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The CMO Manifesto: The 7 Non-Negotiables for B2B Marketing Leadership
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This week’s research note includes:
GTM Research: The CMO Manifesto: The 7 Non-Negotiables for B2B Marketing Leadership
Spotlight: Six Marketing, a GTM Operating System Certified Agency
Event: Pavilion CMO Summit
RESEARCH: The CMO Manifesto: The 7 Non-Negotiables for B2B Marketing Leadership
B2B marketing is at a turning point.
The traditional role of the CMO—focused purely on campaigns and lead generation—is dead.
Today’s most successful marketing leaders operate like business executives, driving revenue, shaping category leadership, and influencing company-wide strategy.
Master the seven non-negotiables that follow and transform into a revenue-driving powerhouse.
Ignore them and risk irrelevance.
1. Focus less on marketing the business and more on the business of marketing.
"The CMO role is becoming far more aligned to growth, far more commercial, far more aligned to revenue and profitability."~Sherilyn Shackell, CEO of The Marketing Academy.
Why It Matters:
Marketing is no longer just a support function—it is a core driver of business strategy.
CMOs who fail to understand their company’s broader objectives, market dynamics, and financials will struggle to gain influence.
CEOs and boards are looking for marketing leaders who can connect branding and demand generation with measurable business growth.
Those who embrace this shift will find themselves driving not just marketing, but overall company success.
But CEOs want marketing to be a strategic growth driver. If CMOs don’t think and act like business executives, they won’t last long.
The Data:
📊 80% of CEOs don’t trust or are unimpressed with their CMOs.
The Lesson from Adobe:
In 2012, Adobe’s CMO Ann Lewnes stopped talking about campaigns and started talking about revenue. She built a data-driven marketing engine that tied every dollar spent to business growth. Fast forward—Adobe is now a $200B+ giant, with marketing at the core of its strategy, not a cost center.
👉 Takeaway: CMOs must go beyond campaigns and understand business fundamentals—profitability, market dynamics, and customer behavior.
LEARN MORE: As your company evolves, so should your marketing leadership.
2. Market like a leader—or get left behind.
"Smart brands don’t just ride trend shifts. They start them." Ann Handley, WS best-selling author and digital marketing influencer
Why It Matters:
Marketing is not just about responding to demand—it’s about creating it. In highly competitive markets, waiting for demand signals means you're already behind.
The companies that shape industry conversations, define new categories, and position themselves as thought leaders gain the most market share and brand loyalty.
Being a market leader isn’t about reacting—it’s about proactively crafting a movement that others want to follow.
First movers dominate their categories, while followers are left scrambling for leftovers.
The Data:
📊 First-mover companies have a 70% higher market share than late adopters. (Harvard Business Review)
The Salesforce Playbook:
When Salesforce launched, it didn’t just sell CRM software—it sold a movement: “No Software.” Competitors focused on features; Salesforce focused on defining the industry. Today, it’s a $300B+ market leader.
Similarly, Gong created the "Revenue Intelligence" category, shifting the conversation from sales call recordings to AI-powered insights that improve sales performance. By proactively shaping the narrative, Gong positioned itself as an industry leader rather than just another sales tool.
👉 Takeaway: CMOs must take bold market positions, drive category creation, and lead the conversation—not just react to it. Salesforce dominated the CRM market by defining a category.
By taking control of the narrative, these companies created demand rather than just responding to it.
LEARN MORE: 5 Steps to Establish a Clear Point of View for Your Brand
3. Brand drives demand.
"Your brand is the single most important investment you can make in your business." ~ Steve Forbes, Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Magazine.
Why It Matters:
Demand generation without brand investment is like pouring water into a leaky bucket.
The best companies don’t separate brand from demand—they see them as inseparable.
The Data:
📊 Consistent brand presentation across all platforms increases revenue by up to 23%.
The Apple & Nike Effect:
Nike doesn’t sell shoes. Apple doesn’t sell phones. They sell identity and belief systems. Apple’s “Think Different” campaign didn’t mention product specs—but it built a global fanbase that willingly pays a premium.
In B2B terms, think about Salesforce & Snowflake: Salesforce doesn’t just sell CRM software. Snowflake doesn’t just sell cloud storage.
They sell a vision of the future—Salesforce pioneered the SaaS revolution with 'No Software,' while Snowflake redefined data management with the 'Data Cloud' narrative. Their brands drive demand by positioning themselves as industry disruptors, not just vendors.
