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Strategic product marketing leader with 19+ years in cybersecurity and enterprise tech…
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Wes Hutcherson posted thisI think PMM interviews need a new test: give candidates bad AI-generated work and see if they know what’s wrong with it. The question I care about when it comes to candidates today isn’t “Can this person use AI?” It’s “Do they know when the work AI gives them is actually any good?” A lot of the work PMMs used to do manually took forever. Digging through competitor documentation, building comparison criteria, researching markets, writing messaging from a blank page, working through GTM plans, creating enablement. But doing all of that yourself teaches you what good looks like. Now AI can compress days of work into hours, which is incredibly powerful if the person using it already has the judgment to know when the output is good, generic, biased, incomplete or just flat-out wrong. And that’s the part I’d test for. I’m much less interested in which models someone uses or whether they can show me a clever prompt. Instead, I’d give them an AI-generated message map with generic positioning buried in it, a competitive analysis where the criteria conveniently favor your own product, or a GTM plan that looks beautiful but would never work in a real-world scenario. I’d then ask them to tear it apart. What’s wrong? What’s missing? What don’t you believe? What would you change and why? That tells me a lot more than asking which AI tools they use. Because AI fluency and PMM fluency are not the same thing.
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Wes Hutcherson posted thisNeed a PMM? Go steal one from your own sales floor. Not every BDR, ISR or AE is going to make a great Product Marketer. But some of the best raw PMM talent I’ve seen (and hired) was already sitting in Sales and that’s basically how I started. Early in my career I got about a two-week crash course in IT networks, was handed a territory and told to go figure it out. It was truly a sink or swim job. So I learned by hammering the phones, rewriting emails, changing talk tracks, creating my own material and figuring out very quickly what made a prospect engage versus tune me out. That experience still shapes how I approach Product Marketing today. I think like a seller. Good reps already know a lot of things that are hard to teach: how customers actually talk, what objections keep showing up, what questions get people to open up and when corporate messaging sounds ridiculous because they’ve actually had to say it to another human being. Two of the best PMMs I've ever hired started as ISRs. I saw how they worked, how they spoke to customers and how eager they were to learn, and moved them into Product Marketing. Both eventually became Directors at large companies. And you’d be surprised how many BDRs and ISRs are interested in that path. If you’re constrained on external hiring, your sales floor can be a phenomenal talent pool because you’re not hiring completely on theory. You already know their work ethic, how quickly they learn and how they operate with customers. I’d rather teach PMM mechanics than try to manufacture customer instinct from scratch. Before you open another PMM req, take a hard look at the people already talking to your customers every day. Just don’t go poaching them in the dark. Be transparent with their leader and make it a win for everyone involved.
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Wes Hutcherson posted thisIf your message map is one or two pages, it’s probably not a message map. It’s a summary. And summaries force everyone else to fill in the blanks. I know some people are going to disagree with that, but I’ve never understood the obsession with making message maps tiny. The message map shouldn’t just be some fluffy high-level over view. It should be the source of truth that Demand Gen, Sales Enablement, Content, Social, Web, PR and everyone else can work from without having to guess what you meant. If all I give them is a headline, three messaging pillars and a few value props, what am I expecting them to do when they need to build a campaign, rewrite a webpage, create a sales deck or produce weeks of content? Fill in the blanks? THAT'S NOT THEIR JOB. My message maps are extremely comprehensive for that reason. I start with the ICP and personas, then work through the problems we’re solving, what’s broken about the current approach, the positioning, the core narrative, messaging pillars, differentiation, capabilities, outcomes, proof, objections and the supporting story underneath all of it. Not because I expect everyone to read every word every time. Because I want them to be able to go to one place and find the answer when they need it. - Demand Gen should be able to create a campaign from it - Sales Enablement should be able to build a pitch from it - Web should be able to build a page from it - Social should be able to find angles without inventing new messaging That only works if the thinking and information are already there. A short message map may be easier to read. A comprehensive one is easier to actually use. I'll be posting in the coming weeks exactly how I structure my message maps in a long form article hoping it might help other product marketers in their processes.
