Latest / The Marketing Career Podcast with Fexingo: Marketing Jobs, Skills, and Career Growth / How Marketing Generalists Use Customer Advisory Boards
Transcript
- Lucas: So there's this marketing generalist I've been following — Priya — mid-career, about seven years in, working at a B2B SaaS company that sells compliance software to mid-market firms. She told me she felt stuck, like she was doing campaign execution but never got to influence product direction. Luna: That's a classic pain point for generalists. You're good at everything but not 'strategic' in anyone's eyes. Lucas: Exactly. So instead of waiting for a promotion or switching jobs, she pitched something to her CEO: a customer advisory board. Not a focus group. Not a user test. A formal, recurring council of six key customers who meet quarterly to advise on roadmap, messaging, and market shifts. Luna: And the CEO went for it? Lucas: He did. And within six months, Priya went from being seen as 'the person who runs email campaigns' to the person who brings customer voice into the executive room. That's the kind of move that changes a career trajectory. Luna: Honestly, if hearing that story sparked something for you — like maybe you could pitch something similar — that's exactly the kind of takeaway we hope you get from these conversations. If it was worth a coffee to you, you know the link: buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. No pressure, just a way to keep this ad-free. Lucas: Yeah, listeners like you are the reason we keep digging into real, tactical moves. So back to Priya: her CAB wasn't just a vanity project. She defined clear goals — gather input on three pending product features, validate a new pricing tier, and identify reference customers for sales. Luna: That's smart. She tied it to measurable outcomes from day one. What did the CEO need to approve? Lucas: Not much. She asked for a quarterly dinner budget — about two thousand dollars per meeting — and a commitment from the CEO to attend the first one. That's it. No big headcount, no software investment, no consulting firm. Luna: Two thousand dollars is nothing for a potential product pivot or a reference that closes a million-dollar deal. So how did she recruit members? Lucas: She started with the customer success team's list of highest nps accounts. Then she personally emailed six champions — not decision-makers, but power users who were already vocal in feedback calls. She offered nothing but a quarterly dinner, early access to features, and a direct line to product leadership. Luna: And they said yes? I'm always surprised how often customers are happy to advise for free if they feel heard. Lucas: Five out of six said yes within a week. The sixth was too busy but recommended a colleague. People like being asked for their opinion — especially when it's not a sales pitch. Luna: So what happened at the first meeting? Was it awkward? Lucas: Priya says it was surprisingly smooth. She structured it as a two-hour working session: thirty minutes on company updates, sixty minutes on the three product features, thirty minutes open discussion. The CEO asked one question early on — 'what would make you leave us for a competitor?' — and the conversation got real fast. Luna: That's the kind of candor you rarely get from a survey or a support ticket. And it positions Priya as the conduit for that honesty. Lucas: Exactly. Within two months, two of the features were reprioritized based on that feedback, and one was killed entirely. The product team started treating her as a stakeholder. She went from executing campaigns to being copied on strategy emails. Luna: So for a marketing generalist listening right now — maybe you're at a company with no formal CAB — what are the first three steps? Lucas: Step one: identify your internal sponsor. It doesn't have to be the CEO — a VP of Product or Customer Success works. Step two: find three to five customers who love your product and will talk openly. Step three: propose a single, low-risk pilot meeting with a clear agenda and zero long-term commitment. Luna: And the business case? How do you justify it to a skeptical manager? Luna: That's a number any CFO would respect. And it doesn't require a marketing degree — it's just good business sense. Lucas: Right. And that's the thing — CABs aren't a 'marketing program.' They're a cross-functional growth lever that any generalist can initiate. Priya's story proves you don't need a title or a big team. You just need conviction and a willingness to ask. Luna: And maybe a dinner budget. So if someone tries this, what's the biggest pitfall to avoid? Lucas: Don't turn it into a sales meeting. The moment customers feel pitched, they'll disengage. Priya's rule was: no demos, no pricing discussions, no 'by the way, we have a new feature to sell you.' The board is for listening, not selling. Luna: That's a hard line to hold, especially if the CEO wants to pitch. How did she handle that? Lucas: She set ground rules in writing before the first meeting. And she reminded the CEO privately that the value comes from honest feedback, not a captive audience. He got it — he's smart. Luna: So what's the long-term play for a generalist running a CAB? Does it lead to a promotion? Lucas: It can. Priya was promoted to Director of Customer Insights six months after the board launched. Not because the CAB itself was a line item on her resume, but because she demonstrated strategic thinking, stakeholder management, and cross-functional influence — all the things that get you promoted. Luna: And for someone who doesn't want a director title — maybe they like being a generalist — is it still worth it? Lucas: Absolutely. The CAB gives you leverage and visibility. You get to shape products and messaging without having to manage a team. It's a force multiplier for your existing role. Luna: I love that. It's not about climbing a ladder — it's about expanding your impact from where you stand. Lucas: Exactly. And the best part? You don't need permission from anyone but yourself to start the conversation. Priya didn't wait for a job description that said 'run advisory boards.' She invented the role. Luna: That's the kind of agency I think a lot of marketers are looking for right now. So — actionable takeaway for anyone listening: if you want to try this, what's the smallest possible next step? Lucas: Write down the names of three customers you'd feel comfortable grabbing coffee with. Then schedule a fifteen-minute call with your product manager and ask: 'What's the one piece of customer feedback you wish you could get but can't?' Use that as your opening. Luna: That's concrete. And it doesn't require a budget or a slide deck. Just curiosity and a little courage. Lucas: And if you do it, let us know how it goes. We love hearing from listeners who take these ideas and run with them. Luna: Alright, that's the show for today. Thanks for hanging out with us. Lucas: Talk to you next time.