Passle CMO Series Podcast

Transitioning from CMO to Board-Level Strategist is a key career shift, expanding responsibilities and influence. In this episode of the CMO Series Podcast, Charles Cousins welcomes Leor Franks, Chief Business Development & Marketing Officer at Kingsley Napley, to share his insights on his career journey and transition from CMO to a Board-Level Strategist. With nearly 25 years of experience at top firms like Deloitte, EY, and FTI Consulting, Leor shares his insights on taking the next step up in professional services marketing. Leor and Charles cover: Leor’s career journey highlights including his current position at Kingsley Napley The evolution of the responsibilities and daily activities from CMO to a strategic board member role The most significant learning experiences whilst working as a board-level strategist How to approach organisational-wide business planning and how influential a marketing background is to business strategy at the board level The most challenging aspects of stepping up to a board role with examples of what the role entails  Advice to help prepare those who are interested in advancing to a board position You can catch Leor speaking at the following upcoming events: 26 September: Annual PM Forum Conference 27 September: The Lawyer’s Marketing Leadership Summit

While CMOs shape the marketing strategy and brand alignment for new programs, Business Development Managers (BDMs) have a unique insight into what will drive success when it comes to rolling them out. In this CMO Series episode, James Barclay invites Karen Wilcox, President of Marketing Speaks, to discuss the crucial role of BDMs in launching new programs and how CMOs can best support them. Karen and James Cover:  The role of a BDM in the successful rollout of a new program The degree of involvement BDMs should have in the early stages of a program change or rollout of a new initiative How can BDMs effectively gauge initial attorney interest to a new program or technology rollout Examples of projects where BDMs played a key role in the success of the project Implementation hurdles BDMs might face and how can CMOs help manage them Key tactics or strategies that help BDMs contribute most effectively Advice for a CMO stepping into a change management role

Welcome to Episode 3 of the CMO Series Digital Masterclass where we explore the best strategies from professional services marketers for building a world-class digital presence.  Our latest research found that legal marketing priorities are changing with digital media and thought leadership rising to the top. Today, we're focusing on how thought leadership determines digital success and positions firms at the forefront of their clients' and prospects' minds. In this episode, we’ll dive into the crucial role that thought leadership plays in enhancing digital visibility and credibility. We’ve gathered top digital advice from previous episodes of the CMO Series Podcast, offering actionable insights and proven techniques to help your firm stand out online.  Be sure to check out the full episodes featured, listed below: CMO Series EP82 - Judith McKay of McCarthy Tétrault on content and its importance in effective professional services marketing, Charlotte Knight, Charles Cousins (passle.net) Episode 95 - Angela Pandolfo Roy of Gibbons Law on Content Management: The Linchpin of Legal Marketing & BD, Charlotte Knight, Ed Lovatt (passle.net) CMO Series EP109 - Alison Janzen of Torkin Manes on Building an Integrated Approach to Content Marketing, Eugene McCormick, Charlotte Knight (passle.net) CMO Series EP112 - Ashley Horne of Womble Bond Dickinson on Taking a Campaign Approach to Legal Content Marketing, Ed Lovatt, Charlotte Knight (passle.net) CMO Series EP145 - John Neidecker of Norris McLaughlin on The Evolving Role Of Thought Leadership In Legal Marketing, Charles Cousins, Charlotte Knight, Sonali Badul (passle.net)

Law firm leadership requires a collaborative effort across all functions. Collaboration between lawyers, teams and practices can be pivotal to the success of marketing and business development.  In this episode of the CMO Series, Alistair Bone welcomes Clinton Gary to share his insights on how law firm CMOs and Managing Partners can effectively collaborate. With 25 years of experience as CMBDO in prominent law and Big 5 firms, Clinton is currently the Founder and Managing Partner of CREDO Consulting and has a focus on collaborative growth. Clinton and Ali cover: The meaning of collaboration and why Managing Partners and CMOs should prioritize it Clinton’s journey and experiences that have contributed to his expertise in collaboration The critical role of collaboration in marketing and business development Key signs or indicators that suggest collaboration needs to be improved within a firm Common challenges that firms face, hindering effective collaboration Identification of collaboration issues and the practical steps to improve it What Managing Partners and CMOs should focus on to enhance collaboration within their firms

Welcome to Episode 2 of the CMO Series Digital Masterclass. Today, we’ll explore how thought leadership can transform your firm’s online brand. We’ve curated top digital insights from our CMO Series Podcast - links to the full episodes are listed below.  Join us as we delve into essential tools and strategies for professional services marketers, revealing why thought leadership is becoming central to digital success. We'll share success stories from industry leaders who have made their firm's expertise the cornerstone of their online presence. Check out: CMO Series EP43 - One firm, your firm - Sophie Bowkett of Bird & Bird on building more human and more effective legal brands, Charlotte Knight, Charles Cousins (passle.net) CMO Series EP99 - Behind the Scenes of a Legal Rebrand with Erica Roman of Cole Schotz, Charlotte Knight, Charles Cousins (passle.net) CMO Series Podcast LIVE - Erin Stone Dimry on Positioning Your Firm as the Go-To Choice, Alistair Bone, Charlotte Knight (passle.net) CMO Series EP131 - Noni Garratt-Wall of Charles Russell Speechlys on The Art Of A Law Firm Rebrand, Will Eke, Charlotte Knight (passle.net)

