If your CMO is still obsessed with the funnel, they’re playing a game that no longer matters.
And if you’re not building scaled influence in your industry right now? You’re already behind.
CMOs are finally getting what they’ve wanted for years: board seats and executive power. But here’s the truth the old playbook doesn’t want you to hear: It’s not because they’re filling the funnel. It’s because they’re owning the conversation. They’re building brands that define categories, not just capture leads. They’re shifting marketing from cost center to enterprise value driver. And they’re turning their companies into industry platforms, not vendors.
The CMOs who get this are sitting at the table. The ones who don’t? They’re watching from the sidelines.
Funnels Built the Last Decade. Influence Builds the Next One
For years, marketing was measured in leads, MQLs, and SQLs. Fine. Funnels got us here. But they won’t get us there. Ask yourself:
Are you known as the default choice in your industry?
Does your executive team have more LinkedIn followers than your competitors’ entire marketing team?
Are you leading the conversations that shape your market—or reacting to them?
Because in today’s B2B world, the most visible brand wins. And visibility is no longer something you can buy. You have to build it—through scaled influence.
The Problem? Most Companies Are Still Running Campaigns
CMOs stuck in the campaign mindset are:
Launching short-term sprints with no long-term ecosystem
Dependent on paid channels that get more expensive by the minute
Handing the mic to the brand—when buyers only trust real people
If your CMO is showing you lead gen numbers, but not showing you market leadership metrics, you’ve got a problem. Because the board isn’t asking: “How many leads did we get this quarter?” They’re asking: “Why aren’t we the first call in this space?”, “Why don’t we have the dominant voice in our industry?”, “Why aren’t our people famous?”
What the Smartest CMOs Are Doing Right Now
The ones getting board seats, equity, and long-term influence are building something bigger. They’re playing a different game. Here's their blueprint.
1. They’re Building Media Companies, Not Marketing Teams
Launching video series, podcasts, and roundtables
Owning LinkedIn, YouTube, and industry events
Creating always-on thought leadership ecosystems
Old way: Publish one whitepaper every quarter
New way: Run your own Netflix for the industry—and be the place everyone shows up
2. They’re Turning the Executive Team into Industry Celebrities
CEOs with high-visibility podcasts
CTOs dropping deep insights on LinkedIn
CROs hosting customer AMAs and deal debriefs When your execs become the go-to authorities, your company becomes the go-to partner. Boards notice. Investors notice. Talent notices.
3. They’re Making Employees the New Influencers
Employee-generated content (EGC) that floods LinkedIn
Teams telling stories, sharing wins, and leading discussions
Creating hundreds of voices instead of one When your whole company talks, people listen. More importantly, they trust.
4. They’re Turning Customers Into a Scalable Sales Force
Customers hosting panels
Power users creating content
Industry experts telling your story Because third-party validation drives pipeline faster than any campaign ever will. And it doesn’t stop. It compounds.
5. They’re Tying Influence Directly to Enterprise Value
Boards don’t care about vanity metrics. They care about category leadership. They care about CMOs who can prove that owning the conversation:
Lowers CAC
Increases close rates
Boosts valuation
If Your CMO Isn’t Building Scaled Influence, They’re Costing You the Market
You can outspend your competitors on ads and still lose. You can have a better product and still be overlooked. If you don’t have the biggest share of voice, you don’t have the market. And if you don’t have the right CMO, you’re not even in the conversation.
Scaled Influence Wins. Funnels Finish Second.
The best CMOs aren’t optimizing email open rates. They’re turning the company into the market’s loudest, most credible, most trusted voice. They’re earning board seats—because they’re driving enterprise value, not just clicks. And they’re doing it by scaling influence, not running campaigns.
Want to become the go-to brand in your space?
At MarketScale, we help CMOs and executive teams build media engines that drive industry dominance, boardroom credibility, and long-term value.
Let’s build your scaled influence system. Let’s make sure your CMO gets the seat they deserve—and your company gets the market position it needs. Reach out to MarketScale today!
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