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Wes Hutcherson posted thisI turned my AI into an a-hole on purpose. 😁 One of the things that drives me nuts about AI is how badly it wants to agree with you. Give it a sales pitch or a message and, unless you push it pretty hard, you’ll get some version of: “This is strong,” “This will resonate,” or “Great positioning.” That’s not useful when I’m trying to figure out whether something will actually work in the wild. So I started doing something a little different. I’ll take a few real LinkedIn profiles that match the people I’m trying to reach, look at their backgrounds, roles, experience, what they care about, and use that to build out the persona. Then I tell AI to replicate that person as a disgruntled 25-year industry veteran who has heard every marketing claim, every “single pane of glass,” every “AI-powered” promise, and every piece of vendor BS imaginable. Then I hand it the pitch or messaging and tell it to tear it apart. Tell me what sounds generic, what you don’t believe, where you’d roll your eyes, where I’d lose you, what sounds like every other vendor, and why you wouldn’t care. Most importantly, I tell it not to be agreeable. That’s when the feedback usually gets a lot more useful. If you’re using AI to review messaging, don’t just ask it whether the messaging is good. Give it the actual type of person you’re trying to convince and make it a little pissed off. You’ll learn a lot more and get humbled in the process.
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Wes Hutcherson shared thisIn the words of Tyler Durden: you are not a beautiful or unique snowflake. I think about that every time I look at vendor-created competitive intelligence. Yet, somehow all of them end up like this: Us: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Competitor A: ⭐⭐⭐ Competitor B: ⭐⭐ Competitor C: basically a toaster oven Isn't it weird how every company is amazing at everything? Honestly, I hate this stuff because nobody believes it. Prospects roll their eyes at it, Sales finds it useless, and any reasonably educated buyer knows some marketing person created it. When I build competitive intelligence, I usually make a point to show where we DON’T win. And I SHOW IT TO THE PROSPECT. - Where is the competitor actually better? - Where are we a bad fit? - Where should Sales be careful? That makes the rest of the story more believable. It also keeps Sales from getting blindsided, helps disqualify bad-fit opportunities earlier, and gives them something much more useful to say when a prospect pushes back. “Yep, they’re stronger there. Here’s where we’re different and why that matters to you.” Pretending you’re a 5/5 at everything isn’t competitive intelligence., it’s marketing fluff that kills credibility. You’re not a unique snowflake. Know where you win, show where you don’t, and stop pretending otherwise.
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Wes Hutcherson posted thisOne of my tests for a sales pitch I write is incredibly scientific: I say it to my wife. 😂 Or really anyone who isn’t buried in the product every day. If I get the look that says, “What on earth are you talking about?” or “Why do you sound like a robot?” I do it again. It drives me nuts that PMMs still write sales pitches like this: “We empower organizations to proactively transform their security posture through an innovative, AI-driven approach that delivers unparalleled visibility and reduces risk at scale.” Now go say that to someone standing at your booth at a conference or have an SDR open a cold call with it. “Hey Steve, we empower organizations to proactively transfor…” Steve’s already hung up or trying to figure out how to walk away ASAP. With pitches, just get to the point: - What do you do? - What’s actually different? - What do I get out of it? Plain English, conversational, with no buzzword BS. Sales is going to make the pitch their own anyway, and they should. At least give them something that sounds like an actual human conversation and is worth using. And read it out loud. If your spouse, friend, neighbor, whoever looks at you like you’ve temporarily joined a cult, rewrite it. My rule is always: if you wouldn’t say it, don’t expect Sales to.
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Wes Hutcherson shared thisAI can create an impressive NPI or process or GTM plan in minutes. The problem is it has no idea how your company actually works. That context is where the real work lives.AI Without Context Is Just Faster Noise. How I Approach NPI & Go-to-Market In the Age of AI.AI Without Context Is Just Faster Noise. How I Approach NPI & Go-to-Market In the Age of AI.
