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Measurement, Efficiency, Customer Knowledge Top Marketer Challenges
Latest research shows gaps in corporate marketing goals versus accomplishments.
by AICPA Custom Media Solutions

Measuring marketing's worth, improving marketing's efficiency and effectiveness and better customer knowledge are top-of-mind with business marketers for 2007 according to the latest research from Chief Marketing Officer Council (CMO). These forward-thinking goals ranked highly as the top challenges for this year among respondents from companies of all sizes.

The Top Marketing Challenges in 2007 Challenge % Respondents Agreeing Quantify and measure the value of marketing programs and investments 43.8% Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the marketing organization 38.7% Grow customer knowledge, insight and conversations 33.7% Improve the allocation and ROI of marketing spend 28.4%

Source: CMO Council, 2007

While the top corporate marketing challenges (see above) reflected a Business 2.0 mind set, survey respondents fell back on familiar Business 1.0 principles when ticking off their top marketing accomplishments of the previous year. Not a single accomplishment is one that could be easily quantified and measured. Expect to see a reshuffling of the “leader board” next spring when the 2008 survey results come out.

“The era of brand-centric marketing is giving way to a new breed of CMO who is more focused on measurable performance and business results,” concluded the Chief Marketing Officer Council (CMOC) 2007 Outlook survey released last month.

The Top Accomplishments Marketing Organization Achieved in 2006 Accomplishment % Respondents Agreeing Restructured and realigned marketing to better support sales and drive demand generation 45.7% Overhauled brand image, visual identity, Web site and collaterals to better capture and convey value proposition 29.2% Produced new branding and messaging platform to underscore differentiation 27.6% Implemented new campaigns that significantly advanced the business 26.7% Added important new internal resources 23.9% Improved the yield and accountability of the marketing organization worldwide 21.0%

Source: CMO Council, 2007

The CMO report was based on interviews with more than 1,200 senior marketers, 300 CEOs and board members and 35 corporate recruiters.