Huddlers in the News

“Our new CEO doesn’t believe in marketing,” shared a shaken CMO from a $250mm professional services firm. This was not a whine. It was a request for help. Then other CMOs in the huddle jumped in, sharing how they’ve dealt with similar cases of ignorance.

How is it possible that in 2024 a CEO could be this doltish?

Three months ago when I suggested that this problem could only happen in B2B-land, a few B2C CMOs challenged me. They said, “You’d be surprised, it seems to be an epidemic.” Perhaps, but it is impossible to imagine the new CEO of P&G, PepsiCo, or Geico saying, “I don’t believe in marketing!” They’d be shown the exit faster than you can say, “Aflac.”

In B2B, the cause of CEO marketing myopia is easy to diagnose. That doesn’t make it acceptable.

More than 80% of B2B CEOs have NO EXPERIENCE as marketing practitioners. None. Zilch. Nada. If you’ve never uncovered the insight that led to the differentiating brand idea, never built an effective marketing plan, or never set up a demand-generating machine, you can neither appreciate the challenge nor the rewards of getting these things right.

Great leaders are infinitely curious. Even if they haven’t performed a role, their curiosity fills their blind spots.

Back to the situation at hand. What could our beleaguered CMO do to address their doltish CEO? Try these.

Enlist Support

Surround the CEO with marketing believers. Hopefully, your CRO recognizes how your partnership drives high-quality opportunities into and through the pipeline. If not, fix that. Jointly presenting past performance and near-term plans with your CRO shows solidarity. HR can share how the lack of awareness hurts recruiting. Seek a marketing advocate on the board or with your CFO.

Find Common Ground

Every CEO wants to acquire and retain customers. Start by reviewing the CEO's vision and understanding their priorities. If they say, “I want the business to grow xx%,” agree with the challenge but ask, “How do you see us getting there?” Find a non-confrontational way to say “Growth is not a strategy!” and talk about real GTM strategies.

Show Them the Money

Ideally, your new CEO will appreciate your data especially if you put it in terms they can understand. They want growth. You can break down path sources of growth including new customers, renewals, upsells, cross-sells, and partnerships. You can show them a typical new customer journey, the myriad of touchpoints, and how trust is built throughout the process.

Share Your Vision

Great businesses are almost always great brands. They build enormous trust over time. They remove the friction from both the buying process and the customer experience. They take care of their customers. They inspire employees. They are differentiated from top to bottom. The CEOs who build and run those companies are admired and even revered. Share that.

Final Thoughts

Finally, prepare for the worst by growing your network and building your personal brand.

Written by Drew Neisser

Listen Here | From Renegade Marketers Unite, Episode 415: New Rules (for CMOs) of B2B Marketing + PR

What do surfboards, The Grateful Dead, and the Savannah Bananas baseball team have in common? If you ask marketing expert David Meerman Scott, they all hold valuable lessons for creating a standout marketing strategy that connects deeply with your audience.

In this episode, David joins host Drew Neisser to discuss the latest (9th!) edition of his iconic book, The New Rules of Marketing & PR, and how CMOs can navigate a rapidly changing landscape with AI, content creation, and fan-building strategies. From redefining traditional marketing to real-world examples with unconventional success, David offers practical advice for B2B CMOs aiming to stay ahead in 2025 and beyond.

A few key takeaways:

• Why understanding your audience is still the bedrock of effective marketing
  
• How AI is impacting content creation—and where companies are getting it wrong

• The power of newsjacking: how to inject your brand into breaking news to capture attention and boost visibility
  

• The enduring value of building real-world experiences to connect with customers
  

• Marketing lessons from the Grateful Dead and how to apply them to your business
  

Tune in for insights on the future of marketing, how to stand out, and how unconventional thinking can drive success in the B2B world

What You’ll Learn 

• How to newsjack (aka leverage breaking news for brand visibility)  
• How B2B companies should be using AI
• Real-world examples of winning brands

For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcast/

“The biggest surprise is that our CFO has some good ideas,” noted a startled CMO from a $275mil services company. I held back while others (in our huddle) shared how they managed solicited and unsolicited marketing counsel. What a minefield!

Flipping Unwanted Input Into Opportunity

Biases are blinding.

Of course, some CFOs have good ideas. Just because they have financial expertise doesn’t mean their business acumen is limited to debits and credits. Give them some credit and perhaps they’ll extend you some too in the form of a bigger budget!

But this isn’t a story about idea-rich CFOs.

This is about an often overlooked opportunity disguised as a problem. Your peers probably don’t understand how marketing works having never spent a day in your department. So it would be easy to dismiss their ideas, especially since 93 out of 100 are probably terrible. It would also be overwhelming to respond to all of the unsolicited ideas. And even worse if you implemented the ones that were off strategy.

