'Who's the Boss' Can Make a Difference in a CMO's Success

I've spoken with lots of law firm marketing execs and have heard the good, the bad and the ugly relating to their inability to “get things done.” What compounds the equation is that without a pre-approved, firm-wide or practice area budget, it can become frustrating to have to make one's case every time a new marketing project comes into view. First of all, in many instances, the COO doesn't really understand the concepts behind marketing and even if he or she does, the marketing project is still viewed as an expenditure that dips into the coffers of the owners' cash. The COO's principal job is to make sure those coffers are full. Marketing projects are dissected, analyzed and evaluated until it becomes clear to the CMO that this project might happen, might not happen or might happen in a different format that will surely make the ROI non-existent. Now I know this sounds like gloom and doom for those out there who report to the COO or ED but it doesn't have to be. Help is on the way in the guise of a dual reporting requirement whereby the marketing exec has a direct report to either the Chair or Managing Partner (MP) of the firm with a dotted line to the COO or ED. This system, while not the perfect reporting scenario, gets an owner involved with the responsibility of pushing the marketing exec's mission forward and acts as a conduit between the marketing exec and the COO. After all, in some measure the MP was responsible for hiring the marketing exec.

In case you are wondering what the perfect reporting scenario is: It is a direct report to the Chair or MP and/or marketing partner (provided the marketing partner has some clout in the firm). So now you know.

Establish Reporting from the Get Go

Let's talk a little bit about what can be done before a marketing exec is hired. One of the most important questions that a candidate for Chief Marketing Officer or Marketing Director can ask is, “To whom will I be reporting?” We've discussed what the answer should be. So what happens when the answer is COO or ED? Here's how I see it and how your personal capital can go up even on an interview. Whomever the interviewer, whether it be COO or ED, that person should be gently persuaded that your mission is to make the firm more successful ' a “win-win” for everyone. The COO should also be advised that just as he or she has a direct report to the Chair or MP of the firm, so too should this important executive position. The COO and CMO positions are those that enhance the productivity of the firm and ultimately inure to the benefit of the bottom line and provide a return on investment. During the interview it should be noted that, “we're all rowing in the same direction to achieve success and profitability.” While you might get some curious looks or negative rhetoric, in the end it cannot be disputed that marketing and operations are very important to the success of any firm. Another way of influencing the reporting requirements at the interview stage is to offer a monthly meeting with the COO or ED, or prepare a report that is given only to the COO or ED. In this way, you are bringing the COO or ED into the fold with a personal business connection. I'll address the agenda of the monthly meeting and the content of the report below.

So what to do to solve the problems inherent to a system where the marketing exec reports to the COO or ED and nothing will change that? How do you move your agenda forward? As I stated above, the first order of business for any marketing exec is the creation of a budget that is really the blueprint for the marketing program.

The Budget

A word about the budget: It is the blueprint for all the marketing initiatives and activities that will take place for a fiscal or calendar year. Any marketing exec empowered with the responsibility of creating and implementing a program uses the budget process to create the agenda for the coming year. In this way, the process doesn't get stalled when it comes time for any of the projects within a line item to be executed. Without a budget, there is literally no way for the program to move forward. Marketing programs cannot be executed on a project-by-project basis. This is when the “paralysis by analysis” mode takes over. Individuals align themselves either pro or con thwarting the decision making process. To avoid this recurring scenario, budget planning is essential. The vision and strategy for the firm must always be considered. It is at this time that your leadership comes into play so that the budget and the marketing program run on parallel tracks with the strategic plan of the firm. Of course, there needs to be a bit of fluidity within the architecture of the budget. During the course of any year, opportunities present themselves that might seem important to the client relationship management structure. The budget should have some wiggle room to allow for such occurrences. The COO or ED should understand how a marketing budget works. With the budget in place, it should be clear sailing on executing and implementing projects for the year and the marketing exec should not be required to get additional approval for those projects that were previously addressed in the budget. When an opportunity presents itself that was not part of the pre-approved budget, it needs to be discussed but not ad nauseam. An outline of the project should be written by the marketing exec that describes the project, its cost and benefit to the firm. The marketing exec's opinion should count as the in-house expert. An added plus is if you can align those partners who might directly benefit from the project to be on board. This creates a buzz for the expenditure. Ultimately the COO or ED will see the value of the project and have a better understanding of the marketing program.

