Interview Guide for

Customer Marketing Manager

This comprehensive interview guide is designed to help you effectively evaluate candidates for the Customer Marketing Manager role at your organization. It provides a structured approach to assessing candidates' skills, experience, and fit for the position through multiple interview stages, including a work sample exercise.

How to Use This Guide

To make the most of this interview guide and improve your hiring decisions:

Familiarize yourself with the job description and ideal candidate profile before conducting interviews. This will help you better assess candidate fit and potential for success in the role.
Customize the guide to align with your company's specific needs and industry focus. You can edit questions or add new ones using Yardstick, ensuring the interview process remains relevant and effective for your customer marketing environment.
Use the same questions and scorecards for each interview stage to ensure consistency across candidates. This standardized approach allows for more accurate comparisons and data-driven decision-making.
Take detailed notes during interviews to support your evaluations. Yardstick's AI-powered note-taking feature can help capture key insights without distracting you from the conversation, especially during the work sample exercise.
Complete the scorecard immediately after each interview while your impressions are fresh. This helps maintain accuracy and facilitates easier comparisons between candidates, particularly when evaluating complex competencies like strategic thinking and storytelling skills.
Pay close attention to candidates' past performance metrics and their ability to articulate customer engagement strategies. The hiring manager interview section is particularly useful for diving deep into these areas.
Use the behavioral competency interview to assess adaptability and problem-solving skills, which are crucial for success in dynamic customer marketing environments.
Leverage the executive interview to evaluate candidates' ability to align customer marketing initiatives with broader business objectives and engage with senior stakeholders.
Conduct thorough reference checks to verify the candidate's claims about their customer marketing performance and relationship-building abilities.
Use Yardstick's analytics to track the effectiveness of each element of the interview guide over time, allowing you to refine and improve your hiring process for customer marketing roles continuously.

Remember that this guide is a tool to support your decision-making process. Use your judgment and expertise to evaluate candidates holistically, considering both their qualifications and potential cultural fit within your organization's customer marketing team.

For more interview question ideas specific to this role, visit: Customer Marketing Manager Interview Questions.

Job Description

🌟 Customer Marketing Manager

🚀 About [Company]

[Company] is a leading provider of innovative [Industry] solutions, empowering businesses to transform their customer interactions into actionable insights. Our AI-powered platform helps organizations increase efficiency, improve decision-making, and accelerate revenue growth.

💼 The Role

As a Customer Marketing Manager at [Company], you'll play a crucial role in elevating our brand by amplifying customer voices and driving loyalty and engagement. You'll own key programs that support our go-to-market success and demonstrate our category leadership.

🎯 Key Responsibilities

Design and implement scalable advocacy programs for lifecycle engagement, strategic customer references, reviews, and referrals
Align program objectives with broader company and marketing goals to maximize the impact of customer stories
Develop and execute end-to-end strategies for customer engagement, identifying high-impact advocates
Manage and optimize the referral program to drive customer engagement and satisfaction
Curate and create compelling customer stories and testimonials to support various initiatives
Collaborate cross-functionally to identify and leverage customer advocates effectively
Track, report, and improve advocacy metrics to measure success and refine programs

🧠 What We're Looking For

Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Business, or a related field
Proven experience in customer marketing, advocacy, or related roles
Demonstrated ability to manage customer marketing programs and executive relationships
Strong project management skills with the ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a talent for crafting compelling narratives
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with a customer-focused mindset

💫 Why Join [Company]?

Be part of a dynamic team shaping the future of [Industry]
Competitive compensation package including [Pay Range] and benefits
Opportunities for professional growth and development
Collaborative and innovative work environment
Flexible work arrangements to support work-life balance

Hiring Process

We've designed our hiring process to be thorough and give you multiple opportunities to showcase your skills and experience. Here's what you can expect:

Initial Screening Interview

A brief conversation with our recruiting team to discuss your background and experience in customer marketing and advocacy.

