Francisco Velasquez’s Post

Interesting take on the evolution of corporate structures, putting the CMO role and its past and future at the centre stage.

Thoughtful article by Lila MacLellan in Fortune about the role of the CMO and their opportunity to grow into the COO and CEO role. I had the opportunity to speak with Lila about the article and you will probably recognize some of the common themes I have been writing for the past several years from this brief excerpt. Check out the full article at the link (💰paywall) ===== Looking ahead, Mahoney predicts that marketers who aspire to maintain a seat within the C-suite no matter the title will need to proactively round out and deepen their financial skills while also becoming experts on once-distant concerns like data privacy and cybersecurity. “There’s going to be a great sorting algorithm,” says Mahoney. Marketers locked in an outmoded mindset, he says, “may not even be able to maintain their CMO job, let alone make it to the next rung, to COO.” =====

Its CyberMarketingCon week and it’s our goal to bring you sessions that help you in this journey from aspiring leaders to seasoned pros who have already leaped. If you’re a rising leader, here are the sessions we think you need to attend this week: A Startup CMO’s Guide to the First 90 Days - Alexandra Gobbi, CMO at Veracode , Chas Larios, VP Marketing at Anvilogic and Manny Ataebi, SVP Marketing The Path from Marketer to CMO to CXO: We Can No Longer Be Bound -Jennifer Leggio, CMO at Netography Memoirs of a Marketing Guinea Pig – How To Survive (and Thrive) as the First Marketing Leader - Brandon Hoe, VP of Marketing, Oxeye. Brand to Demand: Fueling Growth in Tough Times - Tom Wentworth, Chief Marketing Officer at Recorded Future. 3 Playbooks Cybersecurity Companies are Using to Increase Retention & Drive Expansion - Seth Steinman, VP of Marketing at PreVeil, Ryan Murray, Director of Business Development & SMB Sales at Cobalt and Gar Smyth, VP Revenue Marketing Operations at Mimecast One CMO’s Secrets to Hiring Top Marketing Talent (or Get Hired as One!) - Nimmy Reichenberg, 4x CMO, Head of SecOps PMM at Google Cloud 10-Exit Playbook from a CMO - Dan Lowden, CMO at BLACKBIRD.AI Read more about the session: https://hubs.ly/Q02csyL80

When I say "Marketing Strategy", what comes to mind? And—Why is it that strategists get no love? Example 1—A content calendar is not a strategy Sure, it’s nice to know what you’re posting and when, but that’s just logistics. The real meat—the substance, the strategy, and the 𝙬𝙝𝙮 behind your content—that’s what matters. A content calendar without a solid strategy is like a ship without a compass. You’re moving, but you have no idea where you’re going. Getting the picture? Ok, let's ride. None of these are strategies either: • Posting consistently • Following trends • Using Analytics tools • Having a mission statement • Running ads • Creating content • "Doing" ABM (Don't at me) • "Inbound-Led-Outbound (Say somethin'. I dare you.) Oooooh, some of those get dangerously close, don't they? That's the problem. A lot of these can masquerade as strategies, but once you get down to it, it's all tactical. When you really get into the weeds about actual strategy, you get into some really nebulous concepts. 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲—Here's where a lot of the inspiration for Ronin's GTM strategy came from • Rival brands from the 60's • Sun Tzu's The Art of War • World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King Raid Boss fights • Fleetwood Mac    Want to hear more of the breakdown? Watch the vid! I shed light on Ronin | The Cybersecurity GTM Experts's GTM strategy. #B2BMarketing #cybersecurity #CISO #CMO  #DeployRonin

In a recent exclusive interview with SME Channels, our Marketing Head, Sanjay Khera, spotlighted the transformative journey of Eventus Security, driven by strategic investments in innovation, talent, and technology. 🚀 Sanjay elaborated on the company's diverse marketing strategies that have consistently achieved objectives and key results, cementing Eventus leadership in the managed cybersecurity services. The interview delved into how these multifaceted strategies have not only surmounted challenges but also facilitated global expansion while maintaining the company's strong Indian roots. For further insights, delve into the full interview to discover how Eventus Security continues to innovate and thrive in the cybersecurity landscape. Check out the link below: 👉🔗https://lnkd.in/gvwECFNi Sunil Sapra Manish Chasta Jiten Motwani Pratik Vyas Mamta Sachani #Innovation #Cybersecurity #TechLeadership #GlobalExpansion #MarketingStrategies #EventusSecurity #SMEChannels #CyberTech #BusinessGrowth #ManagedSecurity