Let’s navigate this minefield together. It’s not that everyone thinks they’re a marketer. They just think marketing is the fun part of the business. And they want to play, too. So, unsolicited input abounds. Annoying. Irritating. Manageable? You bet.

Marketing is not a democracy. It just needs to feel like one.

Setting Guardrails Without Stifling Creativity

Knowing that everyone in your org thinks they’re marketers is a huge opportunity, not a problem. This is about getting ahead of unsolicited input and driving the process. This starts on your arrival at a new org. Field an employee survey. Not the typical HR survey. A marketing one that taps into their desire to share ideas and benchmarks how employees feel about the brand. 

Next, meet 1:1 with your peers in the C-suite. Establish a shared understanding of what great looks like. Let them know you welcome their input BUT only during your planning windows. Once the marketing plan is locked down, tell them when you’ll be soliciting their input again. This is a two-way process and they will appreciate your restraint when advising them in their area of expertise.

Inviting Ideas Without Derailing Strategy

Go broader. Implement an “innovation day/week.” There are various ways to run these. All have common components. The entire org gets to share ideas that address specific business challenges (the employee can identify the challenge or you can provide a couple). Cross-functional teams work together to come up with solutions. Broad participation is encouraged. Winning ideas are celebrated and in some cases, funded.

By giving employees a forum to contribute ideas, you’re empowering them. You’re letting them play in the sandbox. You’re also building a culture of learning, experimentation, and collaboration. Your “generosity” will be rewarded with more control over your overall strategy and primary tactics.

Final Thoughts

There are an infinite number of ideas. Your job is to define the strategy and focus relentlessly on only the ideas that support it. If those ideas come from your CFO, lucky you!

Written by Drew Neisser

Listen Here | From Renegade Marketers Unite, Episode 414: Building a Dream B2B Marketing Team

What does it take to build a powerhouse B2B marketing team that can scale and succeed in today’s fast-paced world? In this episode, CMOs Marca Armstrong (Sensera Systems), Lesley Davis (Waggoner Engineering), and Isabelle Papoulias (BackBox) share their proven strategies for assembling and nurturing high-performing teams.

Key topics discussed include:

• Hiring for complementary skills to strengthen your team’s capabilities
• Nurturing internal talent to unlock potential and promote from within
• Aligning marketing efforts with business goals to drive strategic growth
• Balancing creativity with AI to stay relevant in the evolving marketing landscape
  

Tune in to learn how these marketing leaders are building teams that make a lasting impact

What You’ll Learn

• How 3 CMOs built and evolved their marketing teams
• How to establish team culture
• How to align metrics and performance

For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcast/

“Why can’t you just get more pipeline?” asked the founder-CEO of a $125mil SaaS brand. The CMO took a deep breath and tried to explain how marketing works without condescending. It was a fruitless conversation initiated by the wrong question.

The Problem with the "Just Get More Pipeline" Approach

This scenario is being replayed at countless companies with equally ungratifying conclusions. Founders who enjoyed rapid growth due to a combination of plentiful cash, strong economic tailwinds and a temporarily unique product offering are suddenly confronted with the challenge of leading a sustainable business. It isn’t pretty.

Great leaders ask great questions. Inexperienced ones seek blame. Notice that the CEO spotlighted here starts his question with “Why can’t you…” versus “Why aren’t we…” Questions that include “We” recognize collective responsibility to address the organization’s biggest challenges.

Leaders own challenges.

The Danger of “Just” Thinking

This isn’t the only problem with the question. There’s the use of “just” as in “just spend marketing dollars on demand-generating activities” which is also folly. As Jon Miller, co-founder of Marketo and Engagio likes to put it, “Marketing is not a gumball machine.” In other words, you can’t just put in a quarter and expect a deal to fall through the chute.

The biggest issue with the question is its demand, “get more pipeline.” I’m not suggesting that marketers shouldn’t contribute to business growth. That’s a given but not the problem here. When fast-growing businesses suddenly stop growing the problem isn’t “just” a marketing one. It’s usually a combination of product performance, customer experience, employee engagement, reputational strength, and economic conditions.

A great leaders asks, “Why aren’t we growing?” and convenes a braintrust to assess the problem and revise the overall business strategy. It might be just a tweak to the product or pricing or positioning or experience. More likely, it is a distinctive combination of all four summarized in a crystal clear promise to the market. A promise that permeates and aligns the organization. A promise that inspires employees, customers, and partners. A promise that when executed with relentless consistency delivers growth.

Growth is not a strategy. It’s an outcome of a successful strategy.

Stop Thinking Pipeline. Start Thinking Promise.

