CMOs are on the way out. (Here’s why maybe that’s okay.)

Behind the scenes of some of the most successful marketing departments in the world, a shift is taking place—and if you aren’t paying attention yet, now’s the time.

UPS. Etsy. Coca-Cola. Walgreens. Starbucks.

In the last couple of years, these heavy hitters (and more) have all made the same seismic internal shift:

They’ve eliminated their CMO positions.

You heard me right. Across the industry, CMOs have gone and are going the way of the dodo. Ta-ta, ciao bella, RIP, we’ll miss you.

Marketers are (perhaps understandably) alarmed.

But before you panic, hold those horses.

What if the fast-disappearing role of CMO isn’t an ill omen for our marketing departments? What if it doesn’t mean our jobs are any less important? What if, in fact, it’s just the opposite?

Spoiler: that’s my take. This trend isn’t an alarm bell, a crumbling of our marketing foundations, or a call to marketers to ready our resumes. It’s a natural shift in how we work. Like anything else in marketing, it means things are changing—and as usual, we have to roll with the punches.

So, what exactly has changed that’s causing the CMO role to slowly, surely slip away?

One of the surest answers is this: marketing is developing deeper ties with revenue.?

Of course, marketing has always impacted revenue. We’ve had revenue goals for a long time. We’ve been a big part of the revenue conversation.

But these shifts mark a turning point, a stronger tie, an inextricable intertwining of revenue and our marketing departments. Which is why the CMO role is quietly fading, replaced or absorbed by the CGO (Chief Growth Officer), CRO (Chief Revenue Officer), and similar roles.

The difference in those titles is the big picture. Roles like CGO and CRO are responsible for all revenue-generating activities. Marketing. Sales. Customer Success. Three departments that are often separate (and sometimes at odds with each other) but actually need to work together if companies are to succeed, especially in economically trying times.

Now, I’ve been talking about the importance of marketing and sales alignment for ages. So seeing this shift doesn’t have us scared.

I'm excited.?

Because finding new ways to solidify alignment between these teams, recognizing that these departments must work together toward the real underlying goal (revenue) is a recipe for major growth.

And that’s the real point here, isn’t it?

Growth.

These changes are new, and we expect there will be some bumps in the road ahead. But the bottom line is that in the years to come, those with revenue-first thinking, growth-oriented mindsets, strong connections with sales, and a good handle on the latest technologies that enable revenue growth will be the marketing departments (and individuals) to truly shine.

So, if you aren’t quite there yet, where should you start? What do we mean when we hint at a mindset and skillset shift??

We suggest:

:: Diving deep into tools like Marketo, Eloqua, HubSpot, and Salesforce

:: Building visuals and discussions of growth into every marketing strategy and presentation

:: Understanding the intersection of revenue goals with marketing, sales, and other relevant teams

:: Forging strong bonds with those other revenue-facing teams and ensuring strategies are always aligned

And if you need some help figuring it all out? My team can help. Reach out anytime.