Executive Connections LLC

Connecting organizations with the future of marketing

Digital Proficiency

Filed Under: Ask Our Coach, Branding Yourself Online, Digital Proficiency, Executive Coaching, Executive Talent, Getting Hired in Digital Marketing, Personal Branding

Are You a Digitally & Socially Proficient or Deficient CMO?

With digital marketing, social media, mobile advertising and marketing budgets growing at a compound rate of more than 20% annually, what steps are you taking as a CMO to build and develop your personal brand in an increasingly digital, social, and mobile marketing world?

Are you a Digitally & Socially Proficient or Deficient CMO?

We are seeing that a surprisingly high percentage of CMOs are not compatible with the fast-arriving digital-marketing and social/mobile world, and this may explain the short average tenure of CMOs (i.e., less than 2 years) that makes this the highest-risk C-level position.

In many instances, some CMOs lack the professional experience to integrate the digital channel and new media with traditional off-line media and marketing strategies. They often don’t have the digital/social marketing, direct marketing/CRM, and analytic/segmentation skills to lead integrated media and marketing programs, where digital/social/mobile marketing and media strategies are increasingly leading branding, broadcast and print media, direct, promotion, and PR.

So what does this mean for you as a CMO as you look ahead to the future and go from a mass marketer to a one-to-one marketer?  

Here are the top five best practices we think you need to do now!

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Filed Under: Digital Proficiency, Marketing Conferences & Events

Top Takeaways from DMA 2012

Lola White and I were in Las Vegas last month to attend the DMEF Annual Awards Dinner and the DMA 2012 Conference, branded as “The Global Event for Real-Time Marketers.”

As an advocate of networking, service to nonprofit organizations that are relevant to your personal brand (including Board of Trustee roles like mine for DMEF, which is recruiting nominees for Board service in 2013), and ongoing professional development to keep your skills evolving, I believe annual participation in conferences is a must. The professional connections and thought leadership we derive from the digital marketing conferences we attend each year are invaluable, and this year is no exception. Here are my top three takeaways from DMA 2012.

  1. The DMA brand continues to face challenges evolving from their direct mail/list brokerage/printing heritage into the rapidly evolving digital and mobile marketing present and future. DMA must act now to better lead this transition and retain its value proposition for members (outside of DMA’s Legislative activities).
  2. The DMA would benefit from having consistent senior leadership who is well equipped to guide the future direction.
  3. According to attendee feedback, the quality of content and educational programs needs to be addressed to assure long-term sustainability. Top-level CEOs and CMOs should be recruited as speakers and panel members, similar to what I recently experienced in my attendance at AdWeek.

Mark your calendars for these upcoming professional development and networking events.

As always, your comments and input are greatly appreciated.

Filed Under: Connections E-Zine, Digital Proficiency

CONNECTIONS Ezine: Issue No. 49

In this issue:

  • In Our Opinion: C-Level “Digital” Officer Role
  • Client Spotlight on Michael V. Howe
  • Register for our May Webinar
  • Blog Round Up
  • Career Announcements

In Our Opinion

The Case for Establishing a C-Level “Digital” Officer Role

With spending on digital-related marketing, media, and e-commerce initiatives accounting for 20%+ of marketing expenses at the top 100 global advertisers—and forecast to increase at double-digit rates for the foreseeable future across most industry segments—it’s time for CEOs and Boards to give serious consideration to establishing a “Chief Digital Officer” (“CDO”) position reporting directly to the CEO. The stakes are too high and the issues too complicated to leave this domain left managed by an informal, undefined, and mostly powerless assemblage of mid-level managers across an enterprise.

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Filed Under: Connections E-Zine, Digital Proficiency

CONNECTIONS Ezine: Issue No. 48

In this issue:

  • In Our Opinion: The CMO of the Future
  • Blog Round Up
  • Client Spotlight: Al DiGuido
  • Ask Our Coach
  • MYPB: Parts 2 & 3
  • Career Announcements

In Our Opinion

The CMO of the Future

The role of the Chief Marketing Officer (“CMO”) has always been a challenging one as evidenced by the average 24-month tenure (according to an annual survey conducted by Spencer Stuart). This tough job is getting even tougher because many CMOs are ill-prepared to lead in this ever-changing landscape.

[Read more…] about CONNECTIONS Ezine: Issue No. 48

Filed Under: Digital Proficiency

Are You Digitally Proficient or Deficient?

Time Magazine was spot on with their comment: 2010 was definitely the year of the internet entrepreneur. With a best-selling (Golden Globe award-winning) movie about his story, a net worth of $7 billion and a now rumored $50 billion valuation of Facebook, why not give Mark Zuckerberg Man of the Year?

It’s Not Just Facebook!

Linda Gridley, CEO of Gridley & Co., sounded the same message at the recent 10th Annual Marketing Services, Internet and Financial Technology Conference in NYC. “It’s not just Facebook,” Gridley said, “Add Groupon, Zynga and Twitter to name a few. When else in history have we seen a three-year old company (Groupon) not only receive a $6 billion offer to sell, but turn it down? These internet entrepreneurs are creating real value at record paces and investors are jumping in any way they can.“

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