Growth is not a strategy. Yet every day, a founder-CEO is parroting the question they’re being asked by investors, “What are you doing to grow the business?” Imagine for a moment if we just changed two words in this question, so it read, “What are we doing to differentiate the business?” Oh the power. Oh the profundity.

We differentiate.

So here, finally, marketing leaders, are your marching orders. When asked for growth, you accept the challenge of differentiation. Talk to your customers. Survey your employees. Find the strategic insight. Set the agenda. Convene your peers. Lead the development of a singular promise. A promise that engenders competitive advantage. A promise that, when cleverly and consistently executed, captures mind space.

Go forth and differentiate.

Written by Drew Neisser

Listen Here | From Renegade Marketers Unite, Episode 413: How to Train Your CEO

How can CMOs effectively coach their CEOs and cultivate a strong, productive relationship? In this episode, executive coach Susan Gurnik shares her expert strategies for CMOs looking to navigate the complex dynamics of working with CEOs, whether they’re first-timers or seasoned leaders.

• Learn how to actively listen and align with your CEO’s vision, even when it’s not fully formed
• Discover techniques for handling high-stress situations and managing all different flavors of executive leaders   
• Explore real-world examples of successful CEO-CMO relationships and how subtle coaching can lead to transformational growth
• Understand the importance of setting boundaries, using common language, and being adaptable in the face of ever-changing business demands

If you’re a marketing leader looking to strengthen your relationship with your CEO and drive greater success for your organization, this episode is packed with practical advice and insights you won’t want to miss! 

What You’ll Learn

• How to build a better relationship with your CEO
• Tips for active listening
• How to navigate fundamental disagreements

For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcast/

“I changed my title to Chief Market Officer,” shared a CMO from a $800mil SaaS brand. “Why do we have the only role in the C-suite with an activity-based title?” the CMO added. Knowing that other high-profile CMOs like Latané Conant used “Market” instead of “Marketing,” I held my tongue. Until now.

But before I disparage this semantic sleight of hand, let’s review the rationale commonly offered for making this switch:

• Perception: Using “Market” implies the role is about strategy and leading versus executing tasks
  
• Recognition: Using “Market” elevates the role on par with the other executives
  
• Scope: Using “Market” signifies a wider scope encompassing all market-related strategies and operations
  
• Evolution: Using “Market” reflects the increasingly data-driven and customer-centric nature of the role
  

Why Changing the Title Won't Change the Role

These are all desirable outcomes. And no doubt CMOs (as a whole) could use a reputational upgrade right now. Trust in their expertise is declining. CEO expectations of rapid-pipeline acceleration are out of whack with how marketing works. Or should I say, “how markets work!”

Unfortunately, the argument for rebranding Chief Marketing Officer to Chief Market Officer is as shallow as the one’s often made for redesigning a logo or changing a brand’s color palette. Putting a new coat of paint on old barn does not change the shabby nature of the structure.

If old barns don’t ring your bell, how about one of these analogies:

• Does changing the book cover impact the words inside?
  
• Does renaming a dish change the recipe?
  
• Could a different name have saved the Edsel, Ford’s legendary flop?
  

Changing a title does not alter the fundamental nature, responsibilities, or impact of the role. The true measure of a CMO's effectiveness lies in their actions, strategies, and contributions to the organization's success, not in the specific wording of their title.

Actions Speak Louder than Titles

Rather than confusing the “market” with a new title, let’s focus on the meaningful change that Chief Marketing Officers are uniquely capable of delivering. Here’s that agenda:

• Time management: Spend more time leading marketing than doing marketing
• Strategic leadership: Create and gain consensus for a 3-year strategic go-to-market plan that recognizes the interdependencies of product, sales, marketing and CX
  
• Board management: Avoid conversations about tactical specifics. Demonstrate you think big and act in the interest of the entire organization
  
• Employee leadership: As the best communicator in the organization, treat employees as audience #1 and make sure they appreciate and can articulate your unique selling proposition
  
• Customer-Centricity: Marketing without customer insights is like an atmosphere without oxygen. Own the research process and Customer Advisory Boards. Make sure your customer experience is so good that testimonials are as plentiful as summer sunshine
  
• Foster Collaboration: Lead by example. While other execs try to build fiefdoms, be the ultimate partner. Set the agenda but share the credit
  

And if all else fails, turn your CEO into an industry star. It’s not as “suck-uppy” as it sounds. A well-crafted thought leadership initiative can not only help gain exposure for your company and free speaking slots, it also can generate pipeline. Making your boss look good always works.

A Title Won't Change Your Impact

With apologies to the Bard, “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet in the C-suite.”

Written by Drew Neisser

Listen Here | From Renegade Marketers Unite, Episode 412: The CMO Change Agent

How can marketing truly lead transformational change in an organization? In this episode, top B2B CMOs Paige O’Neill of Seismic, Kevin Ruane of Precisely, and Amy Messano of Altair share their experiences and strategies for driving big change within their organizations.

