Growth stalls when product, marketing, and sales operate in silos. Without alignment, go-to-market strategies lose impact, messaging gets diluted, and sales teams struggle to close. In this episode of the Marketing Phoenix Podcast, RPC Strategies’ Melissa Rogozinski speaks with product strategy expert Tina John about how product management and product marketing can—and must—work together to fuel sustainable growth.
The Expert Take on Product Strategy
Tina draws from 20+ years of experience in product leadership to differentiate the roles: product management is the architect, while product marketing is the storyteller. But both roles share a common goal—understanding the customer and delivering measurable business value. Alignment across these functions ensures that internal teams work cohesively and that external messaging lands with clarity and confidence.
Strategic Focus Based on Growth Stage
Product strategy isn’t one-size-fits-all. Tina outlines how growth strategies shift based on company maturity:
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Startups should prioritize competitive and market research to define product-market fit.
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Scale-ups need to refine their product roadmap and integrate voice-of-the-customer feedback.
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Exit-ready companies must invest in structured sales enablement to support valuation growth.
The Three Pillars of Product Strategy
Tina introduces a framework consisting of:
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Product Vision & Roadmap – Set priorities using customer insights and ROI frameworks.
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Sales Enablement – Equip teams with battle cards, scripts, and objection-handling tools.
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Competitive & Market Research – Understand your market position and refine differentiation.
Why Alignment Matters
When product management, product marketing, and sales speak the same language, organizations see faster execution, clearer launches, and better deal outcomes. Alignment isn’t a luxury—it’s a core growth marketing discipline that improves KPIs and strengthens go-to-market strategy.
Conclusion
Whether you’re building your first product or preparing for acquisition, aligning your teams through product strategy is key. Invest in the process, bring in the right expertise, and position your company for scalable success.ing teams. Combine preparation with the right management systems, and you’ll unlock consistent growth.