Written by: Vickie Sullivan | September 17, 2024
Decision-Maker Changes in the C-Suite: Pitching to COOs
Musical chairs in the C-suite means professional speakers and advisors have a new sheriff to go through. And these decision-maker changes mean you’re facing new buyer expectations.
We’re seeing this shift among chief marketing officers (CMOs). According to a recent Fortune article, CMOs (the folks who have the final say over who speaks at conferences) are being shoved aside in favor of chief operating officers (COOs) who are picking up marketing oversight. The days of the creative CMO look numbered.
On paper, it makes sense. As more CEOs become the brand’s public face, the COO must step up to take over internal affairs. And if COOs are the new decision-makers, they must have deep knowledge of the markets to make that transition.
How to Handle These Decision-Maker Changes
Where does that leave us? With new buyer expectations. Here are two things I see happening as a result:
• The emphasis on performance marketing increases. The new decision-maker will scrutinize client conferences, armed with data to assess conferences’ impact on buying decisions. Speakers who pitch impact (and prove it) will have the inside track.
• ROI becomes part of the vetting process. Proving return on investment (ROI) has always been key for big learning and change initiatives. Now, however, ROI will enter the sales process much sooner. Both consultants and coaches must be prepared to show proof of impact in the exploratory stage. The more data that bolsters your track record, the better.
As the article notes, this trend could be short-term. But even if it is, the new buyer expectations will stick around. If you work with larger organizations, you may need to rethink and revise your brand and pitch.
Listen: How to Pitch a Decision Maker When You Don’t Have the Data
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