Marketing Daily recently conducted an interview with The CMO Council's Donovan Neale-May, who divulged some starting information. It appears that in a survey conducted by The CMO Council and the Boston Consulting Group of 1000 senior marketing execs, only 6% of respondents felt that their "go to market" capabilities were "very good." Huh?


So much for laying the proper groundwork–you know–putting the proper strategies and tactics in place for bringing new products and services to market effectively. In an article titled CMO Council Survey Finds Inertia Among the Ranks, it was the opening paragraph that really got my attention... and kind of shook me up.
"Marketers are not taking advantage of all–or even many–of the tools available to them to create effective sales and marketing platforms. What's more, they know it–and they're not doing much about it."
Now if that isn't eye-opening enough, the study and article went on to disclose that "despite their acknowledged deficiencies, the majority of executives are unwilling to stray outside of their comfort zone." Wow!
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66% of respondents reported that they remain focused on traditional marketing, branding and promotional communications.
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Only 26% reported making inroads in better understanding their consumer targets was a priority.
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Only 14% cited retail and service execution was a priority.
Neale-May observed that the "same old" proven marketing strategies might be effective, it's also important to embrace "innovative new approaches."
You think? The results of this poll are staggering, when you consider how much the world has changed due to new technologies, communications platforms and well-informed consumers who talk to each other. Not only that: the huge increase in global competition.
What on earth are these marketers thinking?
Apparently, many of the marketers surveyed recognized a need for the following:
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52% are modifying sales and marketing strategies for better results.
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32% need to hire new talent.
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Yet these two areas are not a fiscal priority–58% cited these two initiatives would have to be financed from current budgets.
Not surprisingly, the survey found that a healthy 48% of executives surveyed stated they had "insufficient resources as a barrier to implementing successful programs". 48% said they had "talent issues" and 35% cited "a gap between current and desired capabilities."
As to the future focus for the marketers surveyed?
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56% are focused on 'talent management and performance'–85% reported that they are rating the success of their marketing programs via revenue growth. And 53% reported that customer acquisition and retention were employed as marketing measures.
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52% are focusing on 'business strategy'
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Only 14% are focusing on investing in new metrics
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Only 12% are focusing on technology and IT
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Only 20% are focusing on productivity
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Only 10% are focusing on channel development
In a nutshell, here are my observations/questions, and I'd love your input on my ruminations, as well:
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Do marketers have the luxury of hiding behind the conventional anymore? I don't think so.
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Don't you think it might be time for marketers to leave their comfort zones and initiate some new programs–investing in some new media approaches to reach their customers and engage them in some meaningful dialogue, for example?
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Were you struck, as I was, that marketers in this survey placed such a low emphasis gaining better customer insights?
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How about "Only 14% cited retail and service execution was a priority"? Am I the only one who thinks that's deadly to business???
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How can 85% of respondents say they measure the success of their marketing efforts by revenue growth and place so little focus on their customers? Doesn't it strike you that this survey points to an internal focus on "talent and implementing programs" if–sigh–we only had enough of a budget, rather than being customer-centric?
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Lastly, how can these marketers who really are paralyzed by inertia–as this survey indicates–expect to gain the respect of their CEOs, CFOs and company presidents, if this is their M.O.? I'm willing to bet these same marketers smart about "not having a seat at the big table" and "a lack of respect."
What do you think? I'd love to hear from you.