👉 Takeaway: CMOs who ignore brand-building will compete purely on price—a race to the bottom.
LEARN MORE: When brand suffers, revenue suffers.
4. Own the P&L—or stay stuck in the marketing box.
"A business without a path to profit isn’t a business, it’s a hobby." ~Jason Fried, Founder & CEO, Basecamp.
Why It Matters:
Marketing leaders who don’t connect their activities to revenue and profitability get sidelined. Moreover, CMOs who fail to tie marketing spend to revenue growth risk being seen as cost centers rather than strategic assets.
Owning the P&L means having a direct influence on the company’s bottom line, ensuring marketing efforts are aligned with sustainable business growth.
When marketing leaders take responsibility for revenue impact, customer acquisition efficiency, and profit margins, they earn a stronger voice in executive decision-making and help drive long-term success.
Those who take ownership of business outcomes gain a seat at the table.
The Data:
📊 CMOs with P&L responsibility have an average tenure of 4.1 years, compared to 3.6 years for those without.
ServiceNow’s Growth Playbook:
ServiceNow’s CMO, Alan Marks, transformed marketing into a revenue-driving function by deeply integrating with sales and customer success. Instead of just running campaigns, he aligned marketing strategy with business objectives, ensuring that marketing spend was directly tied to customer acquisition, expansion, and retention. This strategic approach helped ServiceNow grow from a niche IT service management tool to a $100B+ enterprise software leader.
👉 Takeaway: CMOs must own revenue impact, customer acquisition cost, and lifetime value—not just MQLs.
LEARN MORE: Are you a modern marketer?
5. AI is the new internet. Adapt or die.
"AI is an accelerant; disruption from technology invariably comes, and now it's coming faster." ~McKinsey & Company
Why It Matters:
AI isn’t a future trend—it’s happening now. Leading B2B marketers already leverage tools like ChatGPT for content automation, Jasper AI for copywriting, and Drift for AI-powered conversational marketing.
These tools reshape how businesses generate demand, personalize engagement, and optimize marketing efficiency. Companies that fail to integrate AI will fall behind.
The Data:
📊 62% of B2B marketers already use AI-powered tools, and adoption will hit 75% by the end of 2024. (MarketingProfs, 2024)
Jasper AI’s Rapid Growth:
Jasper AI used AI-driven content marketing to scale from $0 to $75M ARR in just 18 months. Meanwhile, legacy brands are still debating AI’s role in marketing.
👉 Takeaway: Every CMO must make AI a core part of their strategy—or risk becoming obsolete.
LEARN MORE: 7 Ways AI is Redefining GTM Strategy and Success
6. Go beyond marketing metrics to boardroom metrics.
"Without data, you're just another person with an opinion." ~W. Edwards Deming, Statistician and Quality Control Pioneer
Why It Matters:
CMOs who report on vanity metrics (clicks, impressions, social engagement) lose credibility in the boardroom.
The Data:
📊 49% of CMOs say their CEO doesn’t recognize their strategic impact beyond marketing.
The Twilio Shift:
Twilio’s CMO, Sara Varni, moved beyond traditional marketing metrics to focus on product-led growth and revenue impact. By aligning marketing with developer engagement and customer expansion, she helped Twilio scale into a $2B+ enterprise, proving marketing’s value in driving both adoption and long-term revenue.
👉 Takeaway: If CMOs can’t connect marketing to financial outcomes, they’ll be dismissed as a cost center.
LEARN MORE: check out our downloadable GTM and CMO/CRO Scorecards
7. Goals are for amateurs. Systems build unicorns.
"You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems"~ James Clear, Atomic Habits
Why It Matters:
Sustainable growth doesn’t come from setting goals—it comes from building systems that make growth inevitable.
Goals can provide direction, but they don’t ensure execution. The most successful companies don’t just aim for success; they create frameworks, workflows, and processes that make success repeatable.
Without well-structured systems, even the best marketing teams will struggle to scale effectively.
CMOs who focus on developing consistent, data-driven marketing systems will create predictable revenue growth and long-term competitive advantages.
The Data:
📊 Companies with structured marketing systems see a 30% increase in efficiency and long-term growth.
The Systems-First Approach:
Companies that scale successfully don’t just set ambitious goals—they build systems that predict growth.
