A Message From Jeff

Our recently published Advertising Age article ("Digitally Deficient CMOs Need Not Apply"--July 23, 2007) resonated strongly. We received very positive feedback AND obviously pushed a few "hot buttons" for some readers--so we thought it would be worthy of our highlight this month.

Much has been written about the pressures facing Chief Marketing Officers and their relatively short tenure (average 22 months) in this position. While the pressure is on for increased accountability of marketing spending everywhere--documented ROI resulting from marketing budgets and campaigns--many CMOs are failing because they are skill-deficient and not equipped to succeed in the new digital and one-to-one marketing shifts.

Whether you are currently a Chief Marketing Officer, or on a career path to a CMO role or other C-level position, NOW is a good time to ask yourself several questions related to your continuing investment in building your personal brand:

1. What am I doing to grow and expand my (marketing) technical skills in my current role? What seminars, courses, etc., have I taken within the past six to 12 months to learn new skills that are critical to my future success? What is my company's current reimbursement policy on continued education spending?

2. What are the key trends (i.e., SEM, SEO, Mobile Marketing) impacting my company's category/business and how am I embracing these trends and working to get ahead of the curve?

3. Who are the category leaders and thought leaders in my business? What "it" quality do they have and what can I learn from them? What can I do to get them in my Personal Advisory Circle?

4. What best practices am I seeing in different categories that can be applied to my current business?

5. What skills will I need in five years to be successful? What skills do I need to know/learn that I presently do not possess? What do I need to do NOW to MAKE THE TIME and INVEST IN MYSELF as a professional leader in this industry?

What are your thoughts? Where are you? What "aha" did you get from these questions and/or the article?

Enjoy the summer vacation weeks left--they are well-deserved and necessary to recharge the batteries!

All my best,
 

 
Jeff Gundersen - CEO
Executive Connections LLC
Executive Search, Coaching & Consulting

jgundersen@executiveconnects.com
941-323-8300
http://www.executiveconnects.com

Digitally Deficient CMOs Need Not Apply
With digital media and marketing budgets growing at a compound rate of more than 20% annually, what steps are you taking as a CMO to build and develop your personal brand in an increasingly digital and integrated world?

We are seeing that a surprisingly high percentage of CMOs are not compatible with the fast-arriving digital-marketing world, and this may explain the short average tenure that makes this the highest-risk C-level position. Read the full article.

ASK OUR COACH
As part of our commitment to provide assistance and support to executives wanting to further their professional and personal brand, we have created the ASK OUR COACH email service where you can get confidential answers to your career questions. What's on your mind? Don't hesitate to ASK OUR COACH.

Here are answers to questions we received last month:

Q: I know I need to network more to support my long-range goals. However, I work long hours in my current position, and when I'm not working I'm spending much needed time with my family. I don't seem to have enough time to invest in my personal brand. What advice do you have for a marketing exec like me? Where do I begin?

A: First call of business is to assess where you are now and define where you want to go. Along the way, you will want to focus on building on your strengths and delegating your weak areas. However, creating a personal brand development plan is the most critical first step.

To create a personal brand development plan, you must first address questions such as these:  

1. Where do I see myself personally and professionally in five years? Where do my family and I want to live? Income goal? What job titles and responsibilities, do I aspire to hold?

2. How long do I see myself staying within my current category/industry sector? Am I passionate about what I am doing? Is this position aligned with my values? What alternative industries/professions are attractive to me long-term?

Once you have addressed these big-picture questions, begin to clarify your personal brand development priorities by answering the following: 

1. What (business and marketing) technical skill areas and experience (e.g., general management, managing a P&L) am I missing or in need of strengthening?

2. What are the opportunities within my current position for obtaining these key knowledge areas through "on-the-job" training?

3. What is my company's current policy regarding financial support for ongoing education?

4. What other learning programs (university degrees, e-learning, conferences, executive MBA, etc.) would be beneficial for increasing the value of my personal brand?

5. What is my committed learning agenda for the next 12-24 months?

Start where you are. Leverage your current position/assignment, and attempt to negotiate with your current boss to provide you opportunities to learn as much as possible on the job by being stretched into new areas. Combine this with a committed personal learning agenda (e.g., to obtain an MBA degree within three years) to add business and marketing skills required to move you to the next management level(s) in your organization.

Your Feedback to Us
"Thank you very much for the recognition! It is truly my pleasure, however, to see great connections made. How you helped this candidate, and continue to do so, is just a powerful differentiator to your value proposition and certainly one of the many reasons you are so highly successful. Thank YOU for helping the candidate find the right spot and helping the company find the right candidate. I look forward to helping your organization again in any small way in the future." 
--Amy P. Deveau, Vice President-Sales, Freedom Graphic Systems, Inc.

Connect with EC at These Conferences
5th Annual Financial Services Marketing Symposium
October 14, 2007
JW Marriott Desert Ridge, Phoenix, AZ

JEFF will be the moderator on Monday, October 15, 2007, for:

"Helping the Boomer Segment Meet Their Financial Services Needs"

The "Boomer Segment" is composed of 78 million+ people born between the years 1946 and 1964. The earliest Boomers have just turned 60 years old, and over the next two decades, 10,000 Boomers per day will turn either 50 or 60 years old. This panel discussion will address the key financial services needs and attitudes of Boomers, including:

• How the Age Wave will transform financial services
• The longevity revolution
• From Baby Boom to Age Wave
• Changing the nature of retirement
• Reinventing financial services for the Boomer niche segment
• What solutions AARP Financial has to help Boomers meet their financial needs
• The new AARP Financial brand: what is its mission?
• New financial products and services in the pipeline: mutual funds, annuities and others
• How will AARP Financial support the growing number of small businesses started by Boomers?

2007 ICF Annual Conference
October 31 to November 3, 2007
Long Beach, CA, USA

Jeff Gundersen
CEO & President
Executive Connections, LLC

Serving Executives in
- Advertising and
Marketing Communications,
- Direct Marketing/ CRM/Loyalty,
- Digital Marketing/
E-Commerce,
- Financial Services, and
- Healthcare industries.

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