Customer Marketing & Advocacy (CMA) is a demanding profession. With a vast array of stakeholders with their own diverse needs, it often falls to a small team, sometimes just one person, to manage the program. Despite these challenges, many program managers achieve remarkable success measured by a variety of metrics unique to their organizations. So, how do these high performers manage to excel? After years of careful observation, we’ve concluded that their success stems from a combination of professional skills and personal attributes.
Professional Skills
These essential skills are not typically taught in college classrooms, but rather developed through mentoring, on-the-job training, and practical experience.
- Change Management Acumen
Change is never easy, and assuming that people will embrace it willingly is pure fantasy. Whether it’s a shift in process, technology, or policy, ignoring the human side of change is a recipe for failure. High-performing program managers excel in change management, ensuring that transitions are smooth, well-received and sustained. - Technical Proficiency
Most marketing roles today demand technical competence because software and data are intrinsic to doing the jobs. In fact, the entire viability of an advocacy program revolves around the quality of the data. AI will make that even more so. So, “data nerd” in one form or another, will appear on most CMA job descriptions. Customer marketers learn quickly that, because they are under-resourced, technology is how they will scale and maintain their sanity. Being a deeply cross-functional position, the in-scope technology extends well beyond the customer advocacy solution. High performing programs seek to have systems of relevance to advocacy integrated in order to be more coordinated, informed and effective. - Deep Program Knowledge
It goes without saying that the more time a program manager has been in their role, the wiser they are about our domain. This doesn’t come solely through their own experiences, but through knowledge-sharing opportunities (training courses, webinars, CMA events, etc.) with peers and through vendors. As a solution provider (20+ years now!), we’ve accumulated an immense library of what to do, and what not to do—best practices. By fully utilizing a wealth of best practices, they fast-track their growth compared to those who don’t. - Metrics-Driven Mindset
Gone are the days when marketing was all about creativity without accountability. Today, high performers embrace measurability, understanding that every aspect of their program, from operations to strategic contributions, must be backed by data. They prioritize metrics that align with corporate goals, ensuring that their efforts are both impactful and recognized. - Leadership Alignment
Also known as managing upward, this skill involves keeping leadership in sync with your vision, successes, challenges, and needs. While it ties into change management, it stands as a distinct discipline. High performers excel at understanding what drives their sponsors and tailoring their communications to keep multiple champions in leadership engaged and supportive. - Program Promotion
Internal promotion of the CMA program is just as important as external marketing. High performers understand that promoting their program within the organization requires the same level of effort, persistence, and strategic focus as any external campaign. They apply marketing principles like audience understanding, multi-channel messaging, and social proof to ensure their program’s visibility and success. - Strategy and Execution
High performers strike a balance between strategy and execution. We’ve seen programs with a great strategy and no execution, and programs with lots of activity but no strategy. Neither describe a high performing program. Strategy alone produces a terrific vision, but without execution it’s just an idea and nothing more. More often we see very busy people recruiting advocates, matchmaking advocates for various activities, producing or creating content, and facilitating communities (virtual or in-person) but all in a discrete, disconnected manner. All this activity should be appreciated and rewarded by leadership, right? However, as has proven to be the case over and over again, it isn’t. To count, it must correlate to the goals the CEO wakes up thinking about.
Personal Attributes
When we asked our customer success team to describe the most accomplished program leaders, these words emerged as the most frequent descriptors:
Passionate & Committed
This is the number one required characteristic of high performers. Makes sense doesn’t it? If someone isn’t that “into it,” how can they do great things? It’s really important to believe in the power of customer advocacy because this is not an easy role. Conviction about and dedication to what you’re doing gets you through the ups and downs while never losing sight of that north star.
Confident & Persuasive
Fake it till you make it can have a negative connotation. But, there is something to be said for approaching naysayers and blockers with a healthy dose of confidence. High performers recognize, intuitively or learned, the importance of self-assurance and belief while maintaining integrity and authenticity. On the flip side, if a program manager avoids asserting themself when it comes to making asks of leadership, Sales management or IT, the program will suffer from a different and missing type of advocacy—self-advocacy.
Action-Oriented & Persistent
With so many balls to juggle, it’s understandable that sometimes the best laid plans don’t come to fruition. High performers are not only organized but also skilled negotiators and communicators. They remain aligned with top company objectives and find ways to complete the tasks that drive the most significant results, understanding that the details can make all the difference.
Collaborative & Empathetic
Effective program managers are collaborative by nature, working across nearly every function in the organization. They understand the importance of being consultative with stakeholders, listening to their needs, and maintaining strong relationships. By involving key departments like IT, Sales Enablement, and Customer Success early on, they ensure that when support is needed, it’s already in place.
The Wrap
In the ever-evolving world of Customer Marketing & Advocacy, the standout program managers are those who artfully weave professional savvy with personal fervor. They don’t just manage change—they orchestrate it, harnessing technology as their secret weapon and keeping leadership in their corner. What truly propels them, though, is an unshakable commitment, a knack for persuasion, and a collaborative edge that turns every interaction into an opportunity. By honing these rare skills and embracing the intricacies of their role, they transform hurdles into stepping stones and ideas into influential realities. The journey is challenging, but the rewards? Absolutely transformative.
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