If You Don’t Trust Marketing, Your Whole GTM Motion Suffers
- Summer Poletti
- Jun 17
- 4 min read
If You’ve Ever Heard a CEO Say “Marketing Doesn’t Work,” This Is for You
It’s easy to dismiss that kind of statement as old-school thinking. But the deeper issue is trust. And trust issues don’t start with data, they start with perception.
When Julie Candelon dropped a stat about CEO/CMO trust in our podcast interview, I found it shocking. She was quoting off the cuff and asked me not to quote her, so you'll have to listen to the whole episode. I had Perplexity do some research for me and found these troubling gems:
I was floored. Maybe blind-sided because I look to align with marketing wherever I go, knowing it's my key to revenue success. But the more I sat with it, the more it tracked. Because CEOs don’t always say it out loud. They say it in code:
“Demand gen doesn’t work.”
“We hired that agency last month, and they haven’t produced anything.”
“We flipped on ads two weeks ago and got nothing. It’s a waste.”
You can feel the distrust even if they don't say it outright.
And if GTM alignment is a real advantage (it is), we have a problem. Because how can you expect the full revenue motion to align if the CEO and one of its key leaders aren’t even on the same page?
Marketing Still Has to Justify Its Existence
One of my early jobs was at a PR and marketing firm. We had to show clients how much coverage we got them each month, estimate its value, and prove we were worth the retainer. It was our version of ROI. (I'll admit again, that some of this is deeply ingrained in my work psyche.)
It’s not that different now. CMOs still have to “justify their existence” in the eyes of many CEOs. And that’s the trust gap we’re still navigating.
Why the Trust Gap Exists
It's not that CEOs are mean or generally distrusting, so let's unpack this. Some of it can start with that fundamental understanding of marketing that I am blessed to have. And the fact that the path to the CEO seat doesn't often come from the marketing team. Think about it - most CEOs are serial entrepreneurs or they came up through the ranks in operations and/or sales.
Let's also admit that marketing is hard. If something works, everyone copies it until it doesn’t. Algorithms shift. Buyers get bored. And even when you do everything right, it still takes time.
That’s the part most CEOs don’t fully grasp - marketing isn’t a faucet you turn on.
It’s more like baseball. Even the best players miss more than they hit. Let's look at the MLB. Shohei Ohtani, a once-in-a-generation baseball talent, future hall of famer, World Series champ. When Shohei is at-bat, you feel like anything can happen. His career batting average though? .276 Or, more bluntly put, more often than not, nothing happens.
Marketing is risk and repetition. Testing and learning. A lot of throwing spaghetti at the wall. But when it lands, it changes the game.
If your CMO could predict the winner every time, trust me, they would.
What Traction Actually Looks Like
This is why I built 3-week sprints with success signals into my SCALE framework. Because when a process might take a year to prove out, you need indicators along the way. How can I tell if this is working?
It’s also why I advocate for over-communication. Say it. Say it again. Repeat it for the people in the back. CEOs have a lot on their plate, and traction is often invisible until it’s obvious.
Clip: From the Podcast “Nobody Gives an F About Marketing”
Julie and I dig into CEO/CMO trust, and also why trust matters within your organization. Ultimately, this is all about your business growth! Catch the full episode here.
What You Can Do Today
Listen for the signs. CEOs might not say they don’t trust marketing, but they’ll say things that hint at it. It starts with their belief in the strategy, the plan, the tactics - the work the CMO is producing.
Be the translator. If you’re in sales, client success or partnerships, you can help bridge the trust gap by translating what marketing is doing and why it matters to your growth strategies, into language your CEO values. Have your internal partner's back.
Track leading indicators. Not just leads or traffic, but signals like engagement from ICP accounts, quality of conversations, and repeat interactions. These are the early signs of pipeline growth and increased sales.
What You Can Do Next
The CEO <> CMO trust gap is real. But it’s fixable, with the right approach and metrics that build belief.
You don’t need to replace your team. You need better alignment. I’ll show you how to get sales, marketing, and leadership rowing in the same direction—fast.
Book an Alignment Scan or reach out directly.
Let’s fix the trust before it costs you growth.
Rise of Us is a practice run by Summer Poletti, specializing in revenue growth: sales, strategic partnerships, customer success, marketing alignment. We generally work with financial services and SaaS companies from $2MM - $20MM ARR and help them plan and execute for their next stage of revenue growth. We concentrate on strategy, coaching, and organizational alignment.
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