Work Sample: Customer Advocacy Program Design

An opportunity to demonstrate your strategic thinking and program design skills through a practical exercise.

Hiring Manager Interview

An in-depth discussion about your work history, achievements, and approach to customer marketing with the hiring manager.

Behavioral Competency Interview

A focused conversation about your past experiences and how they relate to key competencies for this role.

Executive Interview

A final interview with a senior leader to discuss your strategic thinking and potential impact on our customer advocacy initiatives.

We aim to provide feedback promptly after each stage and encourage you to ask questions throughout the process. We're excited to get to know you and learn how you can contribute to our team's success!

[Company] is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Ideal Candidate Profile (Internal)

Role Overview

The Customer Marketing Manager will be responsible for developing and executing customer advocacy strategies that support our brand positioning and drive business growth. This role requires a blend of strategic thinking, creativity, and strong interpersonal skills to effectively leverage customer stories and build lasting relationships.

Essential Behavioral Competencies

Strategic Thinking: Ability to align customer marketing initiatives with overall business objectives and identify opportunities for maximizing customer advocacy impact.
Relationship Building: Skill in establishing and nurturing strong relationships with customers, internal stakeholders, and cross-functional teams to drive successful advocacy programs.
Creativity and Storytelling: Capacity to craft compelling narratives that effectively communicate customer success stories and showcase the value of our solutions.
Project Management: Ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously, prioritize effectively, and deliver high-quality results within deadlines.
Data-Driven Decision Making: Skill in analyzing program metrics, drawing insights, and using data to continuously improve advocacy initiatives and demonstrate ROI.

Desired Outcomes

Example Goals for Role:

Increase customer advocacy participation by 25% within the first year through targeted engagement strategies and program enhancements.
Generate 50 new customer success stories across various industries and use cases within 12 months.
Improve the effectiveness of the referral program, resulting in a 20% increase in qualified leads generated from customer referrals.
Achieve a 30% increase in positive customer reviews on key industry platforms within the first year.
Develop and implement a measurement framework to track and report on the impact of customer advocacy programs on revenue and brand perception.

Ideal Candidate Profile

6+ years of experience in customer marketing, advocacy, or related roles, with a proven track record of managing successful customer marketing programs
Strong understanding of B2B marketing strategies and customer engagement best practices
Experience in building and maintaining relationships with executive-level customers
Excellent project management skills with the ability to juggle multiple priorities and deliver results in a fast-paced environment
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with a talent for storytelling and creating compelling content
Data-driven mindset with experience in using metrics to measure program success and drive continuous improvement
Collaborative team player with the ability to work effectively across departments and influence without direct authority
Adaptable and innovative thinker, capable of developing creative solutions to complex challenges
Passion for customer success and a deep understanding of the customer journey
[Location]-based or comfortable with remote work arrangements, with the ability to travel occasionally for customer meetings or events

📞 Screening Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This initial screening interview is crucial for quickly assessing if a candidate should move forward in the Customer Marketing Manager hiring process. Focus on past performance, relevant experience, and key competencies outlined in the job description. Getting detailed information on past program results and strategic thinking early is essential.

Ask all candidates the same questions to ensure fair comparisons. Take detailed notes during the interview to support your evaluations. Complete the scorecard immediately after the interview while your impressions are fresh.

Remember that this is just the first step in the process, so focus on gathering key information rather than making a final decision. The goal is to determine if the candidate has the potential to excel in this role and should continue to the next stage of the interview process.

Directions to Share with Candidate

"I'll be asking you some initial questions about your background and experience to determine fit for our Customer Marketing Manager role. Please provide concise but thorough answers, focusing on specific examples and results where possible. Do you have any questions before we begin?"

Interview Questions

Tell me about the most successful customer advocacy program you've developed and implemented. What were the key results and how did you measure success?

Areas to Cover:

Specific program details and objectives
Metrics used to measure success
Results achieved (quantitative and qualitative)
Alignment with broader company goals
Challenges faced and how they were overcome

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you determine which metrics to track?
What was the impact of this program on the overall business?
How did you get buy-in from stakeholders for this program?