• Uncover the strategies behind successful brand consolidation and the impact it has on growth and employee engagement
• Explore how to position marketing at the center of your business strategy and why it’s crucial for driving long-term success
• Hear real-life stories of how these marketing leaders have navigated the challenges of shifting to ABM, embracing generative AI, and fostering a culture of innovation
• Gain insights into securing and maintaining executive and board-level buy-in for ambitious marketing initiatives
  

If you’re ready to take on the role of a change agent in your organization, this episode offers the insights and inspiration you need to lead with confidence. Tune in!

What You’ll Learn

• How 3 CMOs drive change at their organizations
• How to navigate an acquisitive brand
• Tips for driving organizational change

For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcast/

“I dumped our BDRs” shared a disruptive CMO from a $650mil SaaS brand, “And, guess what? We’re exceeding our revenue goals.” “It was painful for those reps,” the CMO explained, “but in retrospect, it was an easy decision--their cost exceeded their value and we had better ways to spend that money.”

Easy, perhaps. But it raised several questions in my mind:

• Why aren’t BDRs paying out?
  
• Why aren’t more CMOs ditching their BDRs?
  
• What did this CMO do with the BDR budget?
  

The Broken BDR Model

Brand development representatives (BDRs) are typically expected to turn “suspects” into “prospects.” They follow up on inbound form fills or names captured at trade shows. They reach out via email, social media, texts, and phone calls. It’s usually an unfun job with high failure rates. And for good reason.

The BDR role is built on a faulty premise.

When you and I visit a website and provide an email address to unlock a piece of content, 99% of the time we do so begrudgingly and with trepidation. We know a rep will try to contact us, a rep we don’t want to speak with that day or maybe ever! We just wanted that content. If we were interested in speaking with someone, we would do so on our schedule. And the effort to contact us is annoying. Off-putting. Maybe even interest-killing.

BDRs don’t fit into how most of us buy products and services for our businesses. When we recognize a need, we do our homework. Search the web. Read reviews. Confer with colleagues. Talk to analysts. We create a short list of brands we already trust and ones we discover through research.

When ready, we’ll ask for a demo or to speak with an expert. If it’s a complex purchase, we’ll involve multiple people at our company and want multiple conversations with specialists and other customers. At no point do we want to speak with individuals who can’t bring value to the conversation.

The BDR Safety Net that’s Dragging CMOs Down

If BDRs are ill-conceived, then why aren’t more CMOs just saying “no?” The first answer is that at some companies BDRs are adding value. [If that’s the case for you, I’d love to hear from you.] Another is that no one bothered to do an ROI assessment. The most likely answer is that having BDRs is standard operating procedure, particularly for SaaS brands. It’s the way Marketing tries to push leads down the funnel. Tries. And fails. Way too often.

How One CMO’s Bold Reallocation Supercharged Customer Marketing

So, how did our disruptive CMO reallocate the BDR budget? Most of the money went into customer marketing. These dollars were used to help customers get the most value out of their current software via in-person events, webinars, and customized content. By focusing on current customers, they increased their c-sat scores, reduced churn rates, and bumped up advocacy. 75% of their revenue growth came from existing customers who bought more.

And, how did they secure the 25% of revenue growth from new customers? Experienced salespeople did their job. They knew their category. They knew the pain points. The value proposition they shared (when asked) was consistent with what the prospects discovered on their own. They anticipated all of the prospect’s questions. They were helpful. Not pushy. And they sure as heck didn’t send unsolicited emails or texts.

If your BDRs can do that, congrats. That’s awesome. If not, make sure what they are doing is budget-worthy.

Written by Drew Neisser

Listen Here | From Renegade Marketers Unite, Episode 411: How to Be a Standout Startup

Standing out in the B2B world isn’t getting any easier. In this episode, we dive deep into the art of positioning with Allyson Letteri, author of Standout Startup.

Key findings include:

• Learn the top three mistakes brands make and how to avoid them
• Discover how to create compelling messaging that sets you apart   
• Hear real-world success stories from companies like Handshake and Thumbtack
• Understand the importance of alignment between marketing and sales

• Get actionable tips on content strategy and customer journey optimization

If you’re ready to transform your startup into a standout success, this episode is packed with practical advice you won’t want to miss!

And to hear more from Allyson, she’ll be speaking at the upcoming CMO Super Huddle in Palo Alto (Nov 7th-8th, 2024).

What You’ll Learn

• 3 key positioning mistakes most brands are making
• How to create compelling messaging that sets you apart 
• Why you need to map to the customer journey
• Real world use cases of B2B brands who mastered positioning
  

For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcast/