CMO Challenges

At the tail end of 2017, I participated in a CMO Roundtable.

It was somewhat therapeutic knowing that all 19 of my fellow seasoned CMOs had a similar view of their jobs: “It’s damn hard!”

The good news is that to a person, everyone sitting around the table actually loved their jobs along with the challenges and rewards that came with it. We commiserated about what new opportunities and these three themes percolated to the surface.

1. Simplify, my friends, simplify

Theme 1 involves simplifying everything. How about creating a single-page marketing plan? It’s not just doable, it’s imperative. For inspiration, read Byron Sharp’s “How Brands Grow” (Parts 1 and 2) in which the author boils down marketing success to its ability to drive awareness and increase penetration.

2. Ramp up the risk

The unfortunate reality of being a CMO is that the clock is ticking faster for you than other C-suite execs. Ironically, the answer to this conundrum is not taking the safe route. Your experiments in 2018 may not guarantee job security, but at least they will give you the satisfaction that you took your best shot.

3. Cultivate your curiosity

There is always an opportunity to amp up your personal curiosity and that of your teammates. Challenge each other to discover new things about your customers that can lead to product and service innovations.

I’m curious to know if any of these themes are are on your radar. Feel free to give me a call or a text any time if I can help you with any of your CMO challenges!