Walk me through your approach to developing and executing a strategic customer engagement plan.

Areas to Cover:

Steps in the planning process
Methods for identifying high-impact advocates
Strategies for aligning with company objectives
Approach to cross-functional collaboration
Implementation and execution details

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How do you prioritize different engagement initiatives?
How do you ensure consistency across various customer touchpoints?
Can you give an example of how you've adapted your strategy based on feedback or results?

Describe a situation where you had to use data to make a decision about a customer marketing program. What was your process and what was the outcome?

Areas to Cover:

Types of data analyzed
Analysis methods used
Decision-making process
Implementation of insights
Results and lessons learned

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you gather the necessary data?
Were there any challenges in interpreting the data? How did you overcome them?
How did this experience inform your approach to future programs?

How do you approach storytelling and content creation to effectively showcase customer success?

Areas to Cover:

Process for identifying compelling customer stories
Techniques for crafting engaging narratives
Methods for tailoring content to different audiences and channels
Approach to gaining customer approval for stories
Examples of particularly successful content pieces

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How do you balance customer preferences with company messaging needs?
Can you walk me through how you've repurposed a single customer story for multiple formats or channels?
How do you measure the impact of your customer success stories?

Tell me about a time when you had to manage multiple customer marketing initiatives simultaneously. How did you prioritize and ensure all projects were successful?

Areas to Cover:

Project management techniques used
Prioritization strategies
Communication with stakeholders
Resource allocation
Results achieved across projects

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you handle unexpected challenges or delays?
How did you maintain quality across all initiatives?
What tools or systems do you use to manage multiple projects?

How do you build and maintain relationships with internal stakeholders to ensure the success of your customer marketing programs?

Areas to Cover:

Strategies for identifying key stakeholders
Methods for gaining buy-in and support
Approach to ongoing communication
Techniques for managing conflicting priorities
Examples of successful cross-functional collaborations

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How do you handle disagreements with stakeholders?
Can you give an example of how you've turned a challenging stakeholder relationship into a productive one?
How do you ensure customer marketing initiatives align with other departmental goals?

Are you legally authorized to work in [Location] without sponsorship?

Areas to Cover:

Current work authorization status
Any restrictions or limitations on employment
Timeline of work eligibility if applicable

Possible Follow-up Questions:

When does your current work authorization expire?
Are there any travel restrictions we should be aware of?

Interview Scorecard

Relevant Customer Marketing Experience

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Less than 2 years of relevant customer marketing experience
2: 2-4 years of customer marketing experience with limited advocacy program management
3: 5-7 years of successful customer marketing experience, including advocacy program management
4: 8+ years of exceptional customer marketing experience with a strong track record in advocacy programs

Strategic Thinking

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Demonstrates limited strategic thinking in program development
2: Shows basic strategic thinking but struggles to align with broader business objectives
3: Exhibits strong strategic thinking, aligning programs with company goals
4: Exceptional strategic thinker, consistently developing innovative programs that drive business results

Data-Driven Decision Making

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Rarely uses data to inform decisions
2: Basic use of data in decision making, but analysis may be superficial
3: Consistently uses data to drive decisions and improve programs
4: Expert at leveraging complex data sets to make strategic decisions and optimize program performance

Storytelling and Content Creation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited experience or skill in creating compelling customer stories
2: Can create basic customer success stories but may lack depth or engagement
3: Strong storytelling skills, able to create impactful customer content across channels
4: Exceptional storyteller, consistently crafts highly engaging content that drives measurable results

Project Management

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to manage multiple projects effectively
2: Can manage multiple projects but may have difficulty prioritizing or meeting deadlines
3: Strong project management skills, effectively balances multiple initiatives
4: Exceptional project manager, consistently delivers high-quality results across complex, simultaneous projects

