We spoke to Mike Winslow, Product Marketing Manager at Plivo about his experience with the Product Marketing Certified: Core course we have at Product Marketing Alliance.

Trusted by the world’s biggest brands, Product Marketing Certified: Core sets the industry standard, is the catalyst to your success, and is the only companion you need for personal and professional growth.

In this case study, Mike explains:

  • His motivation for signing up for PMMC
  • Why he chose it above market alternatives
  • His favorite part of the course and insights he’s used already
  • How PMMC has enhanced his credentials
  • The impact it would’ve had on his career had he not taken PMMC
  • His advice to those thinking about enrolling in PMMC

What was your motivation for signing up for the Product Marketing Core certification?

As part of my new role, I had a product management certification. But the role is specifically a Product Marketing Manager.

Therefore, my manager wanted me to have the foundations, fundamentals, and some sort of cert that would indicate that I had the vocabulary and the language to be able to do the role, even though I had work experience that would support it.

So it was worth the experience plus the certification that we felt was a good foundation for me to be able to serve my duties in the role.

Why did you choose this certification? Why did it stand out above market alternatives?

If I had to pinpoint one thing, it was the testimonials of the other folks who had attended the course. I looked and it basically came down to Pragmatic Institute and PMA.

Also, I'd spoken with one other Product Marketing Manager, who's spent more time in the role at another company and he said that Pragmatic and PMA would get both the results that I was looking for.

But from my evaluation or my perspective, PMA seems to be more modern, more friendly, and a little more conducive to my schedule. So I needed something that I can do self-paced.

But to kind of put a period on it, it was really reading through all the testimonials and seeing the other alumni, who had completed their certification and it all just sounded like something that was a good fit for me.

What was your favorite part of the certification, and how have you transferred insights into your day-to-day practice?

The templates for each module were super helpful, especially coming on board with this new role. We had already kind of launched the product. And so a lot of the go-to-market motion and some of those activities, we had already kind of moved past that.

But to give me a sense of what I need to do next, and what my responsibilities are as a product marketer, those templates were super helpful in kind of being able to deliver value to my organization really quickly.

How has the certification enhanced your product marketing credentials?

In terms of earning this particular position, there were really two things that led to it and so, as I said, I already had the product management component of it. And then I also had some project management experience.

But I did pivot from a digital, customer-facing product program owner to marketing those kinds of digital products. And so I didn't have a marketing background.

I've done some side projects. For example, I launched my own mobile app several years ago. But I didn't have the proper product marketing education or qualifications or credentials. So I think in terms of getting the job, it didn't play a major role.

But in terms of, again, being able to deliver value quickly to my organization, the certification was critical. And because we're this particular division of my company is so new, it's kind of like we're a startup funded by our parent company.

It was really helpful to be able to just jump in. The course provided some context around how sales, marketing, and product should work together, and how a product marketer holds those distinct units together, helps them work cohesively, and move in the same direction.

So, that's how I saw that the course really helped me move forward from zero to one.

If you hadn’t signed up for the certification, what impact do you think this would’ve had on your product marketing career?

The job I interviewed for was actually a Senior Product Marketing Manager. Although I've got 15 years of work experience in different roles, the negotiation piece of it was, let's withhold the senior title, get the certification and demonstrate some contributions, and by the end of the year, we'll evaluate at your end of the year evaluation whether you're eligible for that senior title bump.

So, I think that in terms of an incentive to me to complete the course, achieve the certification, and demonstrate the value, my company was meeting me on the other side of it to say that if I took the right steps, then they'd make it worth my while.

What would be your advice for PMMs who may be considering signing up for the certification?

My encouragement would be to do it, you won't be disappointed. It'll help set the stage and give you context.

Product Marketing Core gives you tools that you can immediately use and it gives you the vocabulary to be able to articulate and communicate with the rest of your cross-functional team to be able to, again, make valuable contributions early and help you jump in and acclimate to the role. No matter what kind of industry you're in, very quickly.

Get Core Certified

Join Mike and a whole host of other product marketing professionals by enrolling in the Product Marketing Certified: Core course.

Unlock the cutting-edge information and frameworks you need to succeed within the fast-evolving world of product marketing with our fully comprehensive and revised certification.

Completing the course will help you:

🙌 Grasp every element of the cross-functional and rapidly evolving discipline that is product marketing.

👩🏽‍💼 Stand out in the job market - more and more employers request PMMC certification as a prerequisite for job seekers.

🧗🏼‍♂️ Advance up the career ladder with your newfound knowledge, skills, and product marketing network.

📦 Become the total package. Product marketing is an incredibly varied role. Our curriculum covers all the nooks and crannies.

🔖 Show off to your peers with a shiny new certificate #braggingrights.

So, what are you waiting for?

Get Core Certified