Huddlers in the News

“I got PE’d” shouted an agitated veteran CMO of a $420 million tech company.

“Go on,” I said.

“You know this isn’t my first rodeo, I’ve got a proven process for connecting marketing to revenue and Marketing made its pipeline targets every quarter this year despite a 23% budget cut,” shared the CMO. “But that wasn’t enough for our PE firm, Sales missed their target by a few thousand, and then suddenly the axes came out, and now I’m on the street,” the CMO declared, “So, yeah, I got PE’d!,” they sighed.

A Common Issue Among CMOs

If this was an isolated incident I would have let it pass. But it’s not. I’ve heard a version of this story at least 5 times in the last 3 months from highly effective CMOs. From CMOs who’ve built measurable, scalable, and predictive revenue growth engines. From CMOs who have helped reposition their company after mergers in a way that resonated with employees, kept current customers, and attracted new ones despite the behind-the-scenes chaos of platform integration. From CMOs who have helped their companies grow 2x, 3x, and even 4x in one case.

The PE Firm Dilemma

I won’t try to get in the heads of the PE firms though I can’t help but wonder, “In what universe does relentless cutting of budgets and talent lead to growth?” I realize that not every PE firm takes a “slash and burn” approach but it sure seems to be the rule rather than the exception right now. [I hope to hear from some PE firms that have a more enlightened operating model.]

Strategies for CMOs in PE-Owned Companies

As an advisor to CMOs, this is a moment of reckoning especially for CMOs who work for PE-owned companies. Not that you ever got comfortable but it’s time to set your paranoia meter to 10:

• If you haven’t already, track what is going on at the other portfolio companies.
• Have an open line of communication with your fellow CMOs – take the lead and set up a WhatsApp group with them.
  

• When cuts happen at another company, get the details, look for patterns, and play out how a similar cut would impact your business. And if something is working at one of your sister companies, test it for your business.

Since you know efficiency is king, queen, and rook, make these moves before being asked:

• Optimize your lead capture funnel. If you aren’t doing A/B testing on every aspect of your nurture stream, get on this. There are partners out there like Spiralyze who can run proof-of-concept tests on their nickel and only charge you if they deliver. 
• Re-audit your tech stack and trim all but the measurable value creators. Put the onus on the vendor to prove their worth.

Rebuilding Your Network

No matter how hard you work and how successful you might think you are, the axe may still drop.

• Rekindle old friendships with former colleagues and bosses.
• Make new friends. Join a community [CMO Huddles comes to mind ].
  
• When a recruiter calls, take it and introduce them to at least 5 high-quality candidates. If you don’t know 5, then reread this paragraph!

Enhancing Your Personal Brand

Stop ignoring your personal brand.

• Get out there. Guest on podcasts.
  
• Write provocative posts that reinforce your unique point of view.
  
• Create a video series. This exposure will be good for you and deliver added PR value for your company [even if it is self-serving, it doesn’t have to look that way].

Final Advice

Finally, make sure the next company that hires you is owned by an enlightened PE firm.

Written by Drew Neisser

Listen Here | From Renegade Marketers Unite, Episode 402: Captivating Content Experiences… That Convert!

What does it take to craft a fully-fledged content experience that not only engages but also drives conversions? Tune in to this episode as 3 seasoned B2B CMOs reveal the secrets to transforming content into a powerful tool for connection and conversion:

•  Warren Daniels (Bynder) reveals how leveraging content templating enables localized, relevant experiences that drive results, like increasing campaign recall by 32%
•  Ellina Shinnick (HUB International) discusses orchestrating thematic, integrated campaigns that bring the brand's personality to life through creative, energetic content, and their “HUB Outlook” campaign.   
•  Katrina Klier (Sage Strategy Group) introduces the "Source and Savor" model to maximize content efficiency and impact while boosting resonance.

Uncover strategies to:

• Balance brand storytelling with performance marketing tactics
• Leverage research to redefine problems in a compelling, ownable way   
• Measure content engagement to prioritize what resonates (and what to retire)
• Capitalize on AI's potential as an indispensable content team member
  
• And more!
  