Stakeholder Management

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Difficulty building relationships and managing stakeholders
2: Can manage basic stakeholder relationships but struggles with conflicting priorities
3: Strong stakeholder management skills, effectively builds cross-functional relationships
4: Exceptional at stakeholder management, consistently turns relationships into productive collaborations that drive program success

Work Authorization

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Requires sponsorship with significant restrictions
2: Requires sponsorship with minor restrictions
3: Authorized to work with time limitation
4: Fully authorized to work without restrictions

Goal: Increase customer advocacy participation by 25% within the first year through targeted engagement strategies and program enhancements.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Generate 50 new customer success stories across various industries and use cases within 12 months.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Improve the effectiveness of the referral program, resulting in a 20% increase in qualified leads generated from customer referrals.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Develop and implement a measurement framework to track and report on the impact of customer advocacy programs on revenue and brand perception.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Overall Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

🎭 Work Sample: Customer Advocacy Program Design

Directions for the Interviewer

This work sample assesses the candidate's ability to design and present a strategic customer advocacy program. It evaluates their strategic thinking, creativity, project management skills, and ability to align initiatives with business objectives.

Best practices:

Provide the candidate with background materials 24 hours before the exercise
Allow 30 minutes for the candidate to present their plan
Take detailed notes on specific strategies, metrics, and implementation ideas
Allocate 15 minutes for Q&A to probe deeper into their thought process
Offer both positive and constructive feedback on their plan
If time allows, ask the candidate how they might adapt the plan based on your feedback

Directions to Share with Candidate

"For this exercise, you'll design a 90-day plan for launching a new customer advocacy program at our company. Your goal is to create a strategic plan that aligns with our business objectives and demonstrates how you would approach implementing and measuring such a program. You'll have 30 minutes to present your plan, followed by 15 minutes of Q&A. You'll receive background information on our company, products, and current customer base 24 hours before the exercise. Do you have any questions?"

Provide the candidate with:

Company overview and mission statement
Product/service descriptions
Current customer base demographics and firmographics
Key business objectives for the coming year
Any existing customer marketing initiatives
Budget constraints (if applicable)

Interview Scorecard

Strategic Alignment

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Plan lacks alignment with company objectives
2: Basic alignment with some company objectives
3: Strong alignment with most company objectives
4: Exceptional alignment with all company objectives, demonstrating deep understanding of business goals

Program Creativity and Innovation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Proposed program lacks creativity or innovation
2: Program includes some creative elements but mostly relies on standard approaches
3: Creative and innovative program design with several unique elements
4: Highly innovative program design with multiple creative approaches that set it apart from standard advocacy programs

Implementation Planning

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Vague or unrealistic implementation plan
2: Basic implementation plan with some gaps or overlooked challenges
3: Comprehensive implementation plan addressing key challenges and milestones
4: Exceptional implementation plan with detailed timelines, resource allocation, and contingency planning

Measurement and Metrics

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Few or irrelevant metrics proposed
2: Basic metrics proposed but may not fully capture program impact
3: Comprehensive set of relevant metrics with clear ties to business objectives
4: Sophisticated measurement framework with both leading and lagging indicators, demonstrating deep understanding of program impact

Stakeholder Consideration

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Little consideration of key stakeholders
2: Basic consideration of some stakeholders but may overlook important groups
3: Thorough consideration of all key stakeholders with plans for engagement
4: Exceptional stakeholder analysis with tailored engagement strategies and anticipated challenges/solutions

Presentation Skills

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Poor communication, unclear or disorganized presentation
2: Adequate communication with some clarity, but may lack polish
3: Clear, well-organized presentation with good communication skills
4: Exceptional presentation skills, articulate and persuasive with excellent use of visual aids

Goal: Increase customer advocacy participation by 25% within the first year through targeted engagement strategies and program enhancements.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Generate 50 new customer success stories across various industries and use cases within 12 months.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Improve the effectiveness of the referral program, resulting in a 20% increase in qualified leads generated from customer referrals.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Develop and implement a measurement framework to track and report on the impact of customer advocacy programs on revenue and brand perception.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Overall Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

👔 Hiring Manager Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This interview focuses on the candidate's relevant work history and performance in customer marketing and advocacy roles. Ask the following questions for each relevant previous role, adapting as needed for time and the number of relevant roles. Ask all questions for the most recent or most relevant role. Probe for specific examples and quantifiable results. Pay attention to the progression of responsibilities and achievements across roles, especially in relation to customer advocacy, relationship building, and program management.

