What’s really top of mind for CMOs right now?

We put out a call to the Exit Five community in Austin, and these three CMOs got mentioned time and time again:

• Kimberly Storin: CMO, Zayo Group
• Ido Mart: CMO, Manychat
• Megan Lueders: CMO, Sonatype

They joined us live in Austin for a panel last week, and they shared everything from what’s working (and not working) for them right now to how they’re dealing with their CFO, and more.

Below is a brief recap from our evening in Austin.

1. CMO Roles Are What You Make of Them (So Make Them Count)

Kim (CMO at Zayo) reminded us that the CMO role is largely undefined. Unlike the CFO, which has a clear remit, CMO roles are shapeable.

This can be a huge opportunity for you to lean into your strengths and make the role yours. Whether you’re a brand expert, demand gen pro, or product marketing mastermind, use what you’re best at to build a function that has impact.

Megan (CMO at Sonatype) emphasized that understanding how your CEO views marketing is vital— you need to have the same definition of the role, otherwise you’re fighting an uphill battle.

Ido (CMO at Manychat) had a great point that your success is often determined before you even take the role – different companies have vastly different needs. Sometimes they need strategy more than execution and vice versa.

He recommends asking yourself, “what needs to get done in the org to be successful?” and matching that up with your own skills.

Takeaway: Define your role before someone else does. Build around your strengths and make sure leadership is on the same page.

2. “Marketing Is Never Green When the Business Is Red”

There were audible gasps and more than a few claps when Kim dropped this gem of a one-liner. It truly captures the reality of being a CMO today.

Marketing’s success metrics can’t live in a vacuum; they need to reflect the broader business health. Vanity metrics like high MQLs or social engagement numbers don’t mean much if they’re not translating into real value that drives the company forward.

It’s a reminder to all marketing leaders: our goals and metrics should align with the company’s overall health. Celebrating isolated wins, like increased lead volume, is hollow if the deals aren’t closing or revenue targets aren’t being met.

Kim suggests focusing on “business value drivers,” such as how marketing influences deal velocity and deal size—essentially, measuring how marketing impacts the outcomes the company cares about most.

Ido added a cautionary note on over-relying on attribution. It’s great for insights but not scorekeeping. Treating attribution as gospel can create unnecessary friction, especially with CFOs focused on profitability.

Takeaway: Track business-driven metrics that reflect marketing’s true impact on the business and remember that attribution is a tool, not the answer.

3. Growth-at-All-Costs Is Dead—Here’s What’s Taking Its Place

We’re officially in the era of “growth with a conscience.” Gone are the days when marketing could push for growth at any cost. Ido mentioned how profitability is becoming the company-wide metric, a shift that can challenge CMOs to balance growth with sustainability.

His advice? Don’t let the CFO start dictating marketing tactics just to meet EBITDA goals. Instead, defend marketing’s strategic role – but don’t rely on attribution to do it.

Megan does this by constantly analyzing the impact of marketing's involvement in deals. How much faster do they close vs deals where only sales is involved? She wants to show that when marketing sources or touches a deal, they’re faster to close and bigger contract values.

She also shared a cheeky tip: stop itemizing every single marketing channel. It gives the CFO the opportunity to dig in and pick them apart.

Takeaway: Growth is still the goal, but you’ll need to balance it with a clear, profitability-focused plan. Protect marketing’s influence in strategy discussions.

4. What’s Working in 2024: Influencers, Product Marketing, and Positioning

Our experts shared what they’re doubling down on right now, and how they’re working to stand out in the every-crowded B2B landscape.

For Ido, it’s influencer partnerships – but he stressed that they have to be authentic and genuine. He’s doing this in two ways: collaborating with them to create content, where they can help you better understand your audience, and having them use their channels to promote content you’ve already created.

Kim and Megan both spoke on the value of product marketing, particularly in crafting positioning that resonates emotionally with buyers. We tend to think of B2B buyers as less emotional, but they both stressed that this isn’t entirely accurate.

As Kim put it, even in B2B, buying decisions are emotional: “If I sign a million-dollar contract and it’s a flop, that’s my job on the line.”

Takeaway: Double down on product marketing and thoughtful positioning—it’s what’s resonating in today’s crowded market.

5. Cut the Noise—Focus on What Matters to Your Audience

When asked what’s not working, each CMO had a unique response, but there was a shared theme: too much focus on tactics with diminishing returns.

Kim expressed skepticism about paid media’s effectiveness, describing it as a “black box” where it’s unclear if the investment leads to high-value engagements.

Megan mentioned that email marketing’s effectiveness has plateaued with oversaturation – specifically BDR sequences. Given the amount of time and effort it takes to set them up, it’s just not proving valuable for her anymore.

Takeaway: Question every channel, experiment selectively, and invest in what’s delivering genuine engagement.

‍

We'll share the full recording of the panel soon in the Exit Five community – if you're a member, just head on over to "videos" and you'll see it there. Not a member yet? Start a free 7 day trial here.