With the modern marketing executive’s skillset rapidly expanding, Brian Kardon, the CMO at Fuze, was recently asked what attributes leaders must possess if they want to succeed. Kardon replied …

“You have to be able to repeatedly nail your messaging; it’s one of the first things that sets you apart.”

Your company’s story is the thread that connects the communication channels, vehicles, touchpoints and conversations that make up the customer journey. That’s why your ability to deliver a clear, compelling and consistent message — inside and outside of your organization — matters more today than ever before.

It starts on the inside. Research shows that up to 70 percent of your company’s brand perception is based on the interactions prospects and customers have with your employees. So it is critical every employee buys into the story and has the skills required to bring it to life in the customer experience.

Additionally, your company must be able to deliver a consistent message across a growing number of external communication channels. Jacqueline Hernández, CMO, NBC Universal, recently said,

“We know that customers are on multiple devices and multiple channels at different times of the day, and the CMO in particular has the chance to be the storyteller who delivers the right message at every point of connection.”

Moving forward, to deliver the right message at the right time — online and offline — you will have to design, implement and manage communication strategies and processes that infuse a consistent corporate message across all customer touchpoints, many of which are owned by different stakeholders across your company.

So, let’s face it: Today, your story is omnipresent. It is constantly in front of your target audience and customers. That’s why your ability to share a clear, compelling and consistent story will make the difference between winning and losing the customer experience battle. That is also why CMOs, communications executives and business leaders must invest the time and resources that are required to deliver a consistent corporate message — inside and outside of the organization.