Learnings From The Former CMO of Zendesk & Slack: The Art of Brand Building and Growth

Unlocking New Wisdom from Bill Macaitis’s Career

As the host of "The People of Digital Marketing" podcast, I get the opportunity to have conversations with industry leaders who’ve made a significant impact in the field of marketing. One recent guest on the show is Bill Macaitis, a marketing advisor and former CMO of Zendesk and Slack, as well as the former SVP of Marketing at Salesforce. With a rich and diverse background, Bill shared his perspective on brand building, growth strategies, and the value of continuous learning during our podcast episode (episode #117 of the show).

Envisioning the Future CMO: A Lifelong Learner

When I asked Bill what the future Chief Marketing Officer might look like, his response was clear: someone who’s focused on adaptability and continuously learning. The marketing landscape is ever-evolving, and new strategies emerge regularly (*cough cough*? does your team have an AI content creation strategy yet?).

Bill noted that CMOs must be "malleable, hungry, curious." They need to stay updated with the latest trends, learn new skills, and be willing to embrace change. Being open to new strategies and approaches would allow CMOs to lead their teams effectively and stay ahead of the competition.

The future CMO may have to navigate new channels, such as generative AI, short-form videos, or viral loops too. As Bill put it, "...five years from now, there's going to be five new strategies, right? That we're not even using right now." ChatGPT just recently came out and it isn’t even a year old yet. By the team marketing teams get used to using that tool and tools like it, there will be a new set of tools we’ll need to start using.

Shaping Brands with Intention

When it came to our discussion on building a brand in today’s market conditions, Bill emphasized the importance of understanding every touchpoint a customer has with your company. From the website's design to the packaging experience, these interactions shape the brand's identity and perception in the eyes of consumers.?

Bill explained, "You know the shape of that brand, whether it's through the tone of voice, whether it's how you answer the phone, or how you open the box, right? Or just all these little elements. Those are all little touchpoints that help you know the shape of that brand." If a marketing leader isn’t obsessively focused on making sure all touchpoints are brand-compliant, the company runs a risk of losing market share over time.

Focused Marketing: Excellence over Quantity

In a rapidly changing marketing landscape, teams of all sizes face the challenge of prioritizing goals versus channels. Bill discussed the importance of stack ranking goals and aligning marketing strategies with overall company objectives. He encouraged marketers to focus on excellence in specific areas instead of just trying to be everywhere.

Bill's advice was clear: "One of the hard things about marketing is there are like 100 things you could do, right? And I've seen marketing teams, or even individuals kind of go down a bad path where they try to do everything. And usually what ends up happening is you don't end up doing anything really, you know, particularly good or nothing excellent." Yes, there is however a case to be made that we could disagree with Bill here. When I heard him say this, I personally thought to myself, “what about repurposing content across channels as a means of scaling engagement with prospects and current customers?”?

I’m still wrestling with this point Bill made—which is good all things consider. The point of these conversations is to challenge any and all assumptions around marketing!

Capital-Efficient Growth: Achieving More with Less

The concept of capital-efficient growth was something that Bill emphasized throughout our conversation. In simple terms, capital-efficient growth means achieving growth while minimizing costs. It involves exploring different ways to grow your business without spending a fortune on ad spend .

Bill's belief in capital efficiency was evident: "If you can learn the skills around how to grow a brand efficiently while keeping capital low (that you're not spending a ton of money, but you're still inflicting that growth curve in a really positive way)—that's incredibly employable, right? During [both] good times, and definitely during bad times, [like] recession times."?

Bill spoke about the spectrum of growth strategies, from outbound sales to inbound marketing to product-led growth, each with different costs and efficiency levels. He encouraged marketers, especially those in startups, to research capital-efficient ways to grow and to do specific research around PLG strategies.

He’s a big believer in product-led growth, which focuses on creating virality loops. He also mentioned that marketing leaders should be focused on key metrics like net promoter score, product-qualified leads, and daily active users. Sometimes the tried-and-true metrics don’t change.

This mindset is especially valuable during uncertain times when companies may have been looking to cut costs.?

A Summary Of My Key Takeaways

As I reflected on my conversation with Bill Macaitis, I was struck by the timeless lessons he imparted. Here were the key takeaways I took from our discussion:

• Brand Building: Every touchpoint with customers, from packaging to tone of voice, contributes to shaping the brand's identity. Pay attention to these details to build a strong and cohesive brand.
• Prioritization: Avoid the trap of trying to do everything in marketing. Instead, prioritize goals, align them with the company's objectives, and focus on achieving excellence in specific areas.
• Capital-Efficient Growth: Explore growth strategies that minimize costs while driving positive results. Consider product-led growth and other capital-efficient approaches to scaling your business.
• Adaptability: The marketing landscape is ever-changing, and adaptability is key. Stay curious, embrace new strategies, and be ready to learn and evolve. Regardless of your level of seniority—this is how you stay employable!
• Carpe Diem: Seize the day and believe in your potential to achieve your goals. Be opportunistic and have confidence in your ability to succeed. That’s how you’ll keep up with all of the changes happening right now.

One Last Note On “Carpe Diem”

As our discussion came to a close, Bill shared a deeply personal philosophy that resonated with me—carpe diem, or "seize the day." Bill spoke about not living with regrets, being opportunistic, and believing in oneself. Of course, this isn’t a new philosophy, but I’m glad he shared this with me while we were recording.

"You have these opportunities, like their little bubbles that are floating all around you, and you just have to go out and grab it right? Seize the day, go for it," Bill said. This simple yet powerful message served as a reminder to make the most of each moment and embrace every opportunity that presents itself.?

Heck, if I didn’t listen to his interview on the Exit Five podcast and didn’t take a shot at DMing him, he would have never said yes to being on the show!

Go figure.

As I continue on my own marketing journey, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from Bill—a true visionary. So here's to seizing the day and embracing these lessons.?I'm definitely sharing them with my team in my upcoming meetings...

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If you enjoyed reading this post, don't forget to follow Bill Macaitis . He's the expert here—not me!??