CMO_FA

THE RISE OF THE ON DEMAND CXO | 1EXPERT360.COM

The rise of the on demand CMO

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On demand Chief Marketing OfficerWritten by Terry JonesOn demand CMO

Senior marketing expertise can be critical to the success of a growing business.

A strong marketing leader can establish a brand, acquire customers, drive sales

and build the team required for future success. Due to financial contraints many

startups and small business owners still prefer to drive marketing themselves

which can hinder and even damage the success of the company.

But it doesn’t need to be this way. An increasingly popular option for startups

and small to medium businesses is to engage an on demand, or part time Chief

Marketing Officer (CMO) to bring high-end strategic expertise in-house.

The right set of skills and experience required will depend on your specific

marketing requirements.


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Marketing requirements for startups Marketing plays a central role in the development of any startup.

If you are looking for investors, your venture capital pitch needs to be developed

from a marketing perspective to best illustrate key business issues. Get this right

and you will help investors understand the vision you have for your startup.

Here are just a few of these key components to consider:

• Branding

• Proposition

• Elevator Pitch

• Target Audience

- Who has the problem

- Describe the problem to solve

- Describe the solution

• Features and Benefits

• Go-To-Market Strategy

• Competition

• Pricing

• Market Research

Many startup advisers recommend that you establish an advisory board so that

you can call upon external expertise across a wide range of disciplines – a senior

Marketer on that board is essential.

With some small businesses, the danger is that they get involved in the tactics of marketing before setting out their business objectives.



Marketing requirements for small businessesThe key to running and growing any business is to have a well thought out

Business Plan and within that an equally considered Marketing Plan. With some

small businesses, the danger is that they get involved in the tactics of marketing

before setting out their business objectives and considering what strategies will

work best for them to achieve those objectives.

Before deciding when you need a social media expert, new website or an

Adwords campaign, you must first create a Marketing Plan. To do so, you’ll need

to get a Marketing Strategist involved to help you create this plan.

They should also be someone with the knowledge and expertise to implement

the strategies as well – there’s no point having a plan if you don’t know how to

action it.

The case for an on demand CMOHaving established the need for core marketing expertise in your business

the issue then becomes how to acquire that expertise. Just like your business

doesn’t need a solicitor every day you shouldn’t need a Chief Marketing Officer

everyday either.

You should be spending your time on the business rather than in the business

if you are looking to grow.



So, what other options are available?

Perhaps an Advertising or Marketing Agency? On the surface, this would seem

logical as they will have marketing expertise and the means to implement the

strategies developed.

They will, however, be generally more expensive than an on demand CMO as you

will be paying for overheads, support staff costs etc.

Many have a particular specialty or expertise i.e. digital / advertising / sales

promotion so don’t be surprised if their solutions centre on these.

You need someone with an integrated marketing view that can recommend the

right mix of strategies and media for you – not for them.

The appointment of an on demand CMO who can not only provide that

integrated strategic expertise, but also has the experience of implementing

campaigns can provide you with the solution you are looking for.

You need someone with an integrated marketing view that can recommend the right mix of strategies and media for you – not for them.



The benefits of using an on demand CMOHaving an on demand CMO will give you some very tangible benefits;

• Provide you with an integrated marketing plan to grow your business.

• Have a professional on board when you need them, to give you both advice

and recommendations.

• A mentor who will transfer knowledge by working as a business partner.

• A resource to all the latest marketing and social media best practices,

tools and software.

• Someone with the expertise to be able to help you implement the campaign

cost effectively.

• An understanding of all media and how they can be used as part of an

integrated approach.

• All at a lower cost when compared with a full-time senior marketing manager

or appointing an Agency. You only pay for the time they spend on your business

and there are no overheads to consider.



Hiring an on demand CMOTo determine the right amount of marketing support for your business you need

to have someone with a flexible approach to how they will work with you so you

can achieve the growth you are looking for.

To establish which approach is best and to start the relationship on a strong

foothold the following process of engagement seems to work.

Step 1 - A chat over a coffee

There is nothing better than to listen to business owners talking about their

business over a cup of coffee. You can get to know each other and the on

demand CMO can start to understand the key challenges and opportunities

you see for your business.

Step 3 - What you are planning to achieve

From this, a detailed marketing plan can be developed.

Step 4 - Making it happen

The implementation of these plans – on time, on budget and on brief are

essential for your business growth. You’ll need someone with expert knowledge

of marketing project management to make these plans happen.

Step 5 - Results and Analysis

No activity should be undertaken without the ability to measure the results in

some way. So for every campaign not only must objectives be set but also a

means to monitor and report on them.



Selecting the right on demand CMOWhen selecting which on demand CMO to help you grow your business you’ll

need to apply the same criteria you would use for any role in your business,

including:

Qualifications and expertise

• Look for an on demand CMO with relevant qualifications and expertise.

For example, if you’re an online business, then perhaps a CMO with expertise

in digital marketing would be most suitable.

• Contact previous colleagues and business partners and have them provide

a testimonial.

Industry experience

• An on demand CMO with specific experience in your industry may provide you

with inside knowledge on what has worked and hasn’t in the past.

Culture fit and trust

• There is one perhaps more important aspect and that’s how you feel after a

meeting with them. Do they understand what you are looking to achieve and

do they have a genuine interest in your business?

Your on demand CMO should become your most valued business partner

in your business, so choosing the right one for you is vital.



About the Author: Terry JonesView Terry’s Expert360 profile

Terry is The Virtual Marketeer and works with clients to provide specific support in the development and implementation of sales and marketing projects, on demand. He specialises in creating effective acquisition, activation, and retention strategies that can be tested and developed.

Having worked across all media and disciplines within a number of Advertising, Marketing Services and Digital Agencies, Terry possess a truly integrated approach to developing communication strategies.

Summary If you are a startup or a small business you’ll need a fully integrated marketing

plan in place and a strategy to implement it if you are to succeed.

The most cost effective way to get this process underway is through the

appointment of an on demand CMO, as this will enable you to get all the

expertise and experience that you need – at a fraction of the cost of the

alternatives.

An on demand CMO will help you generate a long-range marketing strategy that

delivers revenue results.

If you would like to speak with Terry or find out more about our on demand CMOs

and the service they provide, contact us as [email protected]




[email protected]

[email protected]


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