Directions to Share with Candidate

"I'd like to discuss your relevant work experience in customer marketing and advocacy in more detail. We'll go through each of your previous roles, focusing on your responsibilities, achievements, and lessons learned. Please provide specific examples and metrics where possible, especially related to advocacy programs, customer engagement strategies, and measurable outcomes."

Interview Questions

Of all the jobs you've held in customer marketing or advocacy, which was your favorite and why?

Areas to Cover:

Motivations and preferences in customer marketing roles
Alignment with current Customer Marketing Manager role
Self-awareness and understanding of strengths in advocacy

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What aspects of that role do you hope to find in this position?
How did that experience shape your approach to customer advocacy?
What did you learn about yourself as a customer marketing professional in that role?

Tell me about your role at [company]. What attracted you to this customer marketing opportunity?

Areas to Cover:

Company background and product/service overview
Target customer profile for advocacy programs
Customer marketing process and methodology used
Approach to identifying and engaging potential advocates
Types of advocacy initiatives managed (e.g., references, reviews, case studies)

Possible Follow-up Questions:

Who was your ideal customer advocate, and how did you identify them?
Walk me through your typical process for creating a customer success story.
How did you generate or receive leads for potential customer advocates?
What was the typical timeline for developing and launching an advocacy initiative?
How did your advocacy programs differentiate from competitors in your industry?

What were your key achievements in this customer marketing role?

Areas to Cover:

Quantifiable results from advocacy programs
Increase in customer engagement or participation rates
Impact on sales or marketing metrics (e.g., lead generation, conversion rates)
Recognition or awards for customer marketing initiatives
Successful case studies or testimonials generated

Possible Follow-up Questions:

Can you provide specific metrics on how your advocacy programs improved over time?
What was your most successful customer story, and why do you consider it a success?
How did your advocacy initiatives contribute to the company's overall business goals?
Can you describe a particularly challenging advocacy project and how you overcame obstacles?

How did you approach aligning your customer marketing initiatives with broader company goals?

Areas to Cover:

Process for understanding company objectives
Strategies for translating goals into advocacy initiatives
Collaboration with other departments (e.g., sales, product)
Measurement and reporting of advocacy program impact

Possible Follow-up Questions:

Can you give an example of how you adapted an advocacy program to better support a specific company goal?
How did you communicate the value of your advocacy initiatives to leadership?
What challenges did you face in aligning advocacy efforts with other departments, and how did you overcome them?
How did you ensure your advocacy metrics were meaningful to different stakeholders across the organization?

Describe your approach to relationship building with both customers and internal stakeholders.

Areas to Cover:

Strategies for identifying and engaging potential advocates
Methods for maintaining long-term relationships with customer advocates
Techniques for collaborating with internal teams (e.g., sales, product, marketing)
Handling of challenging relationships or conflicts

Possible Follow-up Questions:

Can you share an example of how you turned a satisfied customer into an active advocate?
How did you balance the needs of customer advocates with internal stakeholder requests?
What tools or systems did you use to manage customer and stakeholder relationships?
How did you ensure consistent communication and engagement with your advocate community?

Tell me about a time when you had to use data to improve or justify a customer marketing program.

Areas to Cover:

Types of data collected and analyzed
Tools or methods used for data analysis
Process for translating data into actionable insights
Implementation of data-driven improvements
Communication of results to stakeholders

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What was the most challenging aspect of gathering and analyzing the data?
How did you present your findings to make them compelling to decision-makers?
Can you describe a specific change you made to a program based on data insights?
How did you balance qualitative feedback with quantitative data in your analysis?

