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You know the stats:  CMOs are reported to have an average life of just over 2 years.  You also know the gripe:  Marketing has an unproven effect on the firm’s performance in capital markets.  I

<p>The <em>August 2010 CMO Survey</em> included a special section on marketing metrics. Seven important facts stood out when I analyzed the responses from the 574 marketing executives who participated in the survey.</p> <p><strong>1. Revenue metrics dominate:</strong> Revenue metrics (sales, market share) are the primary means they use to evaluate marketing activities. Unfortunately, few link marketing actions to critically important firm outcomes, such as customer retention (15%), profits (14%), brand value (11%), net promoter score (7.5%) and stock market performance (2 percent).</p> <p><strong>2. The quality and use of market insights not evaluated:</strong> While market insights are very important drivers of innovation and growth, only 25% of the firms surveyed use metrics to evaluate the quality of these insights, and only about one-third evaluate how market insights influence managerial decision making.</p>

DURHAM, N.C. — Top marketing officers at U.S. companies plan significant hiring increases over the next two years as they remain optimistic about prospects for their firms and the U.S. economy, a new survey has

DURHAM, N.C. — Chief marketing officers in the United States are increasingly optimistic about the economy and their customers’ purchasing activities, and are embracing the power of social media as they seek to promote their