The Small Business Association recommends spending up to 8% of your gross revenue on marketing. Companies making less than $5 million in sales inevitably spend a higher percentage of their revenue on marketing than larger businesses.
You can’t afford to spend your marketing budget on bad decisions. Instead, invest in an experienced, creative problem-solver.
A chief marketing officer (CMO) is necessary if you want to expand your company. As your business grows, marketing needs become more involved and complex. You need someone who’s an expert in everything from print to analytics.
Experience is just one quality. Here are more traits of a rockstar CMO.
Inspires Others
CMOs aren’t a one-person show. It takes a village to manage effective marketing campaigns.
Assembling a marketing team is half of the battle.
Stellar CMOs inspire staff to do the following:
- Take ownership of their roles
- Suggest innovative marketing ideas
- Develop their skills beyond office hours
- Suggest improvements to processes
- Hit deadlines
- Boost and maintain productivity
CMOs employ varying methods to inspire employees.
For example, a CMO may work with mid-level managers to create incentives for sales and marketing teams. Managers may reward teams with holiday bonuses, team retreats, company swag, and other perks.
CMOs who lead with empathy and fairness also inspire marketing teams to go above and beyond. Employees feel less alienated and more confident to share ideas.
Puts Sales and Marketing On the Same Page
Aligning both departments’ goals is another hallmark of an exceptional CMO.
You just learned about incentives. Rewarding sales and marketing teams for hitting targets is one way to align goals.
Communication is another factor. Departmental leaders and account managers must stay updated on campaign progress. Unfortunately, this process can get lost in email.
Savvy CMOs save time with data dashboards. Sales and marketing dashboards consolidate data for all stakeholders involved. Sales and marketing leaders can view real-time data and KPI progress.
Hire a Data Whiz
A candidate who brings up dashboards in an interview is a great sign. Data analytics is a top skill for today’s tech-savvy CMOs.
Look for credentials that prove analytics experience. Many CMOs have professional analytics certifications and degrees. Some candidates have Github profiles with independent data projects.
CMO candidates should come prepared with statistics, data visuals, and reports that back up their past successes.
Ask about different data tools, like SEO, PPC, and analytics tools. CMOs must have expert-level experience in industry-standard tools like Google Analytics.
How to Recruit a Chief Marketing Officer
Advertising for a new CMO is only one way to attract candidates. You can also reach out to promising candidates who haven’t applied.
For example, you could work with a recruiter to discover a 5-star CMO. There are also executive search tools that help you discover great talent.
Most CMOs have Linkedin profiles that let you view work experience, education, publications, and more details.
Start Your CMO Search Today
Your next CMO is out there. Get a creative problem-solver on your side. Follow these tips to hire an effective chief executive officer.
Enhance your search with the latest tips and trends in your industry. Follow the blog to get the scoop!