Which job that you've had in the past does this Customer Marketing Manager role remind you of the most?

Areas to Cover:

Similarities in customer advocacy responsibilities
Comparable challenges or opportunities
Relevant skills and experiences that would transfer well
Differences that might require adaptation

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What specific aspects of customer marketing feel similar to you?
What challenges from that role might you anticipate here?
How would you apply the lessons learned from that experience to this position?
What would you do differently in this role based on your past experience?

Interview Scorecard

Relevant Customer Marketing Experience

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Less than 2 years of relevant customer marketing experience
2: 2-4 years of customer marketing experience with limited advocacy program management
3: 5-7 years of successful customer marketing experience, including advocacy program management
4: 8+ years of exceptional customer marketing experience with a strong track record in advocacy programs

Strategic Thinking

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Demonstrates limited strategic thinking in program development
2: Shows basic strategic thinking but struggles to align with broader business objectives
3: Exhibits strong strategic thinking, aligning programs with company goals
4: Exceptional strategic thinker, consistently developing innovative programs that drive business results

Data-Driven Decision Making

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Rarely uses data to inform decisions
2: Basic use of data in decision making, but analysis may be superficial
3: Consistently uses data to drive decisions and improve programs
4: Expert at leveraging complex data sets to make strategic decisions and optimize program performance

Storytelling and Content Creation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited experience or skill in creating compelling customer stories
2: Can create basic customer success stories but may lack depth or engagement
3: Strong storytelling skills, able to create impactful customer content across channels
4: Exceptional storyteller, consistently crafts highly engaging content that drives measurable results

Project Management

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to manage multiple projects effectively
2: Can manage multiple projects but may have difficulty prioritizing or meeting deadlines
3: Strong project management skills, effectively balances multiple initiatives
4: Exceptional project manager, consistently delivers high-quality results across complex, simultaneous projects

Stakeholder Management

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Difficulty building relationships and managing stakeholders
2: Can manage basic stakeholder relationships but struggles with conflicting priorities
3: Strong stakeholder management skills, effectively builds cross-functional relationships
4: Exceptional at stakeholder management, consistently turns relationships into productive collaborations that drive program success

Goal: Increase customer advocacy participation by 25% within the first year through targeted engagement strategies and program enhancements.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Generate 50 new customer success stories across various industries and use cases within 12 months.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Improve the effectiveness of the referral program, resulting in a 20% increase in qualified leads generated from customer referrals.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Develop and implement a measurement framework to track and report on the impact of customer advocacy programs on revenue and brand perception.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Overall Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

🧠 Behavioral Competency Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This interview assesses the candidate's behavioral competencies critical for success in the Customer Marketing Manager role. Ask all candidates the same questions, probing for specific examples and details about the situation, actions taken, results achieved, and lessons learned. Avoid hypothetical scenarios and focus on past experiences, particularly those related to customer advocacy, strategic thinking, and relationship building.

Directions to Share with Candidate

"I'll be asking you about specific experiences from your past that relate to key competencies for this Customer Marketing Manager role. Please provide detailed examples from your customer marketing or advocacy experience, including the situation, your actions, the outcomes, and what you learned. Take a moment to think before answering if needed."

Interview Questions

Tell me about a time when you had to develop and execute a strategic customer engagement plan that aligned with broader company objectives. What was your approach, and what were the results? (Strategic Thinking, Consultative Selling)

Areas to Cover:

Analysis of company goals and customer needs
Development of engagement strategy
Execution of plan and stakeholder management
Measurable outcomes and alignment with company objectives
Lessons learned and applied to future initiatives

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you prioritize different elements of your engagement plan?
How did you adapt your strategy as company goals or customer needs evolved?
What tools or resources did you use to track and measure the success of your plan?
How did you communicate the value of your engagement strategy to leadership?

