Sage Marketing Advice from the Austin CMO Club Dinner

Every successful CMO has a “signature” move. (think basketball player with their signature move.) What’s your marketing “signature” move?
For your Brand and Leadership Success – Double the meaning, half the words.
Be relentless about simplicity. Only a few things have a significant impact on your brand.
Don’t buy into your own BS.
You can do it all. Work, family, social life, all within a cohesive work-life balance. Probably not all at once, however.
Focus on solving the problem, not decorating around it.
People support what they help create.
Marketing is helping customers know what their problem is. Help them to understand.
Be kind when possible, but it’s not always possible.
There is a direct relationship between the impact of your decisions and your ability to be fearless. The more fearless you are, the bigger the success will be.

Avoid Making Bad Technology Decisions

First, be crystal clear on the problem you need to solve or the benefit you want to give your customers. Then you can approach technology options.
Avoid “shiny object” syndrome. Stay true to your initial challenge and business benefit strategy.
Understand the lifecycle of the data you need. How long will you need it and for what reasons?
The CMO should spend time identifying the problem and possible solutions in detail as opposed to attending vendor meetings and reviews.
People, Process. THEN Technology. Don’t expect technology to solve endemic problems. Adding technology on top of a weak team or bad process is a recipe for an expensive disaster.
No matter what you do, start with a test when working with a new vendor. This test is the best way to see how they deliver and see how your organization can handle the new tools (skills, mindset, etc.)
If the Toyota works for your business, don’t buy the Porsche. You lose time, money and focus on things you will never use.
Have a clear understanding of how your technology decisions impact other customer-facing groups like customer service, sales, and retail. Avoid creating havoc face to face with customers.