Keep Firm Management in the Loop

Let's talk a bit about those marketing execs who don't report to the COO or ED. It is a good idea to keep those individuals in the loop. The mechanism that best suits this scenario is the monthly meeting and/or report to the COO or ED. The monthly meeting with an agenda provides a good way to keep the marketing program moving forward. The meeting serves to enlighten the COO or ED and might also provide an opportunity to clarify any misunderstandings there might be in connection with the marketing program. The monthly report can also do this, but it is more advisable to do the report as a follow up to the meeting. This ensures that everyone understands the marketing program and no question is left unanswered. It is also a good idea to have the COO or ED on your distribution list for programs, articles or anything that is being circulated or e-mailed to attorneys. It shows that you want the COO or ED to be part of marketing.

One other point that is noteworthy. Nothing can unnerve a MP, COO or ED than overstaffing a department. Although not the right move, the first place that law firms usually cut staff when downsizing is in the marketing department. A marketing exec needs to understand that those in his or her department should have more than one job description. Each member of a marketing staff should be equipped to multi-task, and be fungible. No matter to whom the marketing exec may be reporting, having a lean, mean and efficiently run department is important to show leadership and understanding of the infrastructure of a law firm.

Finally, marketing execs can coexist and in fact work together with the COO or ED. It takes understanding, personality and a touch of political savvy.

Q: What is the difference between a COO and a CMO?

A: One saves money and the other spends money.

One of the key factors to a successful run as a law firm marketing exec is to whom that individual reports. If the answer is Chief Operating Officer (COO) or Executive Director (ED), I become the great skeptic as to whether or not any marketing program can achieve success. However, I do believe that both can coexist and help the firm's marketing efforts move forward.

I've spoken with lots of law firm marketing execs and have heard the good, the bad and the ugly relating to their inability to “get things done.” What compounds the equation is that without a pre-approved, firm-wide or practice area budget, it can become frustrating to have to make one's case every time a new marketing project comes into view. First of all, in many instances, the COO doesn't really understand the concepts behind marketing and even if he or she does, the marketing project is still viewed as an expenditure that dips into the coffers of the owners' cash. The COO's principal job is to make sure those coffers are full. Marketing projects are dissected, analyzed and evaluated until it becomes clear to the CMO that this project might happen, might not happen or might happen in a different format that will surely make the ROI non-existent. Now I know this sounds like gloom and doom for those out there who report to the COO or ED but it doesn't have to be. Help is on the way in the guise of a dual reporting requirement whereby the marketing exec has a direct report to either the Chair or Managing Partner (MP) of the firm with a dotted line to the COO or ED. This system, while not the perfect reporting scenario, gets an owner involved with the responsibility of pushing the marketing exec's mission forward and acts as a conduit between the marketing exec and the COO. After all, in some measure the MP was responsible for hiring the marketing exec.

In case you are wondering what the perfect reporting scenario is: It is a direct report to the Chair or MP and/or marketing partner (provided the marketing partner has some clout in the firm). So now you know.