Describe a situation where you had to manage relationships with multiple stakeholders who had varying motivations or priorities in a customer advocacy project. How did you approach this? (Relationship Building, Adaptability)

Areas to Cover:

Identification of key stakeholders and their interests
Strategies for engaging different personas (e.g., customers, internal teams, executives)
Handling conflicting priorities or objectives
Long-term impact on stakeholder relationships and project success

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you tailor your communication style for different stakeholders?
What challenges did you face in aligning diverse stakeholder interests?
How have you maintained these relationships over time to support future advocacy efforts?
Can you give an example of how you turned a skeptical stakeholder into an advocate for your project?

Give me an example of a time when you faced a significant setback or challenge in a customer marketing initiative. How did you handle it, and what was the outcome? (Adaptability, Problem-Solving)

Areas to Cover:

Nature of the setback or challenge
Initial reaction and problem assessment
Strategies for overcoming obstacles
Collaboration with team members or other departments
Resolution and lessons learned

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you maintain motivation during this difficult period?
What support did you seek from your team or management to address the challenge?
How has this experience influenced your approach to future customer marketing challenges?
Can you describe how you reframed the setback as an opportunity for improvement or innovation?

Interview Scorecard

Strategic Thinking

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to connect customer marketing efforts with company goals
2: Demonstrates basic understanding of aligning advocacy with company objectives
3: Effectively develops customer marketing strategies that support long-term company goals
4: Exceptionally skilled at creating innovative advocacy strategies that drive company success

Relationship Building

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Difficulty forming strong relationships with customers or internal stakeholders
2: Builds adequate relationships with some stakeholders
3: Consistently develops strong relationships with both customers and internal stakeholders
4: Masterfully cultivates deep, lasting partnerships with all stakeholders in the advocacy process

Adaptability

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to adjust to changes in customer needs or marketing landscape
2: Can adapt when given clear direction
3: Demonstrates good ability to adapt customer marketing approaches as needed
4: Thrives in changing environments, proactively adjusting strategies for optimal results

Problem-Solving

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to identify or address challenges in customer marketing initiatives
2: Can solve basic problems with guidance
3: Effectively addresses complex challenges in customer advocacy independently
4: Consistently finds innovative solutions to difficult customer marketing problems

Consultative Selling

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Focuses on program features rather than addressing customer needs
2: Shows basic understanding of customer needs in advocacy programs
3: Effectively aligns advocacy initiatives with customer's business objectives
4: Demonstrates exceptional ability to uncover and address complex customer needs in advocacy

Goal: Increase customer advocacy participation by 25% within the first year through targeted engagement strategies and program enhancements.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Generate 50 new customer success stories across various industries and use cases within 12 months.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Improve the effectiveness of the referral program, resulting in a 20% increase in qualified leads generated from customer referrals.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Develop and implement a measurement framework to track and report on the impact of customer advocacy programs on revenue and brand perception.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Overall Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

👨‍💼 Executive Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This interview further assesses the candidate's behavioral competencies from an executive perspective, focusing on high-level strategic thinking and leadership in customer marketing and advocacy. Ask all candidates the same questions, probing for specific examples and details about the situation, actions taken, results achieved, and lessons learned. Avoid hypothetical scenarios and focus on past experiences that demonstrate the candidate's ability to operate at a strategic level in complex customer marketing environments.

Directions to Share with Candidate

"I'll be asking you about specific experiences from your past that relate to key competencies for this Customer Marketing Manager role, with a focus on strategic thinking and leadership in complex customer advocacy environments. Please provide detailed examples, including the situation, your actions, the outcomes, and what you learned. Take a moment to think before answering if needed."

Interview Questions

Tell me about a time when you had to persuade senior leadership to invest in a new customer advocacy initiative or tool. How did you approach this challenge, and what was the outcome? (Strategic Thinking, Communication)

Areas to Cover:

Initial objections or skepticism from leadership
Research and preparation for the proposal
Presentation of business case and value proposition
Handling of questions or concerns
Outcome and implementation of the initiative

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you identify the need for this new advocacy initiative or tool?
What data or evidence did you use to support your case?
How did you align the proposed initiative with broader business objectives?
How did you measure the success of the initiative after implementation?

