CMO Q&A: What Are the 3 Most Important Keys To Being an Effective CMO Leader Today?

In each issue of Franchise Update magazine, we profile franchise CMOs and marketing leaders, asking each the same set of questions. Throughout the year, we’ll be selecting one of those questions and providing answers from recent CMO profiles. If you like what they say and are curious to learn more about these franchise marketing leaders and their thoughts on other topics, we’ve provided links to their full profile when available.

This week we asked them, What are the 3 most important keys to being an effective CMO leader today?

Lisa Zoellner, Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer, Neighborly
1) Keep learning: The seismic shifts in consumer expectations and the constant change in ways we can connect with them requires that we remain perpetual students of marketing. We have a strong culture of learning here. 2) Be accountable: Develop the vision and the road map to achieve it. Create milestones along the way. Measure and socialize your progress (and setbacks) with your stakeholders. 3) Build a great team: Surround yourself with the best people you can find. Be strategic about the structure you build. I love how Courtney Kolar, our vice president of people services puts it: “Organization follows strategy.” Read the full profile here.

Michelle Spohnholz, Vice President of Marketing, Newk’s Eatery
Champion the voice of your guest or consumer, as they will teach you how to improve your value proposition and your business model. Create structured processes for execution and communication that can both drive accountability and allow learning to be incorporated in real time. Prioritize collaboration and alignment with cross-functional leaders and stakeholders. People are how business gets done, and your ability to influence and galvanize people for change has a tremendous impact on your ability to move the needle.

Claudia Schaefer, Chief Marketing Officer, Jamba
1) Being consumer insights-driven: It is imperative to know who your current consumer is and who your potential consumer could be. 2) Being data-driven: To fully recognize and capitalize on the brand’s opportunities, and mine and understand the data. 3) Connecting the company to the data: For the company to be focused on the same goal, it is imperative that each team member understands and aligns with the data and results from consumer insights. Read the full profile here.

Michael Barrette, Chief Marketing & Sales Officer, Dippin’ Dots & Doc Popcorn
1) Listen and learn from your consumers and franchisees about how their wants and needs are changing. 2) Listen and learn from your internal team and agency partner team members; keep an open mind and remain curious. 3) Be a strong cross-functional leader to have high connectivity with other stakeholders in sales, R&D, finance, operations, manufacturing, etc. – and lead your team to develop trusting relationships with these cross-functional stakeholders as well. Read the full profile here.