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Wes Hutcherson shared thisThis is what a lot of competitive intelligence looks like to me. 😂 Tons of research, facts, and slides but very little structure around what actually matters to different audiences. AI can now create that mess faster than ever, or, with the right human guidance, help turn weeks of competitive research into something genuinely useful.Information Isn't Competitive Intelligence. How I Approach CI In the Age of AI.Information Isn't Competitive Intelligence. How I Approach CI In the Age of AI.
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Wes Hutcherson shared thisI've integrated AI into nearly every aspect of my product marketing workflow. Positioning and messaging is one area where it's made me dramatically faster. But faster at creating a message isn't the same as knowing what the message should be.Can AI Replace Senior Product Marketers? A Look at Positioning & MessagingCan AI Replace Senior Product Marketers? A Look at Positioning & Messaging
Wes Hutcherson commented on a post
8h
Completely agree. I’ve been saying for a while that AI can help write or proof almost anything. The real value is having the original idea, the expertise behind it, and the judgment to know what good looks like.
If the final result gets a watermark because AI helped me get there faster or clean it up, so be it. That shouldn’t diminish the skill and work that went into creating it.
AI slop is still AI slop and most people don’t need a watermark to recognize it.
Wes Hutcherson replied to a comment
3d
Well deserved! Congrats!
Wes Hutcherson commented on a post
5d
Mine is a little PMM-centric, but I’d add some version of an intelligence system for the broader marketing org.
By 90 days, PMM should be pulling together competitive intelligence, win/loss, analyst and market research, Sales feedback, customer conversations, churn reasons, product feedback, reviews, advisory boards, etc. and interpreting what it means.
I don’t mean a 70-page research dump no one will read, but something condensed, updated on a regular cadence, and easy for Demand Gen, Content, Social, Sales and Product to pull from when they need it.
I find most companies have a ton of this, it’s just scattered everywhere and people end up making decisions without seeing the whole picture of what’s happening internally and externally in one easy to consume medium.
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Wes Hutcherson liked thisWes Hutcherson liked thisSo Anthropic is now watermarking all AI output. It’s a scarlet letter in the metadata for Claude users (like me). But agencies need to pay attention. Claude models released after August 2 will embed an invisible, “machine-readable” watermark into generated text. Ethically, creatively, I don’t have a ton to say. I think this is mostly fine, maybe even good. AI is becoming more universal than email - why be ashamed to use it? BUT here’s where it gets uncomfortable: The watermark indicates AI processing, not AI authorship. Write something yourself, run it through Claude for a grammar check, and the output can still come back marked. But imagine explaining that after a client runs your work through a checker and gets an AI hit 😅 For agencies, I think this creates three immediate must-dos: 1. Check your client agreements for AI disclosure requirements. 2. Establish your own disclosure policy before clients start asking. 3. Understand exactly where and how your teams are using AI. I actually welcome more transparency around AI-generated work. But there’s a pretty significant distinction between “AI touched this” and “AI wrote this.” We’re going to need to get much better at explaining it.