Establish Reporting from the Get Go

Let's talk a little bit about what can be done before a marketing exec is hired. One of the most important questions that a candidate for Chief Marketing Officer or Marketing Director can ask is, “To whom will I be reporting?” We've discussed what the answer should be. So what happens when the answer is COO or ED? Here's how I see it and how your personal capital can go up even on an interview. Whomever the interviewer, whether it be COO or ED, that person should be gently persuaded that your mission is to make the firm more successful ' a “win-win” for everyone. The COO should also be advised that just as he or she has a direct report to the Chair or MP of the firm, so too should this important executive position. The COO and CMO positions are those that enhance the productivity of the firm and ultimately inure to the benefit of the bottom line and provide a return on investment. During the interview it should be noted that, “we're all rowing in the same direction to achieve success and profitability.” While you might get some curious looks or negative rhetoric, in the end it cannot be disputed that marketing and operations are very important to the success of any firm. Another way of influencing the reporting requirements at the interview stage is to offer a monthly meeting with the COO or ED, or prepare a report that is given only to the COO or ED. In this way, you are bringing the COO or ED into the fold with a personal business connection. I'll address the agenda of the monthly meeting and the content of the report below.

So what to do to solve the problems inherent to a system where the marketing exec reports to the COO or ED and nothing will change that? How do you move your agenda forward? As I stated above, the first order of business for any marketing exec is the creation of a budget that is really the blueprint for the marketing program.

The Budget

A word about the budget: It is the blueprint for all the marketing initiatives and activities that will take place for a fiscal or calendar year. Any marketing exec empowered with the responsibility of creating and implementing a program uses the budget process to create the agenda for the coming year. In this way, the process doesn't get stalled when it comes time for any of the projects within a line item to be executed. Without a budget, there is literally no way for the program to move forward. Marketing programs cannot be executed on a project-by-project basis. This is when the “paralysis by analysis” mode takes over. Individuals align themselves either pro or con thwarting the decision making process. To avoid this recurring scenario, budget planning is essential. The vision and strategy for the firm must always be considered. It is at this time that your leadership comes into play so that the budget and the marketing program run on parallel tracks with the strategic plan of the firm. Of course, there needs to be a bit of fluidity within the architecture of the budget. During the course of any year, opportunities present themselves that might seem important to the client relationship management structure. The budget should have some wiggle room to allow for such occurrences. The COO or ED should understand how a marketing budget works. With the budget in place, it should be clear sailing on executing and implementing projects for the year and the marketing exec should not be required to get additional approval for those projects that were previously addressed in the budget. When an opportunity presents itself that was not part of the pre-approved budget, it needs to be discussed but not ad nauseam. An outline of the project should be written by the marketing exec that describes the project, its cost and benefit to the firm. The marketing exec's opinion should count as the in-house expert. An added plus is if you can align those partners who might directly benefit from the project to be on board. This creates a buzz for the expenditure. Ultimately the COO or ED will see the value of the project and have a better understanding of the marketing program.

Keep Firm Management in the Loop

Let's talk a bit about those marketing execs who don't report to the COO or ED. It is a good idea to keep those individuals in the loop. The mechanism that best suits this scenario is the monthly meeting and/or report to the COO or ED. The monthly meeting with an agenda provides a good way to keep the marketing program moving forward. The meeting serves to enlighten the COO or ED and might also provide an opportunity to clarify any misunderstandings there might be in connection with the marketing program. The monthly report can also do this, but it is more advisable to do the report as a follow up to the meeting. This ensures that everyone understands the marketing program and no question is left unanswered. It is also a good idea to have the COO or ED on your distribution list for programs, articles or anything that is being circulated or e-mailed to attorneys. It shows that you want the COO or ED to be part of marketing.

One other point that is noteworthy. Nothing can unnerve a MP, COO or ED than overstaffing a department. Although not the right move, the first place that law firms usually cut staff when downsizing is in the marketing department. A marketing exec needs to understand that those in his or her department should have more than one job description. Each member of a marketing staff should be equipped to multi-task, and be fungible. No matter to whom the marketing exec may be reporting, having a lean, mean and efficiently run department is important to show leadership and understanding of the infrastructure of a law firm.

Finally, marketing execs can coexist and in fact work together with the COO or ED. It takes understanding, personality and a touch of political savvy.