You’ve probably seen it before in a movie or comic: a plane full of screaming passengers tailspins out of control, trailing smoke and hurtling towards the ground only to be saved at the last moment by Superman or one of his heroic peers.
Now imagine your marketing in the same place, out of control and heading towards certain disaster. Who do you call when your marketing leadership is unavailable or unable to get it back on course?
Faster than a speeding viral campaign. More powerful than marketing automation software. Able to leap bureaucratic nightmares and systematic department problems with a single bound. Its…an interim marketing executive?
Spotting a Marketing Emergency
Marketing is a critical part of your company’s future growth and success. When it’s in really bad shape, it’s dragging the rest of your organization down with it.
But even seemingly coherent marketing programs under confident leadership could actually be ticking time bombs. Unless you possess an experienced marketing mind, it’s difficult to detect systemic problems slowing you down and accumulating. And the marketing geniuses you hired a few years ago to lead your marketing may no longer be on the cutting edge.
Sometimes you just wake up and realize that somehow you’re completely outclassed by your competitors without the marketing infrastructure to catch up. Maybe the marketing executive you were counting on suddenly left your organization for some reason and you need someone to hold down the fort while you find a replacement. Whatever the reason for your marketing crisis, an interim marketing executive could be the hero you need to save the day.
Your Own Personal Superhero
Ok, so an interim CMO can’t fly or lift a truck. But they have plenty of other more valuable superpowers you can leverage:
- A modern, cutting-edge marketing skillset and understanding of the industry.
- A strategic thought leader to move your company’s marketing and innovation ahead of your competition.
- Outsider perspective and insight essential for identifying problems.
- Reorganization of your marketing talent and resources for more efficient and cost-effective processes.
- Best practices to introduce and immediately start improving your marketing.
- An ability to restructure your marketing budget to achieve a greater ROI.
- The ability to get hands dirty in assessing day-to-day functions and taking a look under the hood of your tools and infrastructure.
- Time to step in as an executive marketing presence while you take the necessary time to find the leadership talent needed to guide and manage your marketing in the long-term.
I’d like to see Spiderman do that!
The Foundation of Your Long Term Success Strategy
Your marketing won’t be fixed overnight, and an interim CMO isn’t a magic wand that you can wave and expect immediate results. If your marketing is fundamentally flawed or lacking stable, quality leadership then you’ll need a long-term strategy to get your ship back on course.
In the meantime, however, you need a hero to keep the ship from sinking altogether. A skilled interim marketing executive can help you plug the largest holes and assemble the crew necessary to keep your marketing afloat. They can help you identify your problems and get on the path to fixing them.
Whatever your consulting needs are as far as modern marketing know-how, logistics, team building and more go, a good interim CMO can help—if you know how to find one.
Finding Your Hero
Unfortunately, finding quality interim marketing leadership isn’t easy. It takes a special kind of talent and personality to fearlessly jump into a marketing mess and take charge. You can’t simply beam a signal up in the sky and hope your superhero comes to save you.
Exceptional interim executives are hard to find in part because there are so few of them, and partially because they are in such high demand. The best develop strong reputations and are quickly picked up by companies in need. You can’t expect a simple job posting on your website to attract the attention of such busy, in-demand individuals. Your best bet is to coordinate with someone who knows experienced interim executive and connect you with them.
Leverage Your Network
One source of connections and advice is your professional network. You HAVE been building up a robust and diverse network, right? Ask around for anyone with past experience employing an interim CMO’s skills or ask for references on social. Maybe you know someone who can put you in touch with an available candidate.
Partner with a Marketing Recruiter
Experienced marketing recruiters interact with marketing talent and fill marketing jobs of all kinds on a daily basis. They’re able to build up deep talent portfolios, from top-level leadership to entry-level talent, including of course interim CMOs. Contact a marketing recruiter, share your marketing crisis, and get in touch with a marketing hero in no time.