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Wes Hutcherson liked thisWell… it’s officially launch day. 🚀 After a lot of planning, a lot of conversations, a few late nights, and probably more coffee (okay espresso martinis) than I should admit to, I am incredibly excited to finally introduce Simply Sourcing Agency. Starting a new company is equal parts exciting, terrifying, energizing and slightly insane. 🤣 Apparently this is exactly my kind of fun! What makes me most excited, though, is the team we’ve built and the opportunity in front of us. We created Simply Sourcing Agency with a very clear idea: combine deep industry experience, strong global relationships and smart strategy with the kind of personal service that makes doing business feel easy. No unnecessary complexity. No cookie-cutter sourcing. Just experienced people who know the industry, genuinely care about our clients, and love finding the right solution. I’m incredibly proud to step into this next chapter as CEO & Co-Founder, alongside an amazing group of people who I have tremendous respect for. To our clients, industry partners, hotel friends and everyone who has supported us along the way - thank you. I cannot wait to show you what we’re building. The virtual doors are officially open! 🎉 Simply Sourcing Agency Smarter Strategy. Stronger Relationships. Simply Better Sourcing. #SimplySourcingAgency #VenueSourcing #MeetingsAndEvents #EventProfs #Hospitality #NewBeginnings https://lnkd.in/gCQ2fjiJWes Hutcherson liked thisA NEW CHAPTER BEGINS. Today, we are thrilled to officially introduce Simply Sourcing Agency! We are a global venue sourcing partner built around a clear, client-focused mission: delivering smarter, more personalized, and elevated venue sourcing solutions. Drawing on decades of collective experience across the meetings, events, and hospitality sectors, our team saw an opportunity to bring fresh energy, elevated service, and deeper focus to venue sourcing. We are founding Simply Sourcing Agency to put relationships back at the center of the process. Ensuring every partnership consistently delivers the ideal venue, optimal value, and an exceptional overall experience. We are proud to embark on this journey with an outstanding founding team of industry leaders: 👤 Tim Segato — CEO, & Co-Founder Driving strategic vision, leadership, and long-term growth. 👤 Matthew Delorey — Chief Client Officer, & Founder Focused on our clients, their experience, and making sure they wonder how they ever sourced a venue without us! 👤 Shawn LaCourse — Director, Strategic Accounts Leveraging deep global networks and trusted industry relationships, to champion our clients worldwide. 👤 Courtney Fullerton — Account Operations Manager Streamlining operations, perfecting execution, and ensuring seamless support at every stage. Together, we combine deep industry expertise, global relationships, and modern tools, with a touch that remains distinctly human. Whether you're sourcing a complex global conference, single corporate meeting, multi-city program, or an association/sporting event, our promise is simple: You bring the Vision. We'll find the Venue! The future of event sourcing starts today, and we can’t wait to partner with you. Welcome to Simply Sourcing Agency! Smarter Strategy. Stronger Relationships. Simply Better Sourcing. Reach out to us today - hello@simplysourcing.agency #SimplySourcingAgency #SSA #VenueSourcing #MeetingPlanning #EventProfs #Hospitality #CorporateEvents #MeetingsAndEvents #EventIndustry #NewBeginnings #BusinessLaunch
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Wes Hutcherson liked thisWes Hutcherson liked thisThe Legion is expanding. Meet the three newest additions to our team! Paige Roderick joins as Lead, Field Marketing. A true New Englander who spends Sundays at Gillette cheering on the Patriots and escapes to the lakes of Maine, Paige brings years of cyber marketing experience from Onapsis, Cyderes, and most recently SideChannel, and she's here to lead the charge on unforgettable customer and partner experiences. Doug R., a Senior Enterprise Account Executive covering TOLA. When he's not maximizing customer value, you'll find him weight training, out on the golf course, or relaxing at the beach with his family. Doug brings more than two decades of enterprise software sales experience across cybersecurity and AI, and before that served in the U.S. Marine Corps. He's here to bring Legion's platform to enterprise security teams across Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas. Arad Halevy joins as an AI Engineer, based at our HQ in Tel Aviv. Outside of work, he's always chasing down a good riddle, and makes a habit of squeezing in as many escape rooms as he can find. Arad's here to build and optimize the agents that power Legion's platform, exploring the many different ways AI can be applied to optimize security operations for defenders.
Experience & Education
Licenses & Certifications
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Sirius Decisions - Foundations for best practices in demand creation
Sirius Decisions
Courses
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Sirius Decisions - Foundations for Best Practices in Demand Creation
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Sirius Decisions - Messaging and Campaign Planning
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Honors & Awards
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2016 Service Excellence of the Year Award
SecureWorks Consulting
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Best Nurture Program
Killer Content Awards
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Marketing Innovators of the Year
Technology Association of Georgia
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