The Chief Marketing Officer is an extremely experienced marketer and is responsible for facilitating the growth, sales and marketing strategy within a company. The CMO will lead the marketing team by example, will get under the skin of the company product or service and will work towards company objectives in order to ensure there are successful business outcomes.
CMO’s are the driving force behind strategic planning and data analysis and are the people who can predict business trends and customer behaviour. Their insight into a company product or service means that they are imperative to being a part of key business decisions as they understand the market research behind potential actions taken.
Steps you can make to get there:
In today’s world it is refreshing to see that not everyone follows the same path to success. However there are some additional things that you can do to ensure that you’re helping yourself as much as you can.
The Experience
The majority of CMO’s have at least ten years of multifaceted marketing, business development and branding experience in positions that continue to increase with responsibility.
Leadership
Before taking on a CMO role, it is essential that someone has been in a leadership role for at least 3-5 years beforehand. Leadership in sectors beyond marketing contribute to excellent strategic planning as well as being able to bring the customer perspective into the implementation of the product or service.
Track Record
Ultimately it is crucial for a company to see that their prospective CMO hasa successful track record on securing a return on investment in a relatively short period of time. As well as this, the person needs to be able to show that they can interact with a multitude of different departments and business units in order to establish the big picture outlook.
Hone in on a niche
When the competition can be fierce, experts recommend that those looking to fill the top leadership roles specialise in a particular niche or area of business that will give them the edge and make them an even more appealing choice. Whether that be understanding a particular demographic, being able to foresee trends across a sector or just knowing a product or service exceptionally well, this skill will make you instantly more attractive.
Finally (if you can!) obtain an MBA or advanced degree in marketing:
The more you can show your commitment to the specialism the better and those who pursue a Masters in Marketing, or better, an MBA program with a field of study in Marketing will undoubtedly improve their prospects. MBA’s provide thought leaders with an overview of key business practise and are highly valued by the top employers.
For anyone keen to understand exactly what the responsibilities and skills requirements are of a CMO position, take a look at an overview Career Moves has put together below.
Finally, Communication!
Communication is key to the success of any role, so being able to communicate your message clearly to others is crucial when leading and overseeing teams. Likewise being able to communicate with others on a more personal level attributes to being a thought leader that people are willing to listen and engage with.