Whether you're a content marketer or senior leader, this insightful episode is packed with actionable tips to elevate your content experience game. Don't miss out!

What You’ll Learn

• How 3 CMOs are building full content experiences
• How to balance performance marketing and brand   
• How to assess and adapt your content plan

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

The CMO-CFO Tension: A Real-Life Scenario

“Our CFO wants us to report on every lead, even the bots” exclaimed a frustrated CMO at a $75 million tech company that targets enterprises. “At least your CFO is looking at the impact of marketing,” shared another CMO, “ours just looks at our total budget with an eye on cutting it.” And so the conversation continued exposing yet another challenge-fraught executive relationship for CMOs.

Shifting Focus: Leads to Sales Qualified Opportunities

Let’s start with our micro-managing CFO. Why is she asking about leads in the first place? Most of the B2B CMOs that I speak with stopped reporting on leads several years ago. Instead, their focus is further down the funnel, past Marketing Qualified Leads to Sales Qualified Opportunities (SQOs) also known as “pipeline.” Leads are just noise. Leads are typically a single contact that might someday represent an opportunity. Someday. Maybe.

Pitfalls of the Cost-Per-Lead Metric

Another problem with reporting on leads is that our micro-managing CFO will likely ask for the cost-per-lead (CPL) by marketing channel. CPL is perhaps the worst metric ever for CMOs targeting enterprise customers. Low-cost leads are rarely low-cost opportunities. Shifting spending into low-CPLs channels almost always results in lots of chaff and little wheat. Chaff that wastes time and energy as brand development reps try to transform limited buying intent into a full-blown opportunity.

Educating CFOs: Marketing as an Investment

As for the CFO who sees marketing as an expense versus an investment, here you have a classic challenge for the CMO. How do you educate peers on the fundamentals of marketing without being condescending? The answer? Start by appealing to their egos. Ask them to educate you on how the organization makes money. Become a student of finance. Ask how they see the business growing and where they see the most return on capital expenditures. Learn the language of finance. And then capitalize on it.

Educating CFOs: Marketing as an Investment

Heidi Bullock, a veteran CMO, currently at Tealium, describes her marketing budget as a “stock portfolio that delivers an overall ROI.” “Some stocks perform better at different times,” she explains, focusing executive eyes on the big prize rather than individual marketing efforts. By using the language of investors, Bullock makes it easier for the executive team to “get it.”

Kathie Johnson, another veteran CMO, now at Sitecore, crafts a yearly “pipeline playbook” that ensures every metric is clearly defined and associated with the ultimate goal – revenue. Rest assured, CFOs understand revenue even if they don’t (initially) understand how marketing drives it. Johnson’s effort to define metrics upfront is worth repeating. Even if you’re forced to track leads, it’s essential to write down what is and isn’t a lead, and what is and isn’t an opportunity, and get a definitional agreement first with your CRO and then your CFO.

How are you explaining marketing to your CFO?

Written by Drew Neisser

Listen Here | From Renegade Marketers Unite, Episode 401: Cultivating Champions: The Impact Player’s Playbook

CMOs face immense pressure to drive growth and deliver results, often with limited resources. To succeed, they need laser focus, courage, and a formidable team. Enter, the impact player.

In this riveting episode, Liz Wiseman offers deep insights from her popular book, Impact Players: How to Take the Lead, Play Bigger, and Multiply Your Impact. Tune in as Liz details the five key practices that differentiate impact players from ordinary contributors, discussing how CMOs can amplify their own impact, while nurturing high-caliber talent.

Get ready to propel your team’s effectiveness, outpace the competition, and enhance your leadership. This is a masterclass for anyone aiming to uncover the latent potential within their existing team or to assemble a new powerhouse of top performers. Don’t miss it!

What You’ll Learn 

• The difference between an ordinary contributor and impact player  
• The common qualities of impact players
• How to build a team of impact players

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

“I can never use the words ‘brand’ or ‘brand awareness’ with other execs” lamented a CMO at a $125 million SaaS company. Then another SaaS CMO shared, “It’s the same thing at our company, ‘brand-spend’ is considered the fluffy stuff that doesn’t drive revenue.” These are not isolated incidents.

