Investing in strategic marketing can help you stand out in a crowded market, and one way to achieve this is to hire a chief marketing officer, says Alan Beaulieu, an economist with ITR Economics, in Differentiate with Strategic Marketing.

According to Beaulieu, the CMO role is so important that he suggests companies rent one if they aren't able to invest in a full-time position.

The widespread lack of marketing savvy across the industry provides an excellent opportunity for distributors to differentiate, but without the right person to guide the marketing efforts, investments may go to waste.

It is crucial to have someone in a dedicated marketing position at the C-suite level who can create a strategic marketing direction for the company and implement marketing initiatives effectively.

Read more about the importance of investing in marketing in Differentiate with Strategic Marketing.

And learn even more about elevating your marketing efforts in Old Dog, New Clicks: Online Industrial & B2B Know-How for the 21st Century.