CMOs speaking the Language of the Boardroom

Many Marketing Leaders express how uncomfortable they feel (or are made to feel) in the Boardroom. Comments like “no one understands the breadth of the role” or “everyone thinks they’re a brilliant Marketer” are often used by Senior Marketers who aren’t well integrated into the C-Suite. Marketing support groups and Agency partners sigh and nod knowingly when these symptoms present.

However, when CMOs are comfortable in the Boardroom, there are three key characteristics at play :

1.        Focus is on Impact not Activity

·      Marketing clearly connects with key business metrics : Revenue, Profit (in all it’s forms), Life time Value, Net Promoter Score, OPEX.

·      Simple explanation of actual business performance outcomes in customer terms. This naturally expands to levers that need to be pulled to ensure Profitable Growth.

·      Build the Custom Funnel for your business’ target segment(s). Show the progress that customers make through it (all the way to recurring Profit outcomes). With benchmarks show where you’re strong AND where you need to focus to grow, and what you forecast the outcome will be in $X for an investment of $Y.

·      There’s no presentation to the C-Suite that includes clicks, engagement, reach, MarTech tools, innovative Media investments or A/B testing results on different Creative routes. These topics are connected to activity not business impact.

·      No one has ever heard of Cannes.

2.        Axis of Growth (CMO x CFO) operating smoothly 

·      The symbiotic alliance between the CMO and the CFO.

·      For total transparency, the CFO (or their trusted deputy) is invited to join the Marketing Leadership team and be responsible for the $Marketing Investment budget

·      This means the CFO gets completely under the skin of your Diagnosis, chosen Strategic options and Objectives. The $investment required for forecasted outcomes becomes a straightforward and transparent discussion.

·      When operating in this way, smart CFOs become Marketing advocates very swiftly. The CFO automatically brings the Boardroom lens to the Marketing organisation.

·      The collateral benefit : the rest of the C-Suite aligns with Marketing because the business direction has been set. 

3.        Marketing is of Service to the rest of the Organisation

·      Customer insights are sought and shared to ensure everyone is market-oriented and in step with customer and market reality. The lights are on for all teams.

·      Marketing’s capability is used to add value in multiple areas that matter to the whole business. Two examples : (i) Building the Employer Brand to attract talent at lower cost ,who then stay for longer. (ii) Training all teams to connect with your Positioning, bringing to life your differentiated Proposition whilst aligning everyone around what you’re delivering for customers.

·      The team is no longer an opaque satellite organisation, separate from the core team. Marketing becomes a critical and valuable component of the overall business, whose opinion and guidance is sought to light the path forward. 

CMOs that operate in this way are effective in the Boardroom. High levels of organisational EQ make them trusted leaders with influence well beyond their own functional domain. They simplify a business’ required three-dimensional approach : customer orientation, profit-focus and sustaining over time (not to secure today’s Revenue target). These are the hallmarks of organisations that thrive for the long term, delivering superior experiences for their customers, valuable careers for their employees and higher shareholder returns.