I found an open marketing position at Company X.
Why was I looking at Company X?
Because I knew two people (long gone) at Company X, so the company came to mind.
Who runs marketing at Company X?
Because the open position was not an executive position, I searched LinkedIn for the company’s Chief Marketing Officer, or what the cool kids call the CMO. Anyone applying for the open position would want to talk to the CMO.
But I found:
- No CMO on LinkedIn.
- No Head of Marketing on LinkedIn.
- No marketing head on Company X’s About Us page.
But they’re hiring…a marketing manager.
Normally companies hire a marketing head, then let them build out their team. But in this case, Company X is starting in the middle by hiring a non-executive marketing manager.
Or maybe not.
The CxxO and double duty
There’s a chance that one of the other executives at Company X is wearing the marketing hat, in addition to their other duties.
This isn’t unusual in small startups, after all.
Now this makes it difficult for people outside the company who want to speak to the marketing head.
But who cares if it’s difficult for outsiders?
- Yes it makes it hard for a marketing jobseeker to determine who the hiring authority is for an open marketing position.
- And yes (because this blog is all about me) it makes it difficult for a product marketing consultant to pitch their services…especially when the two original contacts have left the company.
Making it hard for outsiders is actually GOOD for the company. Pesky outsiders can be pesky, especially if they’re calling at all hours and bumping their emails.
Who runs marketing at Company U?
But what’s happening on the inside of Company X, or at Company U (your company)?
- Who determines what the marketing manager is supposed to do?
- Who determines if the marketing manager is a success or failure?
- Who determines the company’s marketing strategy?
And (again because this is all about me) who determines when the company needs outside consulting help, and who can answer the questions that the consultant will ask?
From the perspective of Bredemarket, I am much better off when a prospect company has a clear plan of how it can use my content-proposal-analysis services.
Does your company know what it wants to do?
(Imagen 4)
Bredemarket 