At a recent MassTLC event, a group of CMOs discussed how the role is evolving and the skills needed to lead an organization into the future.
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I recently had the opportunity to participate in a MassTLC CMO roundtable event. The hour-long discussion focused on the evolution of the CMO role within an organization, and how we as leaders can support business growth.
The shifting role of the CMO
While capturing MQLs will always be an important aspect of the role, the modern CMO needs to go beyond driving lead generation. Modern CMOs need to:
Do more upfront customer research to better understand customer needs
Adopt a strategic mindset
Think like a business analyst
Build a strong alliance with your CEO
Tell compelling brand stories
Create unity between product and marketing teams
Work with a strategic partner
The importance of customer research & data
Modern CMO’s have the advantage of being able to use data. We can measure the effectiveness of marketing tactics and discover ways to optimize tactics for our audience. Marketing teams should own business analytics, become key organizational drivers of customer data, and be responsible for measuring success.
Shift your strategic thinking
CMOs with a strategic mindset will build more trust with internal teams. They will see more success when bringing ideas forward and growing their influence within the organization. As a CMO, think of yourself as a business analyst more than a marketer. When you understand all aspects of your business and how to drive revenue – and incorporate that thinking into your marketing plan – you will drive success.
Quick tip
B2B marketing is about selling an experience rather than selling a product.
CMO + CEO = successful growth
Learning more about your CEO’s professional background can help you foster a productive working relationship. Whether your CEO’s background is in finance, operations, or sales, you can find ways to complement each other to support business growth.
Be sure to discuss the expectations of your marketing team with your CEO. Ask them what they want their role in marketing to be, and what areas they want you to focus on.
The power of storytelling
Storytelling will be a prevalent brand engagement strategy going forward. CMOs are uniquely equipped to tell compelling brand stories due to our marketplace expertise and profound knowledge of our brands differentiators.
Use your brand story to create emotional connections with your audience to build brand awareness stay top of mind. People may not remember stats, facts, or figures, but they will remember the story behind your brand.
Break the silos
CMOs play a unique role in breaking company-wide silos. We can communicate marketing objectives to other leaders in the company and help establish a community-like work environment. More and more, we find we are responsible for fostering culture, employee retention, job postings, and recruiting.
Furthermore, the CMO role is expanding to include corporate communications. Historically, CMO’s have honed in on external communications. However, broadening your focus to include internal communications can help position you as a more versatile leader and an advocate for your company’s marketing initiatives.
You don’t have to do it alone
Strategic-thinking CMO’s are best positioned to take advantage of market opportunities and lead their organizations into the future. However, without the time and bandwidth to implement your best efforts, your brand may be left in the dark. Working with a strategic partner can help fuel your success and augment your team’s capabilities. At Imarc, we leverage data to support our recommendations and elevate our clients’ online presence.
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