For many large brands item number two or three listed on the company’s Capex sheet says ‘Media’. Therefore, CMOs are constantly battling an imbroglio to demonstrably prove that marketing is an investment not a cost. Given the CMO’s charge is to build revenue and relevance, added value must be demonstrated beyond ROI and for this new normal in marketing there are new rules of engagement:
1. The CMOs Ten Rules For
Agencies
Dean Crutchfield Associates
2. Investment V. Cost
For many large brands item number two
or three listed on the company’s Capex
sheet says ‘Media’. Therefore, CMOs are
constantly battling an imbroglio to
demonstrably prove that marketing is an
investment not a cost.
Given the CMO’s charge is to build
revenue and relevance, added value must
be demonstrated beyond ROI.
Consequently sales discussions must
focus on business drivers and strategy
cannot be made from a sound bite nor can
a single strategy work across the diversity
of the business; simple solutions to
complex problems are often simple,
straightforward and wrong.
For the new normal in marketing there
are new rules of engagement:
3. The Silent Question
Answer the CMOs silent question, ‘Can
I trust you with my business and
marketing strategies?’ because
succeeding target is not the only goal
and pre determined goals undermine
future success. However, that said,
more than ever CMOs are vested in
making the quarter and are primarily
interested in the business outcomes of
using services.
Integrated marketing brings with it
distracting challenges and by
connecting the CMO to revenue,
convincingly showing how the
investment will move the needle north,
an invitation to sit at the table will be
forthcoming.
4. Rules Of Engagement
How well you play in the sandbox might
be a cliché question, but it’s often said
that as a client needs more integrated
marketing from its agencies, each
agency’s competency grows, but their
passion recedes.
CMOs know they can create different
vantage points for their business and
achieve amazing results by approaching
big marketing challenges as a
collection of agencies who possess a
willingness to participate and check
‘not invented here’ egos at the door. In
the relentless pursuit of growth the
simplest answer is to act by partnering
with other agencies, client departments
and taking a seat at the table, able to
inform the CMO about their future.
5. Substance
Assuming the brand idea is the
agency’s, undertaking half-baked
efforts or simply not caring enough
about the bigger picture and all
involved is a recipe for disaster.
CMOs are determined, to the point,
efficient, precise, careful, reserved
and logical and need to be convinced
because they're highly suspicious of
generalities – even the noblest of
ideas sometimes do less for them
than a siesta or an Advil. Therefore, in
the world of creating and sustaining
stories, clarity and a shift in thinking
that recognizes the difference
between truth and fiction is that the
fiction has to make sense.
6. Much a do about Nothing
The difference between expecting
and inspecting lies in the
execution.
Therefore, avoid ocean boiling
and conjuring up strategies out
of sound bites. Rather create,
fashion, execute or construct
according to a plan that reflects
the CMOs needs. For example,
“shareholder value is a result not
a strategy.”
7. Failure To Edit Work
The CMO is vested in making the
quarter so there’s constrained
bandwidth for actionable insights that
can move the needle north.
The success of contrarian marketing
strategies might require CMOs to table
prevailing marketing theories and
embrace experimentation, but it’s about
short-term performance for the client
not long form presentations by the
agency. IQ is one thing – emotional
conviction that comes from experience
is another far more powerful and rapid
component. To be erudite it’s best to
apply Rudyard Kipling’s five honest
men: who, what, why, where, when and
subsequently show the CMO ‘how’ it
can be done.
8. Other People’s Work
Presenting other people’s work is
poor form.
An idea is as real as a bullet and
great artists are famous for
stealing ideas and extracting
something unique – adaptive
strategies are what’s called for,
but making assumptions about
a specific program’s success and
the agency’s ‘role’ in its
accomplishment is a mistake
that can get a firm shot down.
9. Lethargy
Lack of follow up and a slow response
like some species of corporate
bureaucrat causes a morass. The more
an agency wants to achieve the more it
achieves. Agencies can find win-win
solutions – but a majority
of time, they’re just arranging the
budget, time, people levers around
to accomplish strategic objectives.
Therefore, viability and accountability
are critical and prospective proposal
writing is more an attitude than a skill.
One consulting firm reported increasing
their fee business with P&G by 50%
solely by listening to clients and
proactively making suggestions.
10. Attacking A Competitor
Avoid vituperative attacks on
a competitor; it’s unoriginal and
a somewhat sleazy course of
conduct.
For a CMO and his team it can
feel like shoveling up road kill
and leaves a bad taste. Deliver
good news oneself and bad news
through others recommended
Machiavelli, the rapacious
Fourteenth Century prince.
11. Taking Advantage
Taking advantage of the CMO.
Whether it’s bulldozing the CMO to
make decisions in the agencies favor
through to agency partners ganging
up to twist the arm of an approach,
many CMOs simply feel they’re paying
too much.
