In a recent discussion with a few friends, all CMOs or SVPs of Marketing, I asked a very simple question: “What is it you do exactly?”
The first few minutes were full of posturing and positioning – the day trips for a meeting in Singapore; the excruciatingly early morning meetings with the CEO; the battles with the FD to explain the value of marketing – that sort of thing.
Once that phase was over, I asked the question again and the answer this time was less glamorous. Most around the table spent a sizeable chunk of their day super-glued to their laptops answering emails or on conference calls they shouldn’t have had to go on. They attended too many aimless meetings without measurable outcomes or fire fought on issues such as security compliance and the budget for digital ads.
My opinion? Once a year it might be a good idea to do an old-fashioned activity value analysis to understand exactly what you do, how much impact it has and if it adds any value. If like my friends, you’re swamped with the minutiae, it might be time to step down, step across or step up and stop the waste of a valuable resource – you.
For help making that crucial transition to a better marketing role for you, contact Melvin Day at mday@marketingmoves.com or call us on 01932 253352.
