Changing-Traits-of-CMOs-with-Modern-Technology-Top-Skills-of-a-CMO

An individual appointed to the CMO role is expected to lead the company’s advertising activities, brand management, market research, product development and management, marketing communications, pricing, and customer service. The CMO manages a team of marketing professionals, and in turn, reports to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company.

The chief marketing officer role has transformed over the years. Technology, product development, data management, staffing, and actual marketing all fall into the CMO’s arena and with artificial intelligence, VR, and AR becoming more mainstream there is more change on the way. It requires a diverse set of skills to drive the business and lead successfully.

Vision

A CMO, like the CEO, must have a vision of where the company needs to be from a business, personnel, and technology perspective. A successful CMO needs to be able to distill market trends, research, business data, and product attributes into messaging and programming (the story and how to tell it) that drives demand by connecting with customers.

Creative thinking

Just as important as strategic thinking ability is creativity. The CMO must constantly adapt to the ever-developing world of technology-driven marketing, and this requires the ability to have new ideas.

Technical skill

Since so much of modern marketing strategy involves technology, CMOs need at least a little technical skill. They should be comfortable working with social media, SEO, and other forms of online advertising while being able to develop campaigns for each.

Continuous Learning

A CMO’s job is always evolving alongside the technology that supports it. That means regular training and education to stay current. The CMO of the future must also be deeply customer-centric and incredibly curious, continually observing the world around them and making connections with data and trends

Strategizing

Understanding data goes a long way in supporting your strategies. You’ll use your data to develop your strategy and support your other marketing efforts like social media and sales. Being one of the core skills every CMO needs, one should have the ability to conceptualize and implement effective marketing strategies for your business.

Brand management

The elements of brand management may be tangible (such as the product itself, pricing or packaging) or intangible (personal experiences of customers). The CMO uses different strategies to increase brand awareness of the company’s products and boost the perceived value of the brand vis-à-vis what competitors offer.

Communication and Collaboration Skills

CMOs work across the organization. One day they are explaining the financials to a CFO, the next they are sharing the technology needs with developers and project leads. This is why it’s critical for CMOs to master cross-department communication and collaboration. It’s vital to their productivity level and overall impact on the company.

Market research

Market research refers to the process of gathering crucial information about the target market of the company’s products. The CMO uses various techniques to collect important information about the target market that helps identify the needs of the market, the competition, and the popularity of the company’s products among consumers.

Data Analysis

Your marketing efforts should bring in key performance indicators (KPIs) that you’ll need to decipher. Understanding this data is essential for the success of your strategies, and you’ll need to be able to draw the right conclusions from the data.

Market Analysis

In addition to being adept with data analysis, a good CMO has a solid understanding of their market. If you don’t know your target market, your strategies will never work well, which is why it’s essential for any CMO to do their research.