You could visit hundreds of marketing departments from San Franciso to San Jose and never actually hear the word “brand.” It’s not that tech marketing leaders don’t believe in brand, it’s just that most have to disguise their efforts. Allow me to offer a theory on how we got here.

Many CMOs now divide their marketing budgets and departments into Revenue Marketing or Performance Marketing and everything else. An innocent word choice, right? Who doesn’t want marketing that is focused on revenue or performance? Certainly, CEOs, CFOs, CROs, and investors all seek more revenue. So far, so good.

But what does that mean for the rest of your marketing department? That they aren’t working to drive revenue or improve performance. That they are doing the “fluffy stuff.”

When I press CMOs on this they explain their Revenue/Performance teams are focused on deploying direct response vehicles (i.e. paid search, content syndication, webinars, etc.), capturing leads, and nurturing these leads into opportunities and ultimately, pipeline. They do this with a lot of technology, constantly testing and optimizing. When it’s working, it’s measurable and even scalable. The outcome is fine. It’s the word choice that’s problematic.

Why not just call this part of your marketing “demand capture?” Because that’s really what’s happening. Buyers already in the market for your product or service are metaphorically raising their hands and saying, “It’s okay for you to engage with me about your service.”

As for the 95% who aren’t even thinking about your product or category? What about them? What are you doing to generate interest? To help them recognize a problem they didn’t know they had? To get them to see that the gain of change is worth the pain of change? Or just to generate awareness of your service before the salesperson calls? Or to differentiate your offering from your competitors? What are you going to call that kind of marketing?

One simple solution for those fearful of sounding fluffy is to call the rest of your budget “demand creation.” That’s what you’re doing. Hopefully. Now, both parts of your budget focus on demand (generating it and capturing it). This opens the door for you to put the MARKET back in MARKETING. And creating markets is the domain of great CMOs.

Word choice matters - especially for budget components. If “brand” is a dirty word at your org, leave that fight to the pundits. Just don’t create a trap for yourself by designating one part of your budget as revenue-related. The reality is that the components of your budget work together, like instruments in an orchestra, often intertwined and inseparable.

Written by Drew Neisser

“Our new CEO doesn’t believe in marketing,” gasped a CMO from a $250mm professional services firm. This plea for help cast a momentary pall over the Huddle. Then other CMOs jumped in sympathetically, sharing how they’ve dealt with similar cases of ignorance. All the while, I wondered how in 2024 was this even possible.

When did marketing join the ranks of the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus and become a matter of belief or disbelief?

It’s worth noting that this could only happen in B2B-land. Can you 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.” But I regress. Since less than 20% of CEOs of B2B companies have any experience as marketing practitioners, it shouldn’t be a surprise that many have little to no understanding of and appreciation for marketing as an investment lever.

Back to the situation at hand. What could our beleaguered CMO do to address his doltish CEO? Here’s a combination of suggestions gleaned from the CMOs of CMO Huddles:

1. Have a Plan B

The unanimous advice from other CMOs was “update your resume.” Explains veteran CMO Ellie Ahmadi, “If a leader is set in their ways and inflexible in their POV about marketing’s value, decide if you want to fight this inevitably long battle.” I’m not suggesting any CMO run from this challenge. On the contrary, take it on gusto while keeping up your network, befriending recruiters, and enhancing your personal brand JUST IN CASE.

2. Enlist Support

Most likely, you’ll need to surround the CEO with marketing believers if you hope to change their beliefs. Hopefully, you’re CRO understands marketing’s ability to create demand and capture it and knows what it would mean to his team if marketing ceased doing both. Jointly presenting past performance and near-term plans with your CRO should establish a foundational understanding. HR can also weigh in on the importance of company awareness for recruiting and retention. And perhaps you can find a marketing advocate on the board or with your CFO.

3. Find Common Ground

Every CEO wants to acquire and retain customers. Start by reviewing the CEO's vision and understanding their priorities. Then try to get an understanding of what marketing means to them. Kevin Briody, CMO of Edmentum, notes that “a CEO’s experience with marketing could be ‘brand stuff’ like awareness-building with little tie to pipelines and sales.” If this is the case, Briody advises, “sharing examples of direct contribution to the sales effort, and start building a case from there–even small wins can paint a picture.”

