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Lisa Shepherd

The previous chart illustrates the following approaches to
resourcing marketing in a B2B company:

• In-house, full-time senior marketer (e.g. VP or CMO)
• In-house, full-time junior marketer (e.g. coordinator or

manager)
• Mix of part-time, in-house junior and senior marketers
• Part-time, senior independent contractor
• Hybrid solution (outsourced marketing management)

In-house Senior Marketer (VP, CMO)

Having an in-house senior marketing executive is an aspiration
for many B2B companies. An executive responsible for
marketing allows the company to have marketing expertise
(assuming the right person was hired) to make good, strategic
decisions about marketing investments. It means that someone
at the leadership level is bringing marketing issues to the
fore, and these issues are being considered when making
investments in other departments (e.g. the marketing impact
of customer service decisions).

However, the majority of small and mid-size B2B companies
don’t need, and can’t afford, a senior marketing executive. Their
salary isn’t justified based on the marketing spend and needs
of the company. So, while having a marketing executive is
appealing for small and mid-size B2B companies, for most it’s
not practical. Companies that have over fifty million in revenue
and spend more than one million annually in marketing usually
need senior marketing leadership. Below this level, it depends
on the company’s strategy and industry.

In-house Junior Marketer (Coordinator, Manager)

When most B2B companies begin to get serious about
marketing, they start out by hiring someone at a junior level.
A full-time junior marketer can do a lot—and there is usually
a lot to be done.

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© 2012 Lisa Shepherd