Describe a situation where you had to balance the needs of multiple departments with conflicting priorities in a customer marketing program. How did you manage this? (Relationship Building, Problem-Solving)

Areas to Cover:

Nature of the conflicting priorities
Strategies for understanding each department's needs
Approach to finding a balanced solution
Communication with stakeholders
Long-term impact on cross-functional relationships

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you prioritize the different departmental needs?
What compromises, if any, did you have to negotiate?
How did you maintain positive relationships with all departments throughout this process?
What strategies did you use to foster ongoing collaboration after resolving the conflict?

Give me an example of how you've used data to significantly improve a customer advocacy program or outcome. What was your process, and what were the results? (Data-Driven Decision Making, Adaptability)

Areas to Cover:

Identification of area for improvement in advocacy program
Data collection and analysis process
Development of insights and action plan
Implementation of data-driven changes
Measurable impact on advocacy outcomes

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What tools or technologies did you use to collect and analyze the data?
How did you ensure buy-in from your team and stakeholders for these data-driven changes?
Can you describe any challenges you faced in implementing the changes and how you overcame them?
How have you continued to iterate on this data-driven approach over time?

Interview Scorecard

Strategic Thinking

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Focuses primarily on short-term advocacy needs
2: Demonstrates some longer-term planning in advocacy strategies
3: Develops comprehensive advocacy strategies aligned with business goals
4: Creates innovative, forward-thinking approaches to advocacy that drive business success

Communication

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to articulate advocacy concepts or engage stakeholders
2: Communicates adequately in most advocacy situations
3: Effectively communicates complex advocacy strategies to diverse audiences
4: Exceptional communicator who can influence and align stakeholders at all levels

Relationship Building

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Difficulty forming strong relationships across the organization
2: Builds adequate relationships with some departments
3: Consistently develops strong relationships across multiple departments
4: Masterfully cultivates deep, lasting partnerships throughout the organization

Problem-Solving

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to address complex advocacy challenges
2: Can solve routine advocacy problems with some guidance
3: Effectively resolves complex advocacy issues independently
4: Consistently finds innovative solutions to difficult, multi-faceted advocacy problems

Data-Driven Decision Making

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Rarely uses data to inform advocacy decisions
2: Uses basic data to guide some advocacy processes
3: Regularly incorporates data analysis into advocacy strategies
4: Leads with a sophisticated, data-driven approach that significantly improves advocacy outcomes

Goal: Increase customer advocacy participation by 25% within the first year through targeted engagement strategies and program enhancements.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Generate 50 new customer success stories across various industries and use cases within 12 months.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Improve the effectiveness of the referral program, resulting in a 20% increase in qualified leads generated from customer referrals.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Develop and implement a measurement framework to track and report on the impact of customer advocacy programs on revenue and brand perception.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Overall Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

Debrief Meeting

Directions for Conducting the Debrief Meeting

The Debrief Meeting is an open discussion for the hiring team members to share the information learned during the candidate interviews. Use the questions below to guide the discussion.

Start the meeting by reviewing the requirements for the Customer Marketing Manager role and the key competencies and goals to succeed.

The meeting leader should strive to create an environment where it is okay to express opinions about the candidate that differ from the consensus or the leadership's opinions.

Scores and interview notes are important data points but should not be the sole factor in making the final decision.

Any hiring team member should feel free to change their recommendation as they learn new information and reflect on what they've learned.

Questions to Guide the Debrief Meeting

Does anyone have any questions for the other interviewers about the candidate?

Guidance: The meeting facilitator should initially present themselves as neutral and try not to sway the conversation before others have a chance to speak up.

Are there any additional comments about the Candidate?

Guidance: This is an opportunity for all the interviewers to share anything they learned that is important for the other interviewers to know.

Based on the candidate's