“I’m a strategist, not a project manager.”

Sound familiar?

This is a sentiment many PMMs hold when it comes to product launches. They want to lead the strategy of the launch, not manage the project.

But, the reality is that the PMM’s role isn’t static — it evolves at each stage of the launch. You’re not only strategic or only executional. To be an effective product marketer, you need to be agile enough to ebb and flow between both.

I’ve been giving it a lot of though, and I think there are actually 4 hats a PMM needs to wear throughout the journey from planning to post-launch analysis.

Today, we’re going to walk through how your focus shifts during each phase and why embracing these changes (not fighting against them) is the key to a successful launch.

The 4 Hats of Launch

The Strategist

Phase: Early planning

At the beginning of a launch, the PMM’s role is primarily that of a strategist. This is the foundation stage, where the focus should be on market research, customer insights, and competitive analysis. You’re not just gathering data, you’re defining the product’s positioning — who it’s for, how it solves customer pain points, and how it’s differentiated from competitors.

Key activities during this phase:

• Conducting market research to understand the competitive landscape and customer needs

• Collaborating with the product team to ensure the product roadmap aligns with market demands

• Developing the product’s value proposition and positioning statement

The Communicator

Phase: Launch kickoff

As the launch progresses, the PMM’s role shifts into that of a communicator. This is when you take the strategy and positioning work and turn it into compelling messaging. Here, you're working to align internal teams around this messaging, making sure everyone, from sales to customer success, understands the story you're telling. You’re also bringing the core launch team together to build the launch plan that will bring the campaign to life.

Key activities during this phase:

• Crafting messaging frameworks to ensure consistency across all channels

• Holding internal enablement sessions to equip the sales and customer support teams with the right talking points

• Developing the integrated launch plan

The Collaborator

Phase: Launch execution

When it’s time for the launch itself, PMM takes on the role of a collaborator (or even air traffic controller). Here, you ensure everything is executed according to plan — working closely with cross-functional teams to monitor progress and make real-time adjustments and prioritization as needed. You’re collaborating across teams to not only ensure all of the campaign assets are created but also that they flow seamlessly together into one customer journey.

Key activities during this phase:

• Coordinating campaign launches with marketing

• Checking in with sales to see if they need additional training or support

• Monitoring product performance post-launch and gathering feedback from early customers

The Analyst

Phase: Post-launch

Once the dust settles after launch, the PMM takes on the role of an analyst. At this stage, you’re measuring the impact of the launch, gathering feedback, and understanding what worked (and what didn’t). This is where you gather valuable data (internal and external) to inform future launches.

Key activities during this phase:

• Analyzing campaign performance, from website traffic to email engagement and sales metrics

• Collecting customer feedback to see if the product meets expectations

• Identifying post-launch adoption opportunities and fast-follow campaigns

Each stage requires a different mindset, but to me, that’s all part of the fun. If you’re gearing up for a launch, ask yourself: how will your role change as you move through each phase, and what can you do to make sure you're adapting to the needs of the business and your team every step of the way?

CAMPER ESSENTIALS

📚 Reading List: How do you measure the success of a product launch? I wrote about this in edition 57 of the newsletter. Here’s the 8 post-launch metrics I track.

💼 Job Posting: My friend JK is looking for a Senior PMM to join his team at Circle. Cool product, even cooler boss. Check out the job posting here.

Until next week,