Stop Creating Marketing Plans; Just Focus on the Next 6-12 Months

“Stop creating marketing plans; just focus on the next 6-12 months,” instructed a first-time CEO of a PE-backed $90 million services firm. The CMO who recounted this story responded with a weary, “What can you do?” and, feeling defeated, returned to work. Hearing this made me cringe, and now here comes the idea!

Short-Termism is an Epidemic

This was not an isolated incident. Each week, I converse with CMOs whose organizations are intensely focused on the current quarter. Most of these companies are privately equity-backed, some are public, and only a rare few could describe themselves as “Built to Last.” Instead, these companies are being “Built to Sell.” But buyers beware: these short-term thinkers are also short-timers. They lack staying power and, crucially, they lack pricing power.

Short-Termism Inhibits Growth

Forrester reported that enterprise sales cycles extended to an average of 18 months in 2024. This means today’s top-of-the-funnel opportunities won’t close until 2027—not this quarter, not next quarter, but 2027! Success will hinge on the clarity and consistency of the brand story across 100 different interactions with prospects. Each of these touchpoints takes time to thoughtfully plan and optimize.

Take analyst relations, for example. You’re not going to land in the top quadrant after just three months of effort; it can take a year or two. However, once you achieve that position, it becomes an invaluable source of credibility that can influence every sales conversation. Trade shows are another area where long-term planning is essential. You can only maximize event investments if you have a robust plan covering pre-event, during-event, and post-event activities. This plan must account for multiple sources of value: closing late-stage deals, strengthening current customer relationships and partnerships, and introducing your brand to new prospects.

Short-Termism Limits Pricing Power

Now, let’s discuss pricing power. I had an epiphany during my conversations: pricing power is the ultimate test of brand strength. The stronger the brand, the more it can charge—and thus, the better its margins. Importantly, CFOs understand the concept of pricing power. For them, it’s not an abstract idea like “brand”; it’s real money.

And here’s the catch: pricing power isn’t built through three- or six-month sprints. It takes years of consistently delivering on your brand promise. Warren Buffett famously said, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” You could easily substitute “pricing power” for “reputation” in Buffett’s quote.

What’s the Alternative?

If your company’s leadership is trapped in a short-term mindset, it’s up to you, the CMO, to advocate for a long-term perspective. Present the data and explain how long-term planning drives growth, builds resilience, and strengthens pricing power. And if they still don’t understand? Well, perhaps it’s time to seek a company that’s truly “Built to Last.”