Closing the Gap Between the CRO and the CMO cover art

Closing the Gap Between the CRO and the CMO

Closing the Gap Between the CRO and the CMO

Listen for free

View show details

About this listen

 Most companies hand their CMO and CRO different scorecards and then act surprised when they fight over the same leads. On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO Priscilla McKinney examines why the relationship between chief marketing officers and chief revenue officers breaks down before a single lead changes hands. The tension isn't about incompatible personalities or departmental turf wars. It exists because bonuses are tied to different outcomes, "qualified" definitions remain unspoken, and timing expectations never align. When one executive optimizes for brand awareness while another chases quarterly closes, no amount of collaboration workshops will bridge the divide that the org chart itself has severed. The marketing qualified lead becomes the flashpoint. Marketing celebrates engagement metrics and demographic fit. Sales dismisses anything short of active intent. Neither side agrees on what distinguishes browsing from buying. Yet, both departments defend their interpretations as if revenue depended on being right rather than on alignment—the argument over lead quality masks a deeper issue. Nobody defined what sales qualification actually requires before the first campaign launched. "If marketing thought that was a marketing qualified lead, then instead of getting more of them to try and solve this problem by a numbers game, why don't we all get back in the room and talk about what a marketing qualified lead would actually look like?" McKinney asks. "The salesperson's job is to qualify them for sales, but there is a piece that marketing can do." Fixing the CMO-CRO relationship doesn't require new software or revised messaging. It requires rebuilding the foundation both roles stand on. Shared incentives, transparent data, and defined handoff criteria transform what feels like a personality clash into what it actually is. A solvable systems problem. Companies that treat b2b lead generation as a shared accountability rather than a departmental transaction stop arguing over who's responsible for failed conversions and start optimizing the entire revenue path together. Music written and performed by Leighton Cordell. Sponsors: Priscilla McKinney here! I am very excited to tell you about my book: Collaboration is the New Competition: Why the Future of Work Rewards A Cross Pollinating Hive Mind and How Not to Get Left Behind The book's chapters are designed to be time-efficient, ensuring busy professionals can easily integrate these transformative ideas into their workflow. From discussing the state of affairs in business to providing fundamental strategies and seven practical anchors for staying on course, this book offers a fresh perspective and a competitive advantage in today's complex business landscape. Visit priscillamckinney.com for more information. Tired of generic marketing firms that don't get market research? Say hello to Little Bird Marketing, the revenue generation company of choice for the market research industry. Our "peeps" understand market research inside and out. We know your buyers, craft meaningful messages that move them to buy, understand the competitive landscape and where you fit in the market. We get the industry - from qual/quant to emerging technologies. Why settle for getting the job done when you can soar with marketing that drives real revenue? Click here to get started.
No reviews yet