Evolving Marketing from a Cost to a Profit Center

Chief marketing officers are under considerable pressure to systematize demand generation, justify spending, and provide leadership in innovation in a rapidly changing and complex world. These pressures increase tensions among functional peers and cascade to subordinates who must do more with less staff. Meanwhile, a lack of perceived results are likely to shorten a CMO’s tenure.

So what is the right strategy? Sales claims it doesn’t receive enough qualified leads, while it is obvious that most leads from marketing programs are not followed up. CFOs constantly demand to see ROI for each marketing spend decision. Peers openly wonder why marketing has a fat budget while they are forced to continually cut spending. Meanwhile, … Read more →