Instead of focusing on arbitrary revenue targets, leading B2B brands invest in repeatable marketing frameworks, automation, and data-driven processes.
For example, Atlassian's no-sales-team model leverages product-led growth systems, making customer acquisition and expansion frictionless. By creating sustainable systems, these companies ensure consistent, scalable success.
👉 Takeaway: CMOs must create repeatable, scalable marketing systems—not just chase short-term results.
LEARN MORE: Read about the GTM Operating System, used by hundreds of companies to integrate teams across silos and connect strategy to execution.
The GTM Operating System: Tying It All Together
The 7 Non-Negotiables aren’t isolated tactics—they meld together into action in our Go-To-Market (GTM) Operating System.
This system ensures marketing isn’t just a department but a growth engine that drives revenue, category leadership, and long-term company success.
Modern CMOs aren’t just brand builders or demand generators—they are business architects. The leaders who embrace these principles will thrive.
The ones who don’t?
They’ll be left behind.
What kind of CMO do you want to be?
Thousands of CMO’s have taken our trainings, courses, and certifications over the years to improve their strategy-to-execution and integrate marketing efforts with other critical GTM functions like sales, product, and CS.
So… if you haven’t already signed up (hundreds of GTMonday subscribers have), we’re giving you 14-day access to the MOVE Book Companion Course—a self-guided resource designed to help you and your team build your entire GTM Strategy.
It’s our gift to you with code gtmonday100 ($499).
Spotlight on SIX: Unlocking Growth Through Strategic Alignment
SIX is a growth-focused agency dedicated to helping mid-market organizations break through revenue plateaus and achieve sustainable success. With a deep understanding of the challenges businesses face in scaling, SIX leverages a proven Go-To-Market (GTM) Framework to realign strategy, execution, systems, and leadership—driving measurable revenue impact.
SIX partners with organizations generating between $25M and $100M+ in revenue, primarily within manufacturing, commercial construction, SaaS, and professional services.
The SIX Approach
Inspired by the concept of six degrees of separation, SIX believes that making the right connections—between people, plans, and processes—is the key to unlocking transformational growth. Growth doesn’t happen in silos, and their holistic approach identifies misalignments that hinder progress, ensuring companies regain momentum and build a foundation for long-term success.
Problems SIX Solves
Companies often struggle with:
Departmental Misalignment → Wasted resources & missed opportunities
Disjointed Customer Experience → Lost deals & revenue leakage
Scaling Challenges → Effort without results & growth stagnation
Stalled Revenue → Inefficiencies & inability to adapt
High Customer Churn → Resource drain & brand reputation risks
Inconsistent Sales Performance → Over-reliance on key talent & lack of predictability
Marketplace Differentiation → Struggles to stand out & attract customers
Notable Clients
SIX has worked with major brands, including Kyocera, NOVIPAX, ProEst, Autodesk, Play Bigger, STEMREGEN®, Kersia Group, Ocean Power Technologies, Inc., and Hudson Headwaters.
By fostering strategic connections and providing actionable insights, SIX empowers businesses to grow in a way that benefits not just their bottom line, but their employees, customers, and communities.
🔗 Learn more: www.six.marketing
Want to become a GTM OS certified agency? Let’s talk
Event: Pavilion CMO Summit
Join Sangram at Pavilion’s CMO Summit, where he’ll give a keynote on the 7 non-negotiables we covered in today’s research note.
Use our link to register with 15% off, the code will be automatically applied.
WHEN: April 17, 2025
WHERE: in-person in Atlanta, GA, or attend virtually
Join leaders from companies like Meltwater, Gong, Zuora, and Vimeo at Pavilion's 2025 CMO Summit for high-impact sessions designed to fast-track your go-to-market success.
Immerse yourself in expert-led workshops with a community that cares, and explore the fresh strategies you need to stay ahead.GTMNow readers receive an exclusive 15% discount on general admission using code GTMPARTNERS at checkout.
Meet Sangram April 17 at the Ritz Carlton Atlanta. Seats are going fast, so secure your spot now!
A room full of marketing trailblazers.
Connect with a global network of VP+ marketing leaders who are defining the future of B2B marketing. These aren’t just your peers—they’re the minds who will inspire your next breakthrough.
Thanks as always for reading.
Love,
Bryan and Sangram
