operations to drive attribution, forecasting, pipeline management, and cross-functional GTM execution.

Event Marketing & Field PMM

Trade shows, conferences, webinars, and field marketing strategies that drive pipeline and build brand presence in target markets.

Product Adoption & Onboarding

Strategies to drive user activation, reduce time-to-value, increase feature adoption, and build product-led growth flywheels.

PMM Visibility & Impact

Dashboard frameworks, attribution models, political navigation, and career strategies that help PMMs prove value and build executive influence.

Budget Season

Q4 planning strategies, budget defense tactics, and ROI frameworks for protecting PMM resources during annual planning cycles. Navigate finance scrutiny and prove necessity.

Pragmatic Framework

Practical guides for implementing the Pragmatic Institute framework, from market and focus to programs and readiness, helping PMMs get the most value from this popular methodology.

Future of PMM

How AI, product-led growth, and evolving buyer behaviors are reshaping product marketing. What skills, tools, and career paths will define PMMs in 2030.

Industry Marketing

Go-to-market strategies tailored for specific industries and verticals. How PMM approaches differ across SaaS, fintech, construction tech, healthcare, and other specialized markets.

Buyers Guides

Practical guides for choosing PMM tools and platforms. Evaluating competitive intelligence, messaging frameworks, and launch management solutions that consolidate workflows and save time.