Build your leadership skills to earn marketing buy-in

By Rachel Henry

Finding it tough to get marketing buy-in from the rest of your company? You’re not alone. 

Economic conditions are putting pressure on content marketing specialists trying to prove the value of their work. While 71% of marketers say content marketing has grown in importance to their organizations over the last year, only 50% predict their budgets will increase in 2023. This indicates a strong need for company-wide advocacy.

To complicate matters, many B2B marketers in the tech industry are operating with limited human resources. More than 45% of content marketers say that only one person or team is responsible for all of their company’s content.

So, how can you advocate for content marketing within your organization? One way is to hone your leadership skills. This will help you champion your cause, allowing you to show the rest of the team what’s possible when you invest in content marketing. 

In this article, we’ll explore how building leadership skills plays a vital role in getting marketing buy-in with Corina Walsh, a leadership coach, author, podcaster, keynote speaker and owner of Shift People Development. You’ll learn how to improve your leadership skills and gain valuable marketing buy-in from the C suite and other departments. We’ll cover: 

• Why your leadership skills directly affect your marketing strategy

• How to get senior leadership to support and appreciate content marketing 

• The importance of aligning with other departments to achieve collective goals

• How to fill skills gaps within your B2B company

• What course of action you should take to improve your leadership skills

Why leadership skills are key to marketing buy-in 

In a skills-driven economy, employees often have strong technical aptitude, but don’t always have the people management skills to lead teams or work effectively with the C suite.

If getting marketing buy-in from senior leadership and the rest of your organization is tricky for you as a content marketing specialist, knowing how to boost your leadership skills can be the key to turning things around in your favour.

Being an excellent communicator goes hand in hand with content marketing. You likely already understand how to ask good questions and engage with colleagues, executives or even the CEO of your company. So, employ your skills to get clear on what their objectives are, and work backwards to develop a content strategy derived from the bigger vision. 

Keep in mind that it’s common for many stakeholders to be involved in content marketing initiatives. While they may have their own priorities, you must be a collaborator — the bridge that brings all roles together to produce content that drives results. It’s critical to learn how to give constructive feedback, and create an environment of mutual trust and respect for everyone involved to help the whole organization benefit.

5 ways to use leadership skills to achieve marketing buy-in

1. Hone your ability to influence up

As a B2B SaaS marketing manager, you’ll have a better chance of reaching your goals for your content marketing program by developing a skillset like influencing up. Corina says these skills can be learned, and can become central to gaining marketing buy-in. 

“Decisions are based on emotions,” she says. “You need to communicate in a storytelling format that creates a connection. This way, you’ll be more likely to get a ‘yes’.” 

Before you approach your leadership team, know what’s important to them so you can frame what you’re trying to achieve in a way they value. As Corina says, to lead means to go first, so you have to be willing to put in the time and effort to build your case and communicate effectively about what matters to senior leadership. Leverage your storytelling abilities to share data in a way that activates emotions.

2. Team up with other departments 

Branching out and connecting with other departments in your B2B company can help you get marketing buy-in and further the organization’s broader vision in a collaborative way. 

“Bring in other people from the company to reinforce the initiatives you’re trying to move forward,” Corina says. “Sales and marketing often have to collaborate, so try to get them on your side. That way, when you go into a meeting, you’ve got other people who agree with your approach and can back you up.” 

As an SaaS marketing manager, you’ll find working closely with other departments boosts everyone’s understanding of tasks and the value of one another’s work. This can improve productivity so that true innovation can happen.

3. Show the return on content investment

All marketers know it can be difficult to measure content ROI. However, gathering data is essential for you to present your case for your content program and demonstrate its value.

Corina recommends learning how to paint a full picture for the person you’re trying to influence, by emphasizing how the benefits outweigh the costs and potential risks. 

“Tell them, ‘If this is the amount we have to invest, this is the result we’re likely to get,’” she says. “Everyone wants choice. Everyone wants to feel like they made the decision. Lay out their options and the outcomes clearly.”

4. Alleviate the load with external support 

Hiring a B2B content marketing agency or writer can be a great way to fill the skill gaps on your team without the financial stress of a new in-house role. But before you bring in external help, get specific about what you want to achieve, as well as the parameters around the working relationship.

Corina recommends starting small by delegating just a few tasks first. Don’t just jump in with both feet. This can be a hard lesson for marketers who don’t get they results they were looking for out of the partnership.

“As a leader — whether by title or not — you have ask yourself if you’re communicating clearly about your expectations,” she says. “If you don’t know what you want, it’s going to be impossible for someone to give it to you.”

5. Plan your leadership development strategy 

If you’re wondering how to improve your leadership skills as a content marketer, take a step back and consider your skill gaps before you dive into any kind of development. Then, Corina recommends outlining where you want to go with your career, and if it’s specifically on the leadership path. This will allow you to determine what development would bridge the gap. Be sure to choose the right option for where you’re at now, not where you aspire to be.

“Don’t build your leadership journey on a shaky foundation,” Corina says. “If you’re an ambitious person, it’s hard not to reach for higher levels, but it rarely works the way you think it will. Choose a program that’s a fit for where you’re at right now.” 

It can be enlightening to work with a coach or mentor from a different industry, especially if you’re trying to build people management skills. Corina adds that people themselves aren’t that different across industries.

Depending on your leadership journey, you can also explore industry reports and case studies, conferences and more for solo development. 

Create an impact with your content marketing

Strengthening your leadership skills can help you motivate your team to achieve your shared goals, like closing more deals thanks to a successful content strategy. As a SaaS marketing manager, you know the value of consistent, high quality content and what it can do for your B2B company. Now, it’s time to show the rest of your team.

Find out how Scribe National can help you produce content marketing that gets results, so you can gain greater marketing buy-in.