Author: Melissa Caffrey

Let us briefly introduce you to the 95/5 Rule: 95% of your market isn’t ready to buy today. 5% is.   

With such a significant chunk of future buyers not in-market at any given point in time, why are CMOs under so much pressure to generate leads? In this fascinating episode with Peter Weinberg of LinkedIn’s’ B2B Institute, he breaks down the key arguments you can use to remind your CEO and CFO why brand building is essential to long-term growth.  

Based on B2B Institute’s groundbreaking insights, we don’t just explore the WHY of B2B success, but the HOW. It’s time for B2B brands to get weird, to update their media spend strategy, and to home in on the rational sales pitch.  

This episode was recorded in front of a live audience as part of CMO Huddles’ Bonus Huddle series. If you’re interested in learning more, check out cmohuddles.com.  

What You’ll Learn 

• Why brand building is so important 
• Why it’s time to get weird with B2B creative 
• Media distribution strategy tips 

When economic pressures hit, the pressure on CMOs intensifies. The decisions you make as CMO can significantly impact your marketing team’s ability to weather the storm and come out stronger on the other side. But fear not! 

In this episode, we’ll be speaking with three bright minds and marketing leaders who have successfully navigated through storms: CMOs Marca Armstrong of Sensera Systems, Katrina Klier of Sage Strategy Group, and Gabi Zijderveld of Smart Eye.

Tune in explore how to captain your team when external factors are pushing in, how to be nimble when the unexpected happens, and how to get ahead of employee burnout while inspiring productivity. We’re about to gain some serious altitude in our conversation today, so fasten your seat belts and get ready for a ride filled with insights!

What You’ll Learn 

• The key steps in helping employees adapt in turbulent times 
• How to get ahead of employee burnout  
• How to maintain a good work/life balance 

At the heart of transformative leadership lies a powerful concept: Radical Candor. It’s the art of caring personally and challenging directly, a philosophy Kim Scott crafted to help others achieve results collaboratively that you could never achieve alone.

For B2B CMOs, adopting Radical Candor can be a game-changer. In this episode, Kim Scott herself applies the principles of Radical Candor to the unique challenges of the CMO role. Tune in to learn how to communicate collaboratively with your CEO, your C-Suite peers, and your teams, all in the name of B2B greatness.

Captured live in front of a CMO audience, this session is part of CMO Huddles’ ongoing Career Huddle Book Club series spotlighting thought leaders and authors who are reshaping the world of business.

Interested in being part of the conversation? To join a future Career Huddle or to suggest an author whose ideas could ignite the next discussion, reach out to us at support@cmohuddles.com. Your seat at the table awaits.

What You’ll Learn 

• How to solicit and give great feedback 
• How radical candor can increase productivity 
• How to talk to your boss, your peers, and your teams 

An “invisible” B2B recession, budget cuts, and short-termism… it’s not easy being CMO.

In this special episode hosted by Julie Livingston on her show, PR Patter, as Drew tackles these timely challenges head on. This episode isn’t just about weathering the storm; it’s about charting a course to innovation and long-term triumph. We’ll explore how to invigorate your marketing strategy, reallocate budgets, and rethink how marketing and sales work together.

Let’s turn obstacles into opportunities and set the stage for a year where being a CMO doesn’t just mean leading marketing—it means leading the market! Here’s to a fantastic 2024.

What You’ll Learn 

• How B2B marketers can flourish in 2024 
• How to avoid short-termism  
• Which trends marketers should keep an eye on 

Ready, set, drive pipeline!

That’s the battle cry for B2B CMOs, where driving growth from day one is a given—and consistently delivering on that promise is non-negotiable. This episode zooms in on the tactical prowess of three CMOs who have turned pipeline playbooks into a science.

Tune in to hear wisdom from proven pros: Kathie Johnson of Sitecore, Joshua Leatherman of Service Express, and Gary Sevounts of Malwarebytes. They’ll delve into the critical assessment of a company’s current state and how to craft dynamic pipeline playbooks that not only meet targets but exceed them.

Expect to walk away with a playbook of your own, filled with actionable tactics and hard-earned wisdom. Are you ready to escalate your pipeline strategy? Get this conversation in your ear buds!

What You’ll Learn 

• How 3 CMOs design their pipeline playbooks  
• Real world plays that work 
• How to define targets, opportunity stages, ++  

Beyond the numbers and strategies, beyond the boardrooms and presentations, lies a question that’s more vital than ever before: How do CMOs ensure that brand values aren’t just words on a wall?  

Cue CMOs Marshall Poindexter of OpenEye, Cadence Molecular Sciences, Joe Cohen of AXIS, and Matt Preschern of NTT Ltd, who are ensuring that brand values shine as the guiding stars in every strategic and day-to-day decision at your business. 

In this episode, they share how to bring your brand values to life for employees, customers, and prospects. Tune in to learn what it means to define your values, how to weave them into overall business strategy, and how to measure them to make sure they’re still going strong. Don’t miss it!  

What You’ll Learn 

• Why having brand values matters to the bottom line 
• Who should own brand values  
• How to measure brand values