Last updated on April 6th, 2024 at 07:45 pm
A CMO or chief marketing officer is a professional who manages and controls a company's marketing activities. Global marketing officer and marketing director also refer to the same position and many people in the marketing field want to achieve this position one day.
So, how can you go about doing that?
In this article, we will guide you through the steps of becoming a CMO if you are a marketing professional. You can take the help of an online CMO training program to speed up your career. But first, you must understand and get familiar with the responsibilities and career path of a CMO.
Who is a CMO?
A CMO or chief marketing officer is one of the top executive positions in an organisation’s marketing department.
A business offering different products or services must have its marketing game on point to increase brand awareness and boost sales. The marketing team handles the task of marketing products and services of the company to potential clients to boost sales. As the head of the marketing team, a CMO has to plan, strategise, manage, and control the marketing team to increase the sales and revenue of the organisation. Their shoulders carry a lot of responsibility in an organisation.
What are the responsibilities of a CMO?
If you want to become a CMO of the future, then you have to learn about the job role and responsibilities of this position. It is important to remember that the primary goal of this job is to not only expand the customer base and increase revenue but also give the organisation a competitive advantage in the market.
The primary responsibilities of a CMO include the following:
- Research market trends and activities to understand how to increase revenue in the long run
- A CMO has to oversee the organisation’s advertising and sales strategy and help the marketing team develop new ones
- Plan marketing activities that can help increase sales. They also have to develop the marketing team’s structure
- Negotiate contracts with advertisers and approve ad campaign ideas for the company
- Ensure the marketing team and its strategies work in tandem with the company's goals
What skills does a CMO need?
Now that you understand the responsibilities of a CMO, it should be clear that he/she needs to have a set of skills to reach the position. Here are some of the soft and hard skills you need to develop to become a CMO.
Soft Skills
- Leadership skills
- Communicative and interpersonal skills
- Organisational skills
- Analytical skills
- Adaptive skills
Hard Skills
- Knowledge of service management and marketing principles
- Extensive legal, financial, and information technology knowledge
- Digital and social media marketing expertise
- Web development, data analytics, market research, public relations, and software knowledge
- Experience in leading marketing teams and campaigns
Career path to follow if you want to become a CMO
Here is the career path of a CMO you can follow if you want to aim for the position. But remember that a CMO is a C-level executive position and it can take professionals some time to reach it.
- Bachelor’s degree: Firstly, you will need a bachelor’s degree in marketing or a business-related field. A bachelor’s degree is a prerequisite to becoming a top-ranked marketing executive.
- Master’s or equivalent: Getting a master’s degree or an MBA will also increase your prospects of reaching the top. But, if you cannot afford the money or time, then you can also take a certification course. Online certification courses on marketing are concise yet comprehensive. A professional certification can boost your career significantly.
- Experience: Professional experience is a must in the competitive job market. No matter how many degrees and certifications you have, what companies look for in a candidate for such an important position is your experience in the field.
Develop your soft and hard skills to rise through the ranks. You can start by working as a social media coordinator, marketing analyst, or marketing executive and work your way up.
What is the salary of a CMO in India?
You must be wondering, what is the average salary of a CMO in India? Is the effort worth it?
The average salary of a CMO is about Rs 35 LPA. This makes it a financially rewarding and one of the most coveted jobs in marketing.
Conclusion
An online CMO program with executive certification can boost your employability with potential recruiters. You can look into the Imarticus IIM Raipur CMO Programme if you are an aspiring CMO. It’s a 10-month-long online training programme that offers masterclasses by CMOs as well as a curriculum designed for leaders of the future.