Therefore, once vaunted high switch
out costs are no longer an agency
advantage holding onto the client, as
clients now view that as an
opportunity to streamline efficiencies.
Ultimately CMOs buy ideas to make
a gain or avoid a loss so ‘Why should
I care?’ is the client’s (real) question
that agencies should be asking
themselves before the big reveal.
12. Team Chemistry
For the elegant exchange of value in the
client relationship fielding the right team
is critical. CMOs sit through countless
meetings with (supposedly) ‘the
smartest team’ in the room, so the best
approach is to work for applause with
the team that’s going to do the work.
The CMO needs to know there’s good
chemistry as they have to spend much
of their time with their agency partners -
developing roadmaps, writing
requirements and business plans,
supporting sales and marketing,
interacting with partner agencies –
all depends on good chemistry. The
better the agency is at knowing and
communicating what needs to be done
and why, the more they will add value
and excel in front of the CMO.
13. At The End Of The Day
CMOs want actionable advice on
growing their business that secures
their role. Across the brandscape,
CMOs are focused on generating
organic growth and achieving
innovation. These two are the key
drivers for business growth going
forward in 2013.
Therefore, belief, optimism, courage
and preparation might rule the day,
but in this new normal in marketing,
when it comes to building revenue
and relevance, remember what they
say in the military, “amateurs focus
on strategy while professionals
focus on logistics.”
14. What DCA Delivers
Achieving growth
For ambitious leaders who are driven to grow fast
Creating new business
Orchestrating and activating accelerated outreach programs
Building efficiencies
Rapidly sourcing the best talent for the business
Improving margins
Rallying teams behind the brand and go-to-market strategy
Boosting win rates
Delivering your best case and winning face forward
Dean Crutchfield Associates
16. Seize More Opportunity
Strategy & Narrative
Ambition Activation
Personal Branding
Sell More Services
Sales Training
Presentation Skills
Win More Business
New Business 101
Growing Clients
Pitch Doctoring
Dean Crutchfield Associates
17. In the pursuit of opportunity
without regard to resources
held, Dean Crutchfield has
targeted and won millions in
new fees from the world’s
leading brands.
By convincing senior executives
at Fortune 500 companies on
brand architecture, portfolio
rationalization, go-to-market
brand strategies, product and
business innovation, Dean
Crutchfield has directly helped
clients generate billions in new
business growth.
Dean Crutchfield Associates
18. Armed
with rich content, deep
knowledge, 2x2 matrices
and a white board, we rapidly
create targeted, multi-channel
growth programs that
generate immediate
Impact
Dean Crutchfield Associates
19. Working with DCA
Catalyzing top line growth for clients is what we
thrive on: delivering your best case and winning face,
encourage your people to move the needle north and
sharpen the product offering. DCA (Dean Crutchfield
Associates) achieve growth for clients by tailoring
brand-led techniques that are uniquely participant
centered. We guarantee results. Whether it’s a better
pitch, winning new mandates, a better team or more
fees, you will find our fee in your business within
weeks.
DCA programs have been thoroughly tested and
proven with start-ups and the world’s greatest
brands, uniquely adding immediate value.
When you hire DCA, you get results. If you have the
right people attend the sessions and complete all of
your committed decisions and pilot initiatives and are
still not satisfied or seeing results by the agreed time
frame, we will coach and advise you free until you do!
Dean Crutchfield Associates
20. Global Client Experience
Aviva* McKinsey*
BP Metsä Serla*
BT* Nomura*
BSkyB* PepsiCo
Camper & Nicholson PG&E
Carter’s Pitney Bowes
Cellcom* RBS*
CITI Scanfinest*
Comcast Shell
“Dean always cuts to the core of what needs General Electric Smirnoff
to be done and said. He helps bring clarity and Kraft Staples
provides value by being an outsider with no
agenda, so he can help you stand back and see Fila Sunglass Hut
things from different perspectives. Frito-Lay Target
Dean helped us think through solutions and Littlewood’s* Tower of London*
then form the best way to present those M50 Warburg Pincus
solutions in a persuasive and compelling way.”
McDonald’s
*References upon request
* Overseas Project
Dean Crutchfield Associates
21. Working with DCA
By deploying real world strategies and hands-on
collaboration to inspire teams we create content
backed by actions that will assure you of seizing
every good opportunity, selling more services and
winning more business.
For 20 years Dean Crutchfield has advised the
world's most iconic brands, built businesses, created
new companies, opened international offices and
spoken about the role of brands at Duke, Kellogg,
Wharton and the Google Speaker Series. He has
made appearances on all major TV news networks,
commentary in the global press, editorials in major
business publications and is a Contributor to Forbes.
With a proven ability to inspire and push the
boundaries beyond the notion of what was thought
possible, DCA excel with clients who are looking to
run fast, led by CEOs, CMOs, entrepreneurs and
executive teams eager to capture dominant levels
of success.
Dean Crutchfield Associates