4. Show Them the Money

Ideally, your new CEO will appreciate your data especially if you put it in terms they can understand. Katrina Klier of Sage Strategy advises, “Create a meaningful metrics structure that shows marketing’s direct contribution to the business (revenue, new logos, renewals, partner leads, etc. NOT website visits, form fills, event reg, etc.)” Klier adds, “Your CEO might not understand the difference between marketing and sales let alone the vast grey space of overlap so you need to show them the data.”

Written by Drew Neisser

“Don’t quit” I pleaded to a CMO at a billion-dollar B2B company. “It’s ugly out there,” I explained, “A year ago we had 30 members on the CMO Huddles Transition Team, now it’s 152 and many are struggling to find new roles.” There were several seconds of silence as this icy factoid sunk in.

That silence made me wonder if the B2B recession I hear about from other CMOs is universal or limited to certain industries.

I do know that you can link many CMOs desire to quit right now to this oft-repeated sequence of events:

• Deals that should have closed are pushed back
  
• Quarterly revenue targets aren’t met
  
• Marketing budgets are cut
  
• Pressure on CMOs to generate demand with less funding increases
  
• CMO says, “I’m not a frickin magician” and updates their resume
  

There are a couple of problems with quitting right now. First, it will be that much harder to land your next opportunity. Having a job gives you leverage. Recruiters will want to recruit you. No job. No leverage. Second, there’s a good chance the former CMO left for the same reason you want to leave. Perhaps they too were asked to do way too much with way too little. “Magical thinking” seems to be the new epidemic, particularly at PE-backed companies.

However painful, my advice right now is to make the most of where you are [unless you have 12 months guaranteed severance or have enough funds saved for early retirement!]. And by making the most of it, I mean taking these specific actions to increase the odds you can land an even better CMO role soon:

1. Enhance your story
   
2. Grow your network
   
3. Tell your story
   

1. Enhance Your Story

You’re a CMO. You’re a builder. You’re a leader. You’re a change agent. You’re a strategist. With a bit of self-reflection, now’s the time to tighten up your personal brand and take actions that reinforce it. If you’re a change agent, drive some more change at your current org. For example, some CMOs are taking the lead on Gen AI, not just to increase productivity but also to drive innovation across their orgs. If you call yourself a revenue driver, then initiate at least one program that bucks the overall recession-related pullback – maybe it’s an upsell/cross-sell program built on top of a community.

2. Grow Your Network

Just like finding a job is easier when you have one, so too is growing your network. You just have to make a bit of time for it (like an hour a week!) Start returning recruiters’ calls and help them source candidates for their searches. Join a community like CMO Huddles and get to know some of your peers. If they offer to set up 1:1s for you, have at least 1 per month. I can tell you that the second biggest regret among CMOs in transition is that they didn’t take the time to build a peer network.

3. Tell Your Story

The first biggest regret among CMOs in transition is that they neglected their personal brands. They were too busy, with noses to the proverbial grindstone to join a podcast, sit for an interview, speak at events, or write up their insights. Don’t be that guy. Even if you're introverted, you need to put yourself out there. It’s a skill you can master with just a little effort. And it's not purely self-serving, your company will benefit. Future employees, customers, and partners will see your content and become aware of you and your company.

Written by Drew Neisser

Listen Here | From Renegade Marketers Unite, Episode 398: GenAI as a CMO’s Strategic Ally

With mounting pressure to deliver ever-increasing pipeline results, it’s time for CMOs to prove that they’re not just tacticians—they’re key strategists essential to business longevity.

In this episode, Liza Adams of GrowthPath Partners dives into how AI can make it all possible. She’s shepherding in a shift from “growth-at-all-costs” thinking to sustainable profitability. Armed with use cases and custom GPTs, Liza brings her extensive experience as an AI consultant and fractional CMO to outline how you can leverage generative AI as a strategic thought partner.

