Is the CMO role dead? Does the CMO hold a critical spot at the executive table? What’s the real dollar value of marketing “inflated” KPI’s? These are the common headlines or questions one in a marketing leadership role continuously tackles day in and out. Now match that against an industry constantly under attack by not just the competition but threat actors globally. The ones you can’t see coming!
Cyberattacks are inevitable, no matter the industry. You’re never 100 percent prepared. With over 11 years of cybersecurity experience, it would take a lot to shake me now. Even before the world of cybersecurity, I had the opportunity to volunteer early in my career during Hurricane Katrina when I watched the last few planes land in Phoenix, AZ with the evacuees, who left everything behind and in many cases, their loved ones.
My time in public relations and crisis communications prepared me well for the world of cybersecurity before I even knew it existed. How you diffuse a crisis in a timely manner that doesn’t result in more problems becomes your survival. Now pair that with the job of a CMO and it gets increasingly more interesting to survive.
What are some of the lessons I’ve learned balancing on this tightrope of cyberattacks, marketing’s seat at the table and influencing business growth?
- Know your leadership value. CMO or not, if you sit at the executive table, you are a leader not just for your team but for the entire company. What do you bring to the table? It’s important to drive marketing’s direct connection back to business strategy and future growth. Marketing insights are not just sales anymore but key intelligence for the executive suite and board. It’s no longer what customers or partners are top priorities or use cases; it’s how to achieve growth. Your CEO, CFO and COO are all looking for ways to grow your business. Marketing must be there speaking the same language.
- Experiment and find data with real insights. You didn’t become a leader without failing multiple times. Help your team run experiments. Test your marketing programs. I’ve learned to work closely with my team to get real-time insights on what’s working and what’s not. Let’s face it, we operate in a digital economy from scanning your phone to paying for ice cream at a local shop to preventing malware from loading onto your laptop and dropping a ransomware payload. Get the insights your team has access to and take the time to formulate a relatable story that gets your strategy across – not just your “point.” This is where marketing can fail. Your insights have to provide value to not just the bottom line but the growth of your company’s future.
- Harness disruption and change. Just as Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) is disrupting the global economy, it is critical that marketing immerses itself in what tools, technology and strategy will drive disruption and change. The world went from “who would buy that online?” in the 90’s to today where we can’t even fathom anything less than same-day delivery. If you’ve come to expect that, imagine your customers or partners’ expectations on what and how your business delivers. The need for hyper personalization, data insights, creativity and meeting your customers where they are, are all non-negotiables. I’ve learned that if you don’t embrace disruption then you should be prepared (or not) to be disrupted. Change is inevitable, so you might as well be in the driver’s seat. Oh, and be sure to have fun!
- What does your marketing team say about you? Not directly but indirectly. Your team wakes up every day just like you do. What contributions they are making to the business and how they show up is a direct reflection of the tone and culture you create each day. Make sure to ask for feedback and learn about how your team is perceived internally and externally. Remember all those events you sponsored and your customer base. What are vendors and partners saying about your talent matters. Diversity is essential as well. Marketing can get stereotyped as mostly female – but it’s not. It’s also more than just male and female, what diversity does your team bring and are you driving a conscious culture.
So, is the CMO role dead? I think not, and if it is, maybe I’ll just create a new title for myself because I’m not ready to put up the “closed” sign. It’s on us as leaders to continue to level up our teams and ourselves, while highlighting our value to the business and our customers.
The author, Christine Bartlett serves as Chief Marketing Officer at SonicWall, overseeing the global marketing team with responsibility for building the global brand and driving partner marketing.