Disclosure: The opinions and opinions expressed here belong to the authors solely and do not represent the views or opinions of the crypto.news editorial.
You can always find Crypto CMOs. They have eyes cramps, forced smiles, and at least one draft email is trying to explain why the company is a “game changer” (for all possibilities). Meanwhile, CFOs treat marketing like subscriptions for options that they have forgotten to cancel. The CEO is pitching “the next big thing.” This sounds suspiciously like the big one at the end. Investor? Already out and sipping cocktails in a tax-friendly place.
All early stage crypto companies sound loud until they realize they’ve stepped into a crime scene armed with Canva subscriptions and espresso machines.
So, what does it feel like working? What are the real challenges faced by Crypto CMOS? And most importantly, you can avoid rehearsing LinkedIn posts that you “learned” before your schedule. Let’s dive in.
Follow the money (or lack of it)
Take a closer look at your business before you start dreaming of a campaign. Does it actually make money, or does it survive with investor smoke and venture capital optimism? Start by baking the CEO and CFO. It’s as if your career depends on it. Congratulations if they start sweating with basic financial questions: You are trying to join a company that expects marketing to “get your growth strategy” but finance finds a way to slow down your pay. Here’s what you need to grasp:
What is the burn rate and what is the runway? (Translation: Are they casually burning cash? And how long does it take for CFOs to start rationing their office coffee?) Are they relying on the hype cycle, token speculation, or “next bull run” as a revenue strategy? (If so, you also need a personal risk strategy.) What happens when the investor’s money is dry? (Spoiler alert: Marketing budget will be reduced first.)
If you give up hope…
Founders dodge financial questions like a terrible Tinder date. Although the burn rate is high, what is broken is an ideological goal, not a financial goal. Revenue is like a sighting of a UFO. There is a report, but I have never seen it before. While users are aggressive, no one has any plans to make users profitable.
Reality check:
With crypto, businesses move faster, but not all moves move forward. So does your salary if your revenue is a “future concern.” If your finances are ugly, marketing is always narrowed down first. You will be asked to “do more” until you have nothing to do.
Do you want to expand your business or expand your reputation?
Early stage crypto companies live and die in investors. Some people understand that real growth takes time, while others understand that vanity metrics just want to be slapped by a slide deck so that reality can disappear before it catches up.
So before starting to plot your marketing strategy, ask:
Are investors prioritizing sustainable growth or are they going to inflate numbers for the next round of funding? (Translation: Are we building a business or just making decks look neat?) How does the company define “traction”? (Congratulations, if your growth is measured with active community members or Twitter likes, you’re likely to be the one responsible for the discrepancy.)
If you give up hope…
The Investor List looks like a Ragpal Leaderboard. All short-term speculators, no long-term vision. They blew half of the marketing budget for YouTubers who mispronounced their company names. While engineers still debate which chain to build, marketing is expected to “build momentum.”
Reality check:
They may assure you that the product is “on track,” but so did Titanic before hitting the iceberg. If investors are obsessed with traction, but are allergic to their business model and their actual goal is to secure the next round of funding, you are simply inflated rather than expanding your company.
Wow gummy? perhaps. But first, show us your business model.
A crypto company with no working business model is a very expensive scientific experiment. Therefore, before you begin creating a campaign, you need to know:
Does this project have a real sustainable business model or is it carried out in bull market prayers? Is monetization a real plan or is it a “later problem”? (In the latter case, if you’re not a CMO, you’re outlet liquidity wrapped in a flashy position.) Is marketing expected to generate revenue because the product isn’t? (Translation: Do I build a brand here or run a financial CPR?)
If you give up hope…
They claim to be “pre-approved,” but have been around for three years. The monetization plan is “TBD,” but they have already hired influencers and run PR campaigns. The business model is a mystery, but marketing is expected to “unlock new revenue streams.”
Reality check:
The difficult truth is: Working business models are not what economists call “dead business.” In code, this is called the “future of finances.” Amount of creative genius cannot save a company built on hopeful thinking.
If their entire revenue strategy is “waiting for a massive recruitment,” your marketing plan is “waiting for your next job.”
Regulatory risk: Are we business or future case studies?
Crypto is a regulatory minefield, and marketing is often caught up in Crossfire. If your company is not legally compliant, you are not in marketing work, when regulators knock, you are volunteering to become a spokesman. And don’t expect CEOs to stick for a press release when they do.
So here’s what you need to understand:
Where does the company operate and who is its primary users? (So you know if you need to sell to a trader, institution, or future mobile.) How does a product fit with evolving regulations? (Translation: Do I need a legal disclaimer under all campaigns?) What is the involvement of my legal team in marketing? (The last thing you need to do is launch the campaign just to slide the SEC into the DMS.)
If you give up hope…
The answer to compliance is either ambiguous, overly optimistic, or “we’re working on it.” The company operates in a regulatory grey zone without clear jurisdiction. The legal team doesn’t seem to exist. (Or it consists primarily of one overworked generalist writing the disclaimer.)
Reality check:
Cryptocurrency is like gravity and I don’t care if you believe it or not. If compliance is being treated as a “later problem”, then assume it is already a problem, and marketing will just paint the target on your back.
Remember: When regulators knock, CEOs participate in a “scheduled media blackout.”
The highest paying yes man: Do you have real authority?
Chief Marketing Director sounds important. It suggests strategy, influence and leadership. But in cryptography, it means that the CEO is sitting through a monologue explaining marketing to you. Usually, it mentions:
Elon Musk’s Twitter Antis, “Community-Driven Growth” (translated by Free Marketing), Apple “No Advertising.”
Your job? Nod, smile, prepare mentally. Ask if you can “put your growth” a way to unlock customer acquisition. Then, when they finally hold their breath, you casually mention that Steve Jobs spent over $100 million on marketing in the first year of the iMac.
So, before you sign up, make sure you establish it.
Do you actually have decision-making power or are you here to carry out the CEO’s gut instinct? Is marketing a strategic feature or is it just an afterthought? Who owns the budget, brand and growth strategy?
If you give up hope…
The CEO believes that marketing is merely “community growth” (translation: free). The board considers branding to be a logo. Every decision requires five meetings and a founder mood check. Growth is your responsibility, but you have no authority over budget, employment, or strategy.
Reality check:
The title of a CMO means nothing if you can’t control your strategy, budget, or priorities. If leadership sees marketing as a necessary evil, expect every strategy meeting to want to explain Tiktok to your dad.
And if you are expected to “grow your own” but you are not authorized to make real decisions, you are there just to carry out someone else’s gut instinct, and all major decisions are made in telegram group chats where you are not.
What you need to make it
Marketing at Crypto is not for the timid. One day, you’re building a brand. Next, he explains to the CFO why marketing isn’t a luxury expense. Then, before you know it, you’re on Twitter damage control. Because CEOs are called “hate” regulators in every cap.
Five rules to keep you sane:
Secure budgets and decision making agencies in advance. Push KPIs tied to actual revenue rather than vanity metrics. Because the subpoena is not worth it, it will be legally involved early. Keep it realistic, marketing can’t fix a broken business model. If the founder is unable to answer tough financial questions, do it.
At the end of the day, in cryptography, only smart money survives. Stupid money? Well, they hire CMOs to fix what they can’t fix. If you are thriving with unpredictability, if you have the opportunity to see the confusion, if you can turn your vague roadmap into a compelling vision, you have found the perfect job.
What if not? Well, there’s always Web2.
