Sales vs Marketing: Which background makes for the best Chief Revenue Officer?

Fact: the role of the Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) didn’t exist in most companies a decade ago. Today, it’s one of the fastest-growing C-suite positions.

It makes sense – revenue generation is more critical than ever, so businesses all across the globe are looking to their CROs to keep them aligned, focused, and, above all, profitable.

But good CROs don’t just happen, they’re forged from years of valuable experience, usually in sales or marketing – usually sales. In fact, McKinsey data shows that around 76% of CROs come from a sales background.

But is this really the best path to sustainable business growth? Are we collectively overlooking the value of marketers? Or in other words, should your company hire a closer or a storyteller?

Why Most Chief Revenue Officers Come from Sales

We know sales professionals can make excellent CROs. Being skilled in sales means having hands-on experience in closing deals and understanding customer decision-making processes. You have to know how to drive revenue, motivate sales teams, and optimise performance, and direct interactions with clients provide a nuanced understanding of customer needs and enable them to tailor offerings accordingly.

All of this is vital when it comes to successfully undertaking the role of CRO. However, there are pitfalls to just prioritising a sales background at the hiring stage. While sales expertise is a clear asset, it’s not the only route to sustainable revenue growth.

Consider Chief Revenue Officers with a Marketing Background

Marketing leaders bring a different but equally valuable perspective to the CRO role. While sales-focused CROs would likely prioritise immediate revenue and deal closure, marketing-driven CROs are much more likely to focus on long-term brand positioning, demand generation, and market expansion. They understand market trends, customer segmentation, and brand positioning, which are crucial for crafting strategies that resonate with target audiences. Their expertise in demand generation ensures a steady pipeline for the sales team.

Given the increasing reliance on data-driven decision-making, automation, and AI-powered insights, marketing-led CROs are often ideally positioned to leverage these tools effectively.

The challenge for marketing professionals stepping into the CRO role, however, is proving their ability to directly impact revenue and lead a high-performance sales culture.

A hybrid CRO

There is no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to hiring a CRO. The choice between a sales or marketing background should align with the organisation’s specific needs and growth objectives.

A sales-oriented CRO might excel in driving immediate revenue and managing sales teams, whereas a marketing-oriented CRO could provide strategic insights into market positioning and demand generation.

Ideally, the modern Chief Revenue Officer should be a hybrid executive with the strategic mindset of a marketer, the revenue focus of a sales leader, a data-driven, cross-functional approach, and strong financial acumen. It’s important that anyone in the role knows how to be creative – whether they’re thinking of new product lines or new ways to grow revenue streams.

It’s about being embedded in the overall strategy of the business, and everything it entails. A good CRO should understand the customer journey, demand generation, and brand positioning while also knowing how to close deals, build a high-performance sales culture, and optimise the bottom line. Leveraging AI, automation, and predictive analytics, they must align pricing models, product strategy, and go-to-market execution with business growth objectives.

Hiring the Right CRO for Long-Term Success

Organisations looking to hire a CRO should not settle for just a closer or a storyteller—they need both.

The future of revenue leadership requires a balance between sales and marketing expertise, ensuring sustainable business growth and a competitive edge in an increasingly complex marketplace.

If you’re hiring a CRO, considering a hybrid skill set is critical. At Hanson Search, we help businesses identify leaders who drive sustainable revenue growth. Get in touch to find out how we could support you.