10 Challenges Cmos Face and How to Overcome Them
CMO Times
10 Challenges Cmos Face and How to Overcome Them
Navigating the complex landscape of modern marketing, Chief Marketing Officers confront a myriad of challenges that demand innovative solutions. This article delves into the critical obstacles faced by today's CMOs, offering expert-driven strategies to not only survive but thrive in an ever-evolving market. Tap into the wisdom of seasoned professionals as we explore how to effectively pivot, integrate, align, and scale within the dynamic realm of marketing.
- Pivot to Digital Value During Crisis
- Integrate AI Strategically in Marketing
- Merge Brand Building with Performance Marketing
- Align Marketing and Sales for Growth
- Implement Proper Attribution Tools
- Foster Sales and Marketing Collaboration
- Empower Your Team Through Delegation
- Educate Customers on Complex Services
- Create Cross-Department Communication Channels
- Scale Services While Maintaining Brand Identity
Pivot to Digital Value During Crisis
My biggest challenge at Skylum was shifting our marketing strategy during the pandemic when in-person events suddenly vanished.
Photography trade shows were 40% of our lead generation, and we lost that channel overnight.
We had to quickly pivot to digital community building when everyone was trying to do the same thing. The noise was incredible, and our first attempts at virtual events flopped badly - we got about 15% of our normal engagement despite spending more.
What turned things around was focusing on genuine value rather than promotional content. We created a free weekly masterclass series with professional photographers who'd normally charge for workshops. These weren't about our software - they covered composition, lighting, and creative vision.
The photographers were grateful for paid work during lockdowns, and our audience got top-tier education. Our software was used in demonstrations but wasn't the focus. Participation skyrocketed, and we actually generated more qualified leads than our in-person events had, at lower cost.
My advice to other CMOs? When facing a crisis, look for the actual value you provide beyond your product. We sell photo editing software, but what we offer is creative empowerment. By focusing on that core value during a crisis, we found new channels that worked better than our old ones.
Don't waste a crisis by trying to preserve your old approach. Sometimes losing established channels forces you to find better ones. The companies that thrive through disruption are those willing to question their fundamental marketing assumptions quickly.
Integrate AI Strategically in Marketing
One of the biggest challenges I've faced as a CMO was integrating new technology--specifically AI--into our marketing strategy. It wasn't just about improving efficiency or automating processes. The real test was figuring out how to use AI to make smarter, faster, and more strategic decisions. The stakes were high, especially when it came to areas like competitive intelligence, targeting, and crafting the right messaging.
The key to overcoming this challenge was approaching it step by step. First, I took the time to truly understand the capabilities of the tools we were adopting. Instead of trying to overhaul everything at once, we started small--with a few clear use cases. For instance, we used AI to analyze shifts in customer behavior and refine audience segments in real time. This made our campaigns more relevant and impactful. From there, we scaled up, using the insights to improve not just the tactics but also the broader strategy.
The second part was ensuring the team felt confident using the technology. A tool is only as good as the people behind it, so we invested in training and made it clear that the goal was to empower, not replace, their expertise. By combining human intuition with AI-generated insights, we began making decisions that weren't just faster but also more forward-thinking.
For other CMOs navigating this, my advice is straightforward: Focus on the outcomes, not the hype. Start with a specific problem you're trying to solve, whether it's better targeting, stronger messaging, or staying ahead of competitors. Test the technology in one area, measure its impact, and refine the process before scaling. And always bring your team along. The best strategy comes from blending new tools with the collective experience and creativity of your people.
Remember, AI is a powerful tool, but it's still just a tool. The real magic happens when it amplifies the expertise and judgment you already have.
Merge Brand Building with Performance Marketing
One of the biggest challenges I faced as a CMO was balancing long-term brand building with the pressure for immediate performance results. Leadership wanted fast returns, but I knew that without a strong brand foundation, short-term wins wouldn't be sustainable. The turning point came when I stopped treating brand and performance marketing as separate strategies and found ways to merge them.
I shifted budgets to invest in content that drove both awareness and conversions, using storytelling to make performance ads more compelling. I also built a data-driven framework to show leadership how brand efforts contributed to revenue over time. Once they saw the numbers, the buy-in came naturally. My advice to other CMOs? Don't let short-term pressure kill long-term strategy. Educate stakeholders on why both matter and use data to prove it. The best marketing isn't just about quick wins--it's about building something that keeps working long after the campaign ends.
Align Marketing and Sales for Growth
One major challenge I faced as a CMO was aligning marketing efforts with sales to drive revenue growth effectively. There was a disconnect between the two teams--marketing was generating leads, but sales felt they weren't high quality. This led to friction and inefficiencies, ultimately affecting conversion rates and ROI. To overcome this, I implemented a lead scoring system in collaboration with sales to define what a "qualified lead" looked like, ensuring that only high-intent leads were passed along. I also established regular meetings between marketing and sales to align goals, refine strategies, and enhance communication. Additionally, integrating our CRM with marketing automation tools provided both teams with visibility into lead progression and sales attribution. Shifting to a more customer-centric approach, we optimized content and campaigns based on real pain points and buying journeys rather than just focusing on lead volume.