Here are a few things she covers:

• How to deploy AI for competitive analysis and positioning
• How AI can identify and prioritize high-value customer segments   
• How to use AI insights to blow away your C-Suite
• How promising to tip your AI can yield better results
  

Don't miss this insightful conversation that could redefine how you view the role of AI in your marketing strategy!

What You’ll Learn

• How to use AI as a strategic thought partner
• Strategic AI use cases   
• How to get more accurate AI answers

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

Partnerships are an increasingly important growth strategy in the B2B world, which is why March’s Peer Huddles at CMO Huddles focused on the evolving landscape of effective collaborations. These sessions brought together CMOs who unpacked the complexities and opportunities inherent in modern partnerships.

Here’s a concise yet compelling look at some of the collective wisdom distilled from these Huddles.

Huddle 1: Transforming Partnership Dynamics via Co-Selling

This Huddle was led by Chip Rodgers of Workspan, who illustrated the shift from traditional re-selling models to a co-selling paradigm where partners collaborate closely, sharing strategies and resources (also known as “Ecosystem Partnering”).

This model enhances deal influence through unified sales teams and maximizes potential opportunities by leveraging shared technologies like interconnected CRMs.

Key strategies discussed include:

• Customizing GTM support to align with each partner's unique goals
  
• Navigating challenges such as diminishing tracking capabilities and increasing ad costs
  
• Shared funding for marketing initiatives to extend budgets and deepen trust among potential clients
  
• Addressing the complexities of selling highly technical products through less technical partners via educational programs and involving technical experts in sales discussions.
  

Huddle 2: Channel-First and Robust Connections

The shortest distance to a new customer is an existing relationship. How do you know you’re a channel-first company? Over 90% of your sales go through partners, you have dedicated senior staffers, and partners who are initiating more than 60% of new business.

This method emphasizes integrating partners into all aspects of business, from sales strategy to product development. The important aspects of a channel-first strategy include:

• Creation of joint product solutions, leading to tailored offerings that directly meet customer needs and showcase the strength of the partnership
  
• Structured agreements such as memorandums of understanding that clarify roles and responsibilities
  
• Regular reviews of these agreements to keep the partnership aligned and responsive to market changes
  
• Cross-business exposure (i.e. Your CEO meets their Sales team, and their CFO meets your customers)
  

Huddle 3: Strategic Collaborations with Industry Giants

Partnering with large industry players involves navigating complexities like bureaucratic delays and requires building strong relationships with key decision-makers to align efforts.

One of the benefits that makes it all worth it? Substantial investments by big players can support broader marketing strategies and significantly stretch limited budgets.

Keys to successful large-scale partnerships:

• Identify and build relationships with the decision-makers to gain alignment and speed up approvals
  
• Partner with companies that share your customer values
  
• Mutual understanding and continuous engagement, including regular business reviews and open communication channels
  
• Event partnerships for cost-sharing and expanding audience reach
  

Conclusion: The Art of Partnership

A month of Peer Huddle insights leads to this: Successful partnerships are built on a foundation of strategic alignment, creative adaptation, and a deep commitment to mutual benefits. With the right approach and commitment, partnerships can significantly amplify business outcomes, turning collaboration into a powerful growth engine. For those looking to explore the full depth of these insights, joining CMO Huddles is the next best step.

Written by Melissa Caffrey

Listen Here | From Renegade Marketers Unite, Episode 397: A CMO’s Guide to Global Website Management

What does it take to transform a local website into a global powerhouse? Find out from Tom Bianchi of Acquia and Hannah Grap of Sitecore, as they dissect the strategies behind successful international digital presences.

Learn how Acquia’s latest initiatives are making the digital world more accessible and how Sitecore is modernizing data to tailor customer experiences across borders. We cover the changing landscape of SEO, how to localize your site for different countries, and which website metrics matter.

Whether you’re revamping your digital strategy or just tuning in to the latest trends, this episode is your gateway to mastering the art of engaging a worldwide audience through smart, inclusive web design. Don’t miss these essential insights that could redefine your digital footprint!

What You’ll Learn

• How to modernize your digital presence
• How to localize your global website   
• Which metrics matter for site optimization

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