Law firm budgets are under increasing scrutiny as firms face pressure to maximize efficiency, adapt to changing market conditions, and deliver more value to clients.  For CMOs, understanding and aligning the marketing budget with the firm's broader strategic goals is critical. A well-aligned budget ensures that marketing efforts directly support the firm’s growth objectives, enhance client engagement, and improve ROI for marketing activities. In this episode of the CMO Series Podcast, Alistair Bone sits down with Tim Mullane, Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer at Wilson Elser, to understand how to align a firm’s budget with its growth strategy.  Tim and Ali Cover: The current trends impacting law firm budgets, and why CMOs should prioritize this issue What causes budget misalignment in law firms, and examples of the consequences when it happens How marketers can effectively align their budgets with their firm's strategic goals How to successfully amend budgets once new priorities are set The concept of “winners” in a budget allocation context and how to identify them The timeframes law firms should consider when setting budgets and how to evaluate the effectiveness of their strategies  The most important aspect marketers should consider when ensuring their budget aligns with their strategy

Welcome to the CMO Series Digital Masterclass, an exciting new sub-series of the CMO Series Podcast. This masterclass is designed to help professional services marketers build world-class digital platforms that enhance their firm's online presence and position them as thought leaders. The CMO Series Digital Masterclass is inspired by Passle’s latest research and the pressing needs of today’s marketing leaders. The goal is to provide actionable insights and best practices for developing robust online platforms that keep your firm front of mind for clients and prospects. To kick off this series, Charlie Knight, Marketing and Communications Manager is joined by Sam Page, Marketing Director at Passle, to discuss why creating a strong digital presence is vital for firms in today’s market and outline the first steps to getting started. In this episode, we cover: What the CMO Series Digital Masterclass is and how it came about Insights from the CMO Series Legal Leadership Report 2024, revealing the top priorities for CMOs and Managing Partners The importance of building your firm's online presence through thought leadership to attract clients Stay Connected To stay in the loop on all upcoming episodes and best practice content, subscribe to the CMO Series Podcast and visit passle.net/digitalmasterclass  

In the realm of B2B professional services, advertising is frequently one of the least utilized marketing tools. Earlier this year, Thompson Reuters published their "State of Global Legal Marketing & BD" report, revealing that professional services marketers rated advertising as the least effective marketing tactic, behind PR, social media, and client education. In this episode of the CMO Series Podcast, Lee Grunnell, CMO at Womble Bond Dickinson joins Charles Cousins to discuss the importance of advertising in professional services, exploring the common misconceptions and the opportunities for firms. Lee and Charles cover: Why marketers should rethink their priorities when it comes to advertising What effective advertising in professional services looks like The considerations or constraints that make advertising for a services firm unique in comparison to other industries How to approach getting buy-in for advertising efforts at a firm The results from advertising at a services firm, and how can marketers measure the success Lee’s advice for CMOs thinking about implementing advertising as part of their marketing mix

Authentic, human-centred stories have long been a staple in B2C marketing, but they’re much less common in the world of professional services. As digital media rises, the fast-paced nature of the media landscape and decreasing attention spans mean marketers need to put in extra effort to make a substantial impact. In this episode of the CMO Series, Charles Cousins welcomes Paul Askew, the Global Strategic Campaigns Manager at Withersworldwide.  Paul discusses the power of storytelling in professional services marketing which is highlighted by their highly successful campaigns, 'Global Rethinkers', 'The Discourse', and 'Defining Moments', created in partnership with the Financial Times. Paul and Charles cover: The importance of storytelling in a firm’s marketing strategy How authentic, human stories significantly personalizes marketing, especially in the legal sector The journey of shifting brand perception through the use of partnerships and support from partners and clients The impact, challenges and the measure of success regarding campaigns and the reason behind the success Paul’s insights into the future of personal storytelling in his marketing strategy

Marketing in confidential services comes with distinct challenges and requires a strategic approach to establish and sustain trust.  In this episode of the Passle CMO Series Podcast, Cam Dobinson explores these intricacies with Elizabeth Anscombe, Chief Business Development & Marketing Officer at Nardello & Co. Lizzie offers her insights on how Nardello & Co. informs its audience about its highly specialized services, the significance of maintaining a client-focused approach despite confidentiality limitations, and the methods employed to establish and maintain trust in a field often enveloped in secrecy. Lizzie and Cam cover: Lizzie’s diverse career background and how it has influenced her approach to marketing in the global investigative space The “cloak and dagger” image of the investigation sector and the importance of transparency  The strategies employed for building and maintaining trust with clients  The role of consistent service and brand messaging Advice for marketers looking to build trust with their clients