Today the Forbes Communications Council published an article by Blue Ridge CMO Ed Rusch making a point that is solid, yet often overlooked by CEOs, CMOs and key leaders across the organization:

If you’re hearing (or saying),

“… and then marketing can pretty it up!”

“I’m not sure, but I know it when I see it!”

Then you don’t “got marketing.

Some key takeaways from the article:

• Marketing can add more value to your organization; not just make aesthetically pleasing touches on things at the 11th hour
• If you expect to create certainty and value in ever more volatile times, start by shedding the idea that Marketing is a cost center
• Marketing ‘done right’ means actively operating as a growth center and profitability booster, aligned to the P&L and company strategy
• Do no confuse vanity metrics with material ones; pick the top 3-4 and ditch the “elevator music” ones
• Reframe chatter about aesthetics to focus on the criticality of building brand equity, message discipline and moving a customer’s journey forward
• Partner up; identify where cross-functional success metrics intersect to achieve more together

Read the full article in Forbes: