Marketing leaders come in all shapes and sizes, but the real MVPs are often “T-shaped,” meaning they started out strong in one specific function and then branched out to manage a team of experts. Which marketing archetype does your startup need? This is where things can get overwhelming, so let’s keep it simple and divide the marketing archetypes into two buckets: quantitative and qualitative.

Quantitative marketers are all about numbers and growth, driving product adoption and revenue. These are the analytical minds crunching data, using models and technology to figure out how to get more people hooked on your product. Qualitative marketers are the storytellers, creatives and empathy experts. They are the ones who get into the minds of your customers, understanding what makes them tick and what they're looking for, often coming up with those wild, out-of-the-box ideas that make your company stand out.

To put this into perspective: if you're an early-stage B2B SaaS company, you'll probably find the most value in starting with a data-driven marketing leader. While understanding your customers' feelings is important, a solid foundation in numbers is crucial for building a sustainable business. Sure, you'll add more creative and customer-focused roles later, but focusing on data first will give you a strong platform for future growth.

Marketing leaders are among the most nuanced to hire for as they require the most skill-sets of any other function. Unlike hiring an engineer who knows a specific programming language (or not), assessing marketing expertise (especially as a technical founder!) is a bit more subjective. To help you navigate this challenge, we've created BCV’s Field Guide to Marketing Leaders, which explains different marketing archetypes, what to look for in a marketer and where to find them.

If your business is struggling to attract high quality leads or you want to drive growth and build brand awareness in a competitive market, consider hiring a demand gen leader. This leader is not only responsible for developing and executing strategic campaigns but also plays a crucial role in defining the team's objectives, metrics and budget. It's a comprehensive strategy that encompasses all aspects of marketing, from identifying your target audience to nurturing them through the sales process.

The table stakes:

• Alignment with business goals: Understands how demand generation fits into the overall company strategy.
• Market-centric approach: Has a deep understanding of the target market, buyer personas and customer journey.
• Experimentation mindset: Constantly seeks new channels, tactics and technologies to drive growth.
• Data-driven decision-making: Uses data and metrics to measure performance and optimize campaigns.
• Cross-functional collaboration: Builds strong relationships with sales, product and marketing teams.

Where to find them:

• Demand generation leaders can emerge from diverse backgrounds, such as SEM, SEO, ABM, growth marketing, field marketing - the list goes on! What truly matters is their ability to consistently demonstrate the key qualities above, which are essential for driving sustainable growth.

If you're focused on redefining a market or explaining your startup's value proposition, then consider hiring a Product Marketing leader. These experts understand the competitive landscape, collaborate with product teams to develop market-leading offerings and work with sales teams to craft compelling value propositions. They are essential for aligning your entire organization.

The table stakes:

• Deep understanding of the market: Knows the target audience, their needs, pain points, and buying behavior.
• Product positioning: Defines the product's unique value proposition and how it fits into the market.
• Strong communication skills: Can articulate complex product information in a clear and compelling way.
• Storytelling ability: Creates engaging narratives around the product and its benefits.

Where to find them:

• Great product marketers often start in roles that give them a deep understanding of both the product and the customer. They typically begin in product development or management to learn how products are made. Then, they move into the customer-facing role of marketing to understand what customers want and need. This mix of product knowledge and customer empathy is key to success.

If you're playing the long game in a competitive field where you need to stand out, then brand marketers are deeply invested in this vision. They focus on telling your company's story and ensuring it's consistent across all your touchpoints. Brand is the unique way your customers perceive you and these marketers craft that narrative and find creative ways to express it.

The table stakes:

• Brand storytelling & positioning: Can create a compelling, authentic brand narrative and define a clear and differentiated brand position in the market.
• Creative thinking: Generates innovative ideas for brand campaigns and experiences.
• Market trends: Stays up-to-date on industry and cultural trends to inform brand strategy.
• Competitive analysis: Understands the competitive landscape and how to differentiate the brand.
• David vs Goliath: The best people in this category have battled a mighty competitor and either succeeded or performed admirably. Ask them to tell you how they were the underdog, were outspent 5:1, and still competed.

Where to find them:

Good brand marketing leaders often emerge from a blend of strategic and creative environments. They typically acquire their skills in areas such as advertising, public relations, market research, or design, while also developing a strong business acumen.

*Hot Tip* - If you’re in the market for a brand marketer, a former consumer brand marketer who made the switch to B2B can be a great source of new thinking. In consumer, you have to work a lot harder to stand out and that skill set is rarely applied in B2B.

If you want to build and maintain a strong brand image, then you need a skilled communication professional. They are the architects of your company's reputation, ensuring consistent and effective communication across all channels. Often acting as a trusted advisor to the founder, comms marketers are increasingly stepping into the Head of Marketing spot.

The table stakes:

• Storytelling ability: Can transform complex information into engaging narratives that resonate with the audience.
• Crisis management: Possesses the composure and ability to handle challenging situations effectively, protecting the brand's reputation.
• Media savvy: Has a strong network of media contacts and a deep understanding of the media landscape. They can effectively pitch stories and manage media relations.
• Digital proficiency: Knows how to drive audience engagement on social media. They can leverage digital channels to reach the target audience effectively.
• Relationship building: Uses strong interpersonal skills to build and maintain relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.

Where to find them:

• Communications marketers are focused on storytelling. If they come from a public relations background, a typical career path begins at an agency before moving to a comms role in-house. If they have a writing background, they may have started their career as a journalist at a news organization or spent time in-house as a content writer. These experiences give them the ability to break through noise and reach any audience with a compelling narrative.