From Sales Support to Growth Engine: How the CMO Role Is Evolving

The role of a Chief Marketing Officer has changed dramatically over the past decade. What was once seen as a function focused on branding and campaigns is now deeply tied to revenue, growth, and overall business strategy.

In a recent conversation with Simon McMahon, CMO at Bull Products Group, a clear picture emerged of how modern marketing leaders are redefining their impact, especially within B2B environments.

From Creative Roots to Commercial Impact

Simon’s journey into marketing did not begin in a traditional marketing role. He started as a designer, working his way up to Creative Director before naturally transitioning into marketing leadership.

That creative foundation still plays a role today, but the focus has shifted.

Marketing is no longer just about creativity. It is about growth.

Throughout his career, Simon has consistently worked within businesses on a growth trajectory. That experience shaped his philosophy. Marketing is not a support function. It is a demand engine that fuels the entire business.

Why Growth Thinking Sets CMOs Apart

Not all marketers think in terms of growth. Many still operate within campaign outputs, brand awareness, or lead generation in isolation.

The difference comes from exposure.

Early in his career, Simon worked in a small business competing against much larger players. That environment forced the team to be resourceful, reactive, and focused on scaling impact with limited resources.

Later, he experienced the contrast of a large corporate environment, where individual impact can feel diluted. That reinforced a preference for smaller, high-growth businesses where marketing can directly influence outcomes.

The key lesson is simple. Growth happens when marketing scales what works.

Sales conversations are powerful, but they are limited to one person at a time. Marketing takes that same message and amplifies it to thousands.

When Does a Business Need a CMO?

A common question for growing companies is when to bring in a CMO.

The answer is not tied to revenue alone. It is tied to capability.

A business typically reaches a point where sales activity alone cannot sustain growth. There is a limit to how many calls can be made, meetings booked, or relationships managed.

That is the inflection point.

A CMO steps in to design how growth scales beyond individual effort. This includes:

• Driving demand at scale
• Building brand awareness
• Creating repeatable marketing systems
• Measuring return on investment

At this stage, marketing becomes a strategic function, not just a tactical one.

The Most Important Starting Point: The Customer

When deciding where to focus marketing efforts, many businesses get distracted by channels.

Should we be on TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, or running events?

The real answer starts elsewhere.

You must understand your customer.

Where do they spend time
What content do they consume
What problems are they trying to solve
What format do they prefer

For example, in the construction and fire safety sector, Simon found that customers valued thought leadership and industry insights, but they did not have time for long, detailed reports.

The solution was not more content. It was better formatted content. Shorter, more accessible, and easier to consume.

This principle applies across industries. Meet the customer where they are, not where you want them to be.

You Do Not Need to Reinvent the Wheel

A common misconception in marketing is the need to be completely different.

In reality, most industries already have proven channels and tactics that work.

The opportunity is not always to innovate. It is often to execute better.

That means:

• Understanding existing industry playbooks
• Aligning with how customers already engage
• Differentiating through positioning and messaging

Distinctiveness comes from how you communicate, not necessarily where you show up.

The Ongoing Challenge: Measuring Marketing

Modern marketing is more measurable than ever. Attribution tools, analytics platforms, and CRM systems provide detailed data on performance.

But measurement is still imperfect.

Many buying journeys involve multiple touchpoints. A customer might see an ad, read reviews, attend an event, and only then convert through a Google search.

The final click does not tell the full story.

This creates a challenge for CMOs. They must balance:

• Tangible metrics like leads, conversions, and revenue
• Intangible signals like brand perception, customer feedback, and market presence

Both matter.

In many cases, anecdotal feedback from sales teams can be just as powerful as hard data. Comments like “customers love your content” often reflect deeper brand impact than a single metric.

Marketing and Sales Must Work as One

One of the biggest inefficiencies in many organisations is the disconnect between marketing and sales.

Marketing generates leads
Sales takes over
Then visibility disappears

This creates a breakdown in accountability and missed opportunities.

For marketing to truly drive revenue:

• Sales must be prepared to handle increased demand
• Leads must be followed up quickly and consistently
• Feedback must flow both ways

Without this alignment, even the best campaigns can fail.

In some cases, businesses generate high-quality leads that are never acted on. The result is wasted time, wasted budget, and frustration on both sides.

The solution is simple in theory but difficult in practice. Marketing and sales must operate as a single system.

The Rise of Thought Leadership

One clear shift in recent years is the importance of thought leadership.

Customers are not just looking for products. They are looking for guidance, insight, and expertise.

Brands that educate and support their audience build trust faster.

This is especially true in B2B environments, where buying decisions involve multiple stakeholders and longer sales cycles.

Content is no longer just promotional. It is strategic.

AI in Marketing: Where It Actually Adds Value

AI has become a major topic across marketing and sales, but its most valuable applications are often misunderstood.

Many jumped straight to content generation.

In reality, that is one of the weakest use cases.

AI-generated content often lacks depth, originality, and distinction. It produces average outputs based on generalised information.

Where AI truly excels is in:

• Analysing data
• Summarising information
• Extracting insights
• Automating repetitive tasks

It acts like a highly efficient assistant, not a replacement for strategic thinking or creativity.

The best marketers use AI to save time on research and processing, then apply human insight to create something meaningful.

The Expanding Role of the CMO

The modern CMO is no longer limited to marketing activities.

They are deeply involved in:

• Business strategy
• Market expansion
• Product development
• Customer experience
• Revenue growth

This has led to blurred job titles. Some organisations now use terms like Chief Growth Officer or Chief Customer Officer.

The common thread is responsibility for growth.

Marketing is no longer a silo. It is central to how a business evolves.

A Practical 90-Day Plan for CMOs

When stepping into a new role, Simon follows a structured approach.

First 30 days: Learn

• Understand the business, customers, and market
• Speak to internal teams and external stakeholders
• Absorb as much information as possible

Next 30 days: Refine

• Identify quick wins
• Evaluate tools, processes, and team structure
• Align messaging and positioning

Final 30 days: Build

• Define strategy
• Plan campaigns and activity
• Align with long-term business goals

Alongside this, quick wins are essential. These might include:

• Improving messaging
• Enhancing sales materials
• Running small test campaigns
• Creating customer personas

These early actions build momentum and confidence across the business.

The Core Takeaway

At its heart, modern marketing is about one thing.

Scaling what already works.

Great sales conversations
Strong customer insights
Effective messaging

Marketing takes these and amplifies them.

The businesses that succeed are not necessarily the most innovative. They are the ones that execute consistently, align teams effectively, and build systems that support long-term growth.