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Rough Seas? Three Ways to Survive the Storm by Managing Like a CEO

By Angela Hribar
GlobalSpec Inc.

Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) have an average lifespan of just over two years on the job according to 2007 research conducted by executive search firm Spencer Stuart. For CEOs, the average tenure is about eight years.

Like accomplished CEOs, CMOs that survive the storm in tough economic times are those who are customer-centric and value creators. They understand the drivers of the business and focus their teams on them. They stay current with the needs of their customers and anticipate and continuously respond to the changing marketplace. And they prove their value by delivering ROI-based results, managing their function like a superb CEO manages profitability.

First, successful CMOs focus on the drivers of the business. They are in touch with the high-order goals of the organization and their strategies and tactics flow from this knowledge. This level of understanding isn’t limited to the CMO though – the entire marketing organization embraces what matters most to the business and this is reflected in their plans and activities.

As a member of the leadership team, successful CMOs collaborate with other key executives to get buy-in for their initiatives that support the drivers of the business. Collaboration produces opportunities to garner needed resources across the company to help them implement their strategies.

Next, successful CMOs have their finger on the pulse of the marketplace. They reach out to their customers, both formally and informally. They continuously conduct surveys and solicit feedback to ensure that they are not only connecting to their customers’ immediate needs, but that the products, services and programs their team creates will meet future needs as well. 

They also gain a greater understanding of the needs of customers by living the business. They listen and learn by sitting in on calls at their customer service center, accompanying salespeople to appointments with prospects and by visiting customers.

Finally, successful CMOs deliver ROI-based results by implementing closed-loop marketing practices and processes and ultimately prove how marketing produces solid returns. Measuring the overall effectiveness of the strategies and tactics implemented shows that their organization is impacting the business in a way that is tangible and that aligns with company goals.

Successful CMOs that approach their business in this way are here to stay, just like corporate America’s best CEOs. 

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Angela Hribar is Chief Sales and Marketing Officer of GlobalSpec Inc., the leading specialized vertical search, information services and e-publishing company serving the engineering, technical and industrial communities. She has more than 25 years of experience in marketing, sales, business development and operations management, and is an expert in building and facilitating a collaborative environment across cross-functional executive teams.