Wish you could get inside the mind of CMOs at big companies? Read on.
At the latest CMO Panel from AMA Triangle, the speakers shared insightful thoughts on marketing leadership—from their favorite books to navigating board dynamics. During audience Q&A, I asked a question to help agency leaders: “What should agencies stop doing—or start doing—to better support you?”
The response was immediate and direct. No sugarcoating. The panelists—four CMOs and a CMO who’d become CEO—shared what they wish more agencies understood.
Their answers were specific, strategic, and occasionally blunt. If you run or lead at an agency and want to earn long-term, high-value client relationships, this is the kind of feedback you rarely hear out loud.
Recognize that CMOs are under pressure… and your agency can help
CMOs are under a lot of pressure.
- Panelist Cheryl Tuning (Easterseals) noted that colleagues often assume marketing is about making things look pretty. Rebutting that, she said: “We’re not an arts and crafts department.”
- Moderator Jennifer Chase (SAS) added: “Marketing can offer the long view that other departments can’t always see.”
The CMO comments match what I heard while running a CMO Mastermind Group for five years. In a private meeting, a CMO said giving a board presentation is like a commando mission: “Get in, get out. If you’re there longer than five minutes, you screwed up.”
Let’s get into what I heard at the 2025 event in North Carolina—and what it means for how you run and grow your agency today.
Stop pretending your agency is good at everything
“Please stop pretending you’re good at everything. Specialize.”
–Julie Bryce, Chief Commercial Officer, TileDB
It’s one of the biggest mistakes I see agencies make—especially those looking to grow from small to medium to large: trying to be all things to all people.
Julie, a tech executive and two-time panelist, said it plainly. Her team recently hired a PR agency that only works in a narrow niche (they pitch early-stage biotech startups, solely to life sciences media). That level of hyper-specialization won the deal—and her confidence.
She didn’t want a one-stop shop. She wanted the best agency in that specific lane. Your clients likely want that, too.
Takeaway: You don’t need to do everything. You need to do a few things exceptionally well—and be willing to say no to the rest.
Skip the slide deck theater
“We got three slides in, and the exec said, ‘So… when’s the idea?’”
–Megan Black, VP of Marketing & E-Commerce, Mary Square
Megan shared a story from her time pitching the president of a fast-moving retail brand. She had built a beautiful, detailed pitch deck—but buried the big idea late in the presentation.
The exec didn’t wait. Three slides in, he interrupted: “So when’s the idea?” She said it was on slide 50. He said, “Can we skip ahead to slide 50?”
CMOs are short on time and high on decision fatigue—and their peers are in the same spot. When your agency finally gets a shot in the room, don’t waste it by “setting the stage” for 20 slides. Show you can think strategically—and cut to the part that matters.
Takeaway: Lead with the value, not the setup. Save the case studies for later if they aren’t relevant to the decision.
Bring clients intel and insights they didn’t ask for
“Bring us ideas and trends we don’t have time to track. Have your finger on the pulse of our competitors and the broader industry.”
–Megan Black
The panelists echoed this repeatedly: They want agencies to serve as their external radar.
The best agencies come prepared with fresh data, emerging trends, or cross-industry insights. Not just what’s trending in marketing, but what matters to them.
One tip: look for the whitespace. For example, if all their competitors are leaning into AI-generated SEO content, can your client be the one brand that doubles down on personalization instead?
Takeaway: Don’t wait for clients to ask. Bring relevant, pre-filtered insights that help them look smart internally.
Help the CMO look good to the CEO and their board
“I had an agency build a [board] deck for me. I never want to fire them.”
–Megan Black
Let’s talk about a subtle but powerful shift: from vendor to silent hero.
Megan lit up when she described an agency that proactively helped her prep for an internal board meeting—not by sending a capabilities brochure, but by building slides tailored to her talking points. That agency made her job easier, and made her look sharp to her leadership team—and her board.
That kind of value? It sticks.
Takeaway: When your agency helps a client shine internally, you increase your value externally. Offer to summarize results, prep visuals, or write talking points—especially if you know their big meeting is coming up.
Prioritize strong account management
“Strong account management makes or breaks the experience. Communicate what you’re doing and then follow up. We’re hiring you because we don’t have the internal bandwidth. Make sure we feel supported.”
–Katy Jones, CEO, Trustwell
Katy—who’d been promoted from CMO to CEO—emphasized something that often gets overlooked: strong, proactive account management.
AM isn’t inherently creative or “cool.” But it’s how CMOs judge the experience of working with your agency. They’re not measuring just outcomes—they’re watching how you communicate, follow through, and make their life easier (or harder). If they have outside investors—like Katy, whose company is owned by a private equity firm—they’re likely under even more pressure.
Many agencies delegate account management to junior staff who aren’t empowered to lead or push back. That’s fine for small clients, but for enterprise clients with complex internal dynamics? It’s a dealbreaker.
Takeaway: Treat account management as revenue protection, not overhead. Your clients notice.
Bonus: 3 quick “don’t do this” from the CMO panel
Beyond the main themes, several panelists hinted at things they wish agencies would stop doing—even if they didn’t say it outright:
- Don’t oversell. If you “do it all,” you probably don’t do any of it well.
- Don’t email just to check in. Every message should offer value.
- Don’t ignore their internal politics. Understand what they’re up against—boards, budget cycles, internal stakeholders—and adapt accordingly.
The agency advantage in 2025
Senior marketers are navigating immense complexity. AI is transforming their workflows. Boards are demanding harder ROI. Customer expectations keep shifting.
They don’t want fluff. They want allies.
This panel confirmed what I’ve seen with my own clients: agencies that think like strategic partners—and act accordingly—get better clients, longer relationships, and more referrals.
It’s not about working harder. It’s about working smarter, deeper, and more strategically than your competitors.
Question: What are your top takeaways from the CMO recap?
