About ten months ago, my role shifted from product operations to product marketing – a brand-new function on the digital team.

The move instantly energized me. Having done product marketing before, stepping back into it felt both familiar and exciting. But this time, I wasn’t just joining a team – I was the team (and the first to implement this function).

As the sole product marketer within the digital department of a large technology company, I found myself at the center of how we bring our e-commerce features to market.

In e-commerce, where customer expectations evolve constantly and business goals shift quickly, the role demands both strategic focus and day-to-day adaptability. 

Balancing new feature launches with ongoing marketing efforts means wearing many hats, but it also means having a direct impact on customer experience and business growth. 

Below, I’ll share a glimpse into the unique challenges and rewarding opportunities that come with being a one-person product marketing team.

The challenges: Doing it all

Wearing too many hats

From strategy to launch, to nurture journeys and performance tracking, I’m involved in every part of the entire marketing process.

I sit on the product team (which is great and makes a lot of sense as I can collaborate closely with the product managers daily) and work very closely with product, design, marketing, and sales, all with different priorities.

Keeping everything aligned can be challenging.

Fast pace, limited resources 

In tech, everything moves quickly – especially in an agile environment where change is constant, and priorities shift often. New features roll out fast, and user feedback pours in from every direction. 

Staying on top of all this while planning and executing product marketing activities can sometimes feel like a balancing act. As a one-person product marketing team, I’m not only creating content and building the campaign strategy but also creating processes on the fly to keep up. 

On top of that, in a large organization, there’s rarely a defined playbook for product marketing (which I am in the process of building) – so I’m constantly creating structure, streamlining workflows, and figuring out how to scale efforts efficiently. 

Prioritizing which features to market and when, while ensuring each launch gets the right level of internal and external visibility, requires a careful balance of planning, adaptability, and a lot of multitasking.

Alignment across teams

In a large tech company, collaboration with cross-functional teams is essential. But with so many moving parts, it can get complex quickly. As the only product marketer on the digital team, I work closely with product managers, engineers, designers, and sales teams – each with their own priorities, timelines, and goals. 

The real challenge is aligning all of these efforts toward a shared objective while keeping everything in sync. At the same time, maintaining consistent messaging and strategy across channels – like email, paid media, SEO, and the website – requires quite a bit of coordination. 

While I don’t manage every channel directly, I collaborate closely with different marketing teams to ensure alignment and deliver a unified customer experience from first touch to post-launch.

The rewards: Making meaningful impacts

Despite these challenges, the role of being the sole product marketer comes with opportunities to leave a lasting impact on the business. While the job is demanding, the chance to shape the direction of a product's digital presence and strategy is one that should not be underestimated.

Owning the full journey

One of the best parts of being the sole product marketer is having ownership over the entire product marketing lifecycle – from early planning and concepting to launch, customer engagement, and post-launch analysis.

This end-to-end involvement allows me to shape strategy at every stage and see the direct impact of my work on both the business and our customers. 

Getting back to my roots

Because I’ve done this work before, jumping back into it felt natural. I’ve been able to apply my experience while learning and adapting to new tools, tactics, and challenges along the way, and I look forward to continuing this growth journey.

Cross-team collaboration

Being the sole product marketer puts me in a unique position at the intersection of multiple teams, allowing me to build strong relationships across product, sales, design, engineering, and beyond. 

This cross-functional collaboration not only deepens my understanding of the full product lifecycle but also allows me to serve as a bridge between internal teams and customer needs.

I can help influence key decisions, advocate for the seller and customer, and ensure that our marketing strategies are aligned with broader business goals. 

Freedom to experiment

I’m extremely fortunate to work with a supportive leadership team that not only encourages new ideas but also creates space for experimentation and innovation. This freedom is invaluable. 

Whether it’s testing new content formats, piloting messaging frameworks, or exploring different channel strategies, I’m empowered to try, learn, and adapt quickly without the fear of failure. 

This flexibility allows me to stay agile, respond to shifting market needs, and continuously refine what works best for our audience. It’s a culture that rewards curiosity and iteration – key ingredients for driving both personal growth and meaningful business results.

Seeing the results

There’s nothing better than seeing a campaign perform well or watching a feature launch resonate with users. Those wins feel especially meaningful when you’ve been involved every step of the way.

At the end of the day, being the sole product marketer at a large technology company is both a challenge and a privilege. The role demands a constant balancing act – juggling strategy, execution, and cross-functional alignment in an ever-changing environment. But it’s also where I feel most energized and fulfilled. 

Transitioning back into product marketing has been a pivotal step forward in my career, giving me the opportunity to shape digital experiences, influence customer journeys, and see the tangible impact of my work. 

Every win, big or small, is a reminder of how rewarding this path can be. Strong product marketing is essential – it drives alignment, connects teams to customers, and helps organizations succeed. 

As a team of one, I’ve learned the true power of collaboration and just how much one dedicated person can achieve with the right support. I’m proud to contribute to this work within CDW’s Digital team, knowing its impact reaches far beyond a single launch or product – it helps move the business forward!