Marketing Leadership: What’s on the Rider List for Your Next Gig? ~via Ian Truscott
Ian Truscott, the founder of Rockstar CMO, once again hits the nail on the head, when it comes to what is important to a CMO. /Ted
What would a senior marketer's rider look like if they were contemplating a new gig?
The Gist
Marketing leadership. Shows commitment to integrating marketing deeply within the business fabric.
Great people & culture. Essential for a nurturing, productive environment.
Freedom to innovate. Allows marketing leaders to truly shape and direct impactful strategies.
You might have heard this story: the hard-rocking "Hair Bear Bunch," Van Halen, specified in its rider — a document listing performers' requirements for a gig — that they wanted no brown M&M's in their bowl of M&M's.
What does this have to do with marketing leadership?
Apparently, this was not some crazy, petulant demand from spoiled rockstars, but as David Lee Roth explains in this YouTube video, it was actually a quick safety assessment. On earlier tours, inadequate compliance with the safety requirements outlined in their rider had placed Van Halen's road crew in potentially life-threatening danger. The group used the brown M&M's clause to determine if the venue was paying attention.
The group used the brown M&M's clause to determine if the venue was paying attention.
A few years ago, this story inspired me to consider what a senior marketer's rider might look like when contemplating a new gig. As part of my podcast and blog, I began asking senior marketers about what is important to them in a new role and what would be on their rider, then shared their responses.
Over the years, I've received some fantastic responses. I'm refining a new list for 2024, and I thought I'd share a draft here with my chums on CMSWire to ask: What would you add?
By the way, when you review the list, you'll notice that many items senior marketers desire are what any senior leader would seek in a new gig — elements like recognition of their craft, strong leadership and a positive culture, offering something relevant for everyone.
1. Marketing Leadership Clues That Marketing Is Core to the Business
The first indicator is whether the chief marketing officer (CMO) has a seat at the executive table. As my former boss, Grant Johnson, CMO, mentor and adviser at Billtrust, mentioned on his blog, “If it [marketing] doesn’t report to the CEO, I would have serious reservations that you will really have a seat at the table, can maximize marketing’s input and control your destiny.”
And, surprisingly this isn’t that rare. According to the “Marketing That Matters” survey of CMOs, “Nearly “40% reported that they do not have a marketing advocate on the board.”
This perception extends to the entire marketing team, reflecting the importance of marketing to the business. Even if you're not aiming for the top position or drafting your CMO rider, this will affect your success at any level within the marketing hierarchy. Is the marketing team viewed merely as the "arts and crafts department" or as a vital growth engine?
Beyond the corner office location for the CMO on the top floor, there are other clear indicators of marketing's significance within the business. These include the size of the marketing budget, whether it's regarded as an investment or a cost, and the presence of a vision and objective for that investment beyond the notion that "the leads are weak."
2. Great People & Culture
It's a no-brainer — everyone wants to work with great people. This is what makes compiling such a list intriguing. While aiming to share something cool and edgy, the desire to work with great people and a passionate, engaged team frequently emerges in conversations with the folks I've chatted with. This common demand for the rider might stem from past bitter experiences. While not necessarily as dramatic as David Lee Roth's life-threatening situations, the scars are undoubtedly real.
How can you discern if the team is composed of great individuals? It's improbable that a prospective employer will showcase less favorable employees during interviews; they're naturally kept out of sight. However, a thorough interview process that involves meeting numerous team members and inquiring about goals and expectations can be revealing. If during your visit they say, "Oh no, please, don't open that door — just ignore the sobbing," it might just provide the insight you need.
Regarding culture, it's clear it encompasses more than just having a beer tap, snacks and free pizza — admittedly, a somewhat loose requirement for our rider. This reminds me of my time in pre-sales when a prospect would inquire in an RFP if the product is "easy to use." Of course, the answer is yes, and similarly, we claim to have a wonderful culture, evidenced by, say, the presence of an office dog.
It's a matter of personal preference; do you thrive in a sales-driven, boiler room-type organization focused on a revenue moonshot, or are you more drawn to companies developing groundbreaking products, or perhaps organizations striving to make a significant difference for their employees?
Perhaps the final word on this topic should be attributed to the straight-talking CMO adviser and speaker, Ted Rubin. When I initially asked him about his rider, he said, " ... leaving the political bullshit to those who care." That sets a solid foundation for a healthy culture.
3. Freedom to Play Your Set List
This advice is valuable for any leader. Presumably, you're being brought in as a marketing leader to solve a problem, and within your first 90 days, you'll assess the extent of those issues. But will you have the autonomy, resources and leeway to implement change? Marketing frequently involves transformation, and marketing leadership must act as agents for that change.
I'm not implying that marketing leadership should arrive with their playbook under their arm, ready to deploy it without considering the business's specific needs. However (and I admit I had to Google this reference) it’s unlikely a venue will book Van Halen and say, “Do your thing, but please, don’t play 'Jump.'”
You need to be able to play your "Jump."
4. Brand Is Valued
You might debate this point, acknowledging that prioritizing a big brand isn't essential for every company, especially in the B2B sector. However, recognizing the significance of brand management is No. 1 on our list.
If company leadership understands the value of the brand, then they probably have a more enlightened perspective toward the general role of marketing beyond either being an MQL cash machine, the collateral printing hamster wheel, or the holders of the budget to be plundered for the next leadership schmooze and booze.
A strong brand acts as an intangible, challenging-to-quantify enhancer of all marketing efforts. Google PPC campaigns perform better when searchers recognize your name, prospects are more inclined to open your emails, visit your booth at trade shows and customers are more likely to recommend you and become repeat buyers.
5. People Love the Product
At this juncture, I realize that for the final list, I might need to reorder these points. Similar to brand health, understanding this aspect is crucial for a new role.
Regardless of whether the product is highly appealing and popular on social media or something only a tax accountant could appreciate, the fact that it's valued by someone will significantly influence your success. Unlike a brand, this isn't an aspect that marketing can remedy.
Just as a strong brand propels your marketing efforts, a beloved product serves as the wind beneath your marketing wings. There are two sides to your brand: the story you tell the world and the story customers share among themselves. The latter is shaped by the service and product experience they receive.
Advocates are worth their weight in marketing, as marketing becomes (whisper it) straightforward when that second brand narrative — crafted by customers — is robust. Customers champion your cause through case studies, testimonials, speaking engagements at your events and navigating the "dark funnel" — activities that elude traditional marketing metrics. They engage in behaviors like making recommendations, commenting in forums and the often-overlooked power of word-of-mouth.
Back in 2018, when I compiled the first version of the rider, Tom Wentworth, now the CMO at Recorded Future, said this: “My rider has three things on it: a large market, great people and a product that users love — in that order. You can build a good company with one or two of those, but if you want to build a great company, you need all three.”
Perfect.
That's my working top five for now, based not on scientific data but on anecdotes from five years of chatting with peers and perhaps a few personal scars from my own experiences in marketing leadership as a three-time CMO. I've certainly encountered my share of brown M&M's.
What do you think? I’d love to hear what you would add to your rider for your next gig.