In the last year, I've been lucky enough to talk with 5 of the top minds in cybersecurity marketing, and I've been able to spotlight invaluable insights that can dramatically boost your go-to-market strategy. Here are my top five takeaways from these enlightening conversations: 👉 Positioning is Everything: Whether you're a startup or an established player, the importance of clear and effective positioning cannot be overstated. Bob Wright from Firebrick Consulting emphasized that proper positioning shapes the category, sets buying criteria, and accelerates revenue. It's about solving distinct problems that your buyers care deeply about. Shlomi Ashkenazy took me through the 3 steps a leadership team should take to position their company. 👉 Make the Buyer the Hero: Both Scott Taschler and Bob Wright highlighted the need to make the buyer the hero of your story. It's essential to show how your product makes a substantial difference in their lives. As Scott put it, you should aim to be the Obi Wan Kenobi to their Luke Skywalker – guiding them to success. 👉 Creativity and Unique Content: Manny Ataebi discussed the power of engaging and unique content, citing examples like humorous videos at events such as RSA. Creativity sets you apart in a crowded market and can create lasting impressions, reaching execs in ways traditional methods can't. 👉 Alignment Across Teams: Gianna Whitver and Manny Ataebi both stressed the importance of aligning your sales and marketing teams. Consistent and collaborative strategies enable a unified message, ensuring that both teams work in tandem towards the common goal of driving revenue and building brand trust. Adapt to Market Dynamics: Shlomi Ashkenazy emphasized the critical need to understand market dynamics and be willing to pivot. Whether it's finding a specific niche or leveraging new trends, staying agile allows you to stay ahead in the fast-evolving world of cybersecurity. These takeaways are not just theoretical; they are proven strategies from experts who have successfully navigated the complex landscape of cybersecurity marketing. Implement these strategies, and you will be well on your way to standing out in a crowded market and resonating deeply with your target audience. Thank you to these top people for talking with me: Shlomi Ashkenazy 💡Manny Ataebi Bob Wright Scott Taschler (Fractional PMM for Cybersecurity) Gianna Whitver

Because high growth demands the very best talent.

Here's a weird little observation for you. Most of my smaller cybersecurity customers are VERY interested in how their marketing dollars transform into (hopefully more) revenue dollars. But as CS companies grow, and their marketing budgets and teams swell... something weird happens. Instead of focusing on "dollars in, dollars out" they start building their marketing programs around weird and arcane acronyms, ideas, and pipe dreams. You know the stuff. MQLs. Pipeline. Engagement. Content production and consumption. CTRs. Signup rates. Fucking BRAND AWARENESS. Before you start screaming incoherently about whatever your pet metric is, answer this: When we the last time you walked into a shop and bought something with brand awareness? Or MQLs? Or any other figment-of-your-imagination metric, output, or results obfuscation mechanism? I have some idea why the above transformation from "results" to "bullshit" happens. It seems largely to be a desperate attempt by marketers to make the rest of the business think they're doing something useful. But wouldn't a better approach be to ACTUALLY do something useful? (No, "brand building" doesn't count. I refer you to my last post.) If you'd like some help building a content program that generates qualified leads, nurtures them through to the sale, and even helps your sales team CLOSE those sales... AND which give you measurable ROI... Email me: pete [at] petehugh [dot] com #cybersecurity #contentstrategy

Here's a weird little observation for you. Most of my smaller cybersecurity customers are VERY interested in how their marketing dollars transform into (hopefully more) revenue dollars. But as CS companies grow, and their marketing budgets and teams swell... something weird happens. Instead of focusing on "dollars in, dollars out" they start building their marketing programs around weird and arcane acronyms, ideas, and pipe dreams. You know the stuff. MQLs. Pipeline. Engagement. Content production and consumption. CTRs. Signup rates. Fucking BRAND AWARENESS. Before you start screaming incoherently about whatever your pet metric is, answer this: When we the last time you walked into a shop and bought something with brand awareness? Or MQLs? Or any other figment-of-your-imagination metric, output, or results obfuscation mechanism? I have some idea why the above transformation from "results" to "bullshit" happens. It seems largely to be a desperate attempt by marketers to make the rest of the business think they're doing something useful. But wouldn't a better approach be to ACTUALLY do something useful? (No, "brand building" doesn't count. I refer you to my last post.) If you'd like some help building a content program that generates qualified leads, nurtures them through to the sale, and even helps your sales team CLOSE those sales... AND which give you measurable ROI... Email me: pete [at] petehugh [dot] com #cybersecurity #contentstrategy

Here's a weird little observation for you. Most of my smaller cybersecurity customers are VERY interested in how their marketing dollars transform into (hopefully more) revenue dollars. But as CS companies grow, and their marketing budgets and teams swell... something weird happens. Instead of focusing on "dollars in, dollars out" they start building their marketing programs around weird and arcane acronyms, ideas, and pipe dreams. You know the stuff. MQLs. Pipeline. Engagement. Content production and consumption. CTRs. Signup rates. Fucking BRAND AWARENESS. Before you start screaming incoherently about whatever your pet metric is, answer this: When we the last time you walked into a shop and bought something with brand awareness? Or MQLs? Or any other figment-of-your-imagination metric, output, or results obfuscation mechanism? I have some idea why the above transformation from "results" to "bullshit" happens. It seems largely to be a desperate attempt by marketers to make the rest of the business think they're doing something useful. But wouldn't a better approach be to ACTUALLY do something useful? (No, "brand building" doesn't count. I refer you to my last post.) If you'd like some help building a content program that generates qualified leads, nurtures them through to the sale, and even helps your sales team CLOSE those sales... AND which give you measurable ROI... Email me: pete [at] petehugh [dot] com #cybersecurity #contentstrategy