Information and marketing are two crucial components of business and, in any corporate environment, the two should go hand-in-hand. Marketers need information to create more focused strategies, generate stronger leads and increase overall sales and profits. This level of collaboration should start all the way at the top, which means the chief information officer (CIO) and chief marketing officer (CMO) must work closely together.
CXO Talk – a web-based show conducted via Google hangout – produced a recent episode titled "Can a CIO and CMO be friends?" In the show, it was established that the two sides must be on the same page. The CIO is tasked with keeping data organized. The CMO must use that information to develop marketing strategies based on a number of factors pertaining to current and prospective customers. In return, much of the data obtained by the marketing team goes into the corporate system, which must be managed the the CIO and the workers they manage. It's a cycle that requires effort and teamwork from both sides.
Steve Mann, CMO for software provider Lexis Nexis and guest of the show, spoke about the marketing company's role with all C-level executives – including the CEO – and explained that his position must manage the intersection between creativity and corporate strategy.
"The CEO's strategy comes to life in the various strategies and channels the CMO uses to touch the market," Mann said. "The company's branding, communication efforts, demand generation, pricing and packaging are all manifestations of translating a business strategy into a marketing strategy."
Ultimately, for businesses to increase their outreach and build a customer base, they must rely on information and marketing. While executive collaboration is key, so is having the right tools to bring the two sides together. For example, developing a custom database software system in FileMaker allows organizations to organize pertinent marketing data and make the lives of both the CIO and CMO easier.