There should be a list of the luckiest CMOs in the world. It might be a short list. But it would celebrate the ones who work for CEOs who declare, “We’ve got to be different,” and then give the CMO the room to make it so. My remarkable conversation with one such CEO follows.

Drew: Have you spent time in marketing?

CEO: No. I came up through sales starting as a tech consultant, and eventually found myself in senior management. But having worked alongside some highly effective CMOs I came to appreciate their unique value.

Drew: What is that unique value?

CEO: I see the CMO as the Chief Strategy Officer too. They can figure out how to set us apart. To help us stand out. We’ve got to be different. Or we can't gain share in a crowded market.

Drew: Where does your CMO sit in the org?

CEO: When I arrived as CEO, the CMO reported to the CRO and I thought that was a mistake. When I brought in a new CMO, I insisted they report to me. It’s too important a role not to give them a seat at the table. And I don’t want them constrained by a CRO who doesn’t understand the power and role of marketing.

Drew: What are your expectations of your CMO?

CEO: When our new CMO started, I said MQLs, SQLs, and website traffic were table stakes. What we need from you is a strategy that will set us apart from our giant competitors. We need a distinct tone of voice, color, and story. And our product needs to be different.

Drew: It’s not a strategy if it doesn’t impact the product.

CEO: Exactly.

Drew: How much time did you give your CMO to develop the new strategy?

CEO: It took about 3 months. They needed to do their homework. Speak with customers and our tech team. Get to know the product as it was and where it needed to be to reinforce a new story. They also needed to understand the category and how our competitors were positioned.

Drew: How involved were you in the process?

CEO: I don’t like surprises so I asked the CMO to keep me informed. We had weekly 1:1s. But I didn’t want to constrain their thinking and creativity. So while I appreciated understanding the process I didn’t ask for details.

Drew: How did the strategy development process wrap up?

CEO: Really well. The CMO kept me informed, asked for input at critical junctures, and earned my trust. When they presented the new strategy, I was quite taken with it. I could see how it required us to adjust our story, content, and product.

Drew: How was the new story different from your old one?

CEO: It’s not about us. It’s about empowering our target. We don’t even talk about our software anymore.

Drew: Is it working?

CEO: Yes. We’re getting into companies we didn’t before and we’re growing faster than the category. It's also easier to recruit and retain employees. They can see how we're different and it makes them proud.

Drew: Your CMO is lucky to work for you.

CEO: You mean it's not this way everywhere?

Should you be on the "luckiest CMO" list? If yes, tell me about your CEO.

Written by Drew Neisser