Erica Seidel’s Post

How to Hire a Fractional CMO

I mean, is there ever an expectation that you are going to do the work or that any strategic, if somebody hires A CMO, do they feel like they're also hiring an implement mentor, or is it strictly separate functions? Read more 👉 https://lttr.ai/AQKn6 #cmo #fractionalcmo #strategy #marketing #AchieveMarketingGoals

Reflecting on a year of leadership conversations. We’ve been fortunate to host leaders in their fields on our Orellium Future Strategy podcast over the past year—each bringing unique insights into the challenges and opportunities facing professional services. Looking back, a common theme emerged: the importance of the human. Whether it’s curiosity, authenticity, or human connection with clients, this thread runs through every conversation. In one of our first leadership conversations, Louanne M Buckley GCB.D - CMO ⁞ Growth ⁞ Digital captured this perfectly: “We spend more time looking at what competitors are doing rather than understanding what our clients actually want, need, and value.” Her words were a powerful reminder that client-centricity isn’t about assuming you know what your clients want—it’s about listening, asking the right questions, and understanding their world beyond the immediate transaction: “What you're not taking the time to do is understand their board mandate, the challenges they face, and how you can help them achieve their goals.” This focus on authentic client relationships, informed by insights and strengthened by human connection, is where real value is created. “AI augments the human—it doesn’t replace the human. The more insights and client knowledge you bring to the table, the more meaningful and authentic the conversation becomes.” Over the next two weeks, we'll share highlights from other episodes—exploring key themes, insights, and lessons from the remarkable leaders we’ve had the privilege to speak with. If you have not yet had the chance, have a listen to our conversation with Louanne wherever you listen to your podcasts, or access the podcast here: https://lnkd.in/eH8_pEqT

Thanks Robert Otty for these important reminders. People don’t buy from companies, they buy from brands and people. Business is built on human relationships and it is so important to create meaningful connections and cultivate innate curiosity to truly understand their challenges and opportunities. Only then can you help solve and deliver value beyond the transaction. #businessmindedmarketing #clientfirst #valuedriven #curiosity Orellium Advisory Services

How does the #CEO and #CMO relationship affect company growth? According to McKinsey, 90% of CEOs understand #marketing benefits, but only 50% of CMOs agree. The evolving C-level marketing roles face a gap in strategic influence, with less than 40% of #Fortune500 companies having a CMO at the table. Success comes when CMOs bring CEOs up to speed on the evolving marketing landscape. Marketing's transformative potential is evident, but transparency in demonstrating long-term value is crucial for C-suite alignment, especially in challenging times. Roberta Fusaro and Robert Tas discuss this topic on McKinsey & Company’s latest podcast: https://lnkd.in/eeNqsZ65

Compelling podcast on why CMO's need to have a seat at the table when business growth strategies are developed. Seems obvious, but many CMOs and marketing leaders are left to execute instead of being included in the strategy development stages. Consider this: "CEOs who place marketing at the core of their growth strategies are twice as likely as their peers to have greater than 5 percent annual growth, according to a recent survey McKinsey conducted with input from the Association of National Advertisers (ANA)." Check out the podcast and transcript for more info. #cmo #fractionalcmo #marketingstrategy #ceo #growthstrategies

In the compelling season finale of the Brand Enabled podcast, Mimecast CMO Norman Guadagno shares his journey from an "accidental marketer" to a strategic leader who excels at pattern recognition.  He dives deep into the intersection of marketing, leadership, and team dynamics, offering valuable advice for those looking to elevate their careers. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from one of the best in the business! Tune in now and discover how you can apply these leadership lessons to your own career journey: https://lnkd.in/g7wvnuet #Branding #B2B #Podcast

Collaboration and culture are key to making sure that your marketing efforts are 10/10. Rapidly scaling your marketing team can lead to disengagement with the company culture, as the accelerated hiring process may cause individuals to add importance to their specific roles rather than the broader vision of the business. Additionally, bringing on too many specialists can create communication gaps, hindering coordination across different areas of your digital marketing strategy and preventing each component from performing at its best. Check out the podcast to find out more about building the right marketing team.

If you haven't read this recent McKinsey & Company article on the importance of the CEO / CMO relationship, I would highly recommend it. Here are just a couple of the nuggets from Robert Tas (McKinsey Partner) who presented the findings of the research in this article (and podcast). "We have to stop operating like our org chart. We need to operate how the customer wants us to. I view the CMO as the chief customer advocate, because that person’s role is to go across the company to advocate, to make it easier for the customer to do business with the company." "One of the troubling things we saw was that CMOs were being moved to executors of the strategy rather than being the ones to help create the strategy. In order to make it work really well, there needs to be a balance: CMOs need to be at the table doing both. They need to have a voice in shaping strategy. This is a great example where you can clearly see that the CEO and CMO are locked into propelling the business and delivering those marketing activities that produce the outcomes that everybody can understand and relate to." "We’ve seen studies and McKinsey’s done some in the past that show, especially in hard times, marketing is the first thing to get cut. But the companies that actually invest in marketing are the ones that pull ahead of the pack. After a marketing downturn, two or three years later, we see they’re the ones that are accelerating, because they have invested and unlocked that growth lever within their organizations." w/ Anand Sahay -- it's refreshing to see where we are on our journey. Cheers to that 👏 . #growthmarketing #ceoinsights #cmoinsights #strategy #csuite #marketingroi #b2bmarketing #mckinsey #businessresearch

Interesting...according to this podcast, McKinsey reveals that CEOs prioritising marketing in their growth strategy are twice as likely to experience more than 5% annual growth as their peers. However, CEOs and CMOs need help implementing effective marketing strategies. 1. How to define the role of marketing in their overall strategy. 2. It's hard to understand modern marketing capabilities and how to use them. 3. Measuring the impact of marketing activities on business   Although 90% of CEOs understand the benefits of marketing, only 50% of CMOs share the same view. This leads to discrepancies in the perception of marketing priorities.   How to overcome this: 1. Do not operate on the organisation's org chart. 2. To bridge this gap, educate CEOs and CFOs on measuring marketing investments so they comprehend the impact of budget cuts or increases. 3. Acting as the chief customer advocate, the CMO must align the business strategy with the customers' needs to achieve success and sustainable growth.