For other CMOs facing this challenge, my advice is to collaborate closely with sales from the start, ensuring shared KPIs that hold both teams accountable. Leverage data to guide decisions rather than relying on opinions, and focus on revenue impact rather than just marketing-qualified leads. Adopting an agile mindset is also crucial, as market conditions and customer behavior evolve rapidly. By breaking down silos and fostering a unified, revenue-driven approach, marketing and sales can work together more effectively, leading to higher conversion rates and improved ROI.
Implement Proper Attribution Tools
One of the biggest challenges I've faced as a CMO is attribution; figuring out exactly where leads and sales are coming from. It's easily one of the hardest things to nail in marketing, and when you're reporting to CEOs or shareholders, you need to be able to justify your value with real data.
I found this tool called WhatConverts (not affiliated, just genuinely helpful), and it's been huge for us. It tracks leads, shows which channels they came from, breaks down revenue per quarter per channel, and even differentiates between single touch, multi-touch, last touch, and data-driven attribution. Having that level of clarity means I can confidently show where our growth is coming from instead of just guessing.
For other CMOs struggling with attribution, my advice is simple: get a proper attribution tool that actually gives you visibility on what's working. It'll make your life easier, your reports stronger, and your budget decisions way more effective.
Foster Sales and Marketing Collaboration
One of the biggest challenges I've faced as a marketing leader is getting sales and marketing to work together toward the same goals. It's easy for these teams to become disconnected, which can lead to missed opportunities, wasted resources, and frustration on both sides.
To fix this, I made collaboration a priority by setting shared KPIs, holding regular strategy meetings, and creating open feedback loops. Tying marketing efforts directly to sales results rather than just focusing on surface-level metrics helped align both teams. My advice to other CMOs? Keep communication open, use data to guide decisions, and make sure everyone is working toward the same revenue-driven objectives. When sales and marketing are in sync, the entire business benefits.
Empower Your Team Through Delegation
The biggest challenge I've faced in my entire career but especially as CMO, is learning when to rely on my team or to admit that I don't have the answer. I think, once you reach a certain level, you start to believe that everyone expects you to have all the answers. However, the sign of a true leader is how well they are able to guide and delegate to their team. It is a constant battle for me to stop and think, "Is this something I should be doing or is this something I should guide my team to solve?" I do find that the more you practice letting go the easier it becomes. It's hard to be a well-rounded self-aware person in general, add to that the expectation of leading a productive team and it can be too much pressure. The best advice I can give is to do your best to listen to those around you and keep learning and growing from your mistakes.
Educate Customers on Complex Services
One of the main challenges for our company in particular was educating our customers on the nuances of financial compensation for delayed and canceled flights. Many people are unaware of their rights as passengers and have no idea that they're eligible for refunds. Therefore, communicating this to our target audience of travelers was key to keep the clients coming. Carefully crafted content strategy played the main role in overcoming this obstacle. We made sure to reach out to our leads with educational materials and simplified our messaging to make them more understandable.
Create Cross-Department Communication Channels
One major challenge I faced as a CMO was aligning marketing efforts with sales teams in a way that truly drove results. Early on, we had a disconnect between what our marketing team was creating and what the sales team needed to close deals. This led to missed opportunities and frustration on both sides. To overcome this, I implemented weekly cross-department meetings where both teams could review leads, content performance, and upcoming campaigns. We also created a shared dashboard to track key metrics in real time, allowing both teams to stay aligned.
My advice to other CMOs facing a similar challenge is to foster continuous communication between marketing and sales. Create a feedback loop where both teams feel heard and involved. It's crucial to build a collaborative environment where everyone is working toward the same goal--this alignment will drive better results and a stronger, more cohesive strategy.
Scale Services While Maintaining Brand Identity
One major challenge I faced as a co-founder was scaling our MOR Services, while keeping our brand identity strong. As we expanded, we had to juggle client demands, team growth, and ever-changing marketing trends--all without losing the core values that set us apart.
A turning point came when we noticed that as we took on more clients, our personalized approach started slipping. Clients loved us for our tailored strategies, but as our workload increased, communication gaps started forming. To fix this, we implemented a scalable yet personalized client experience--introducing structured onboarding, automated updates, and dedicated account managers. This allowed us to maintain efficiency without sacrificing the human touch that made us successful in the first place.
Another big challenge was navigating paid advertising volatility. At one point, a Facebook algorithm update sent our client acquisition costs soaring. Instead of relying solely on paid ads, we diversified--leveraging organic content marketing, partnerships, and referral programs. This not only stabilized our lead generation but also made our growth more sustainable.
My advice? Don't chase short-term wins. Focus on scalable processes, client relationships, and brand consistency--that's what drives long-term success. And always have a backup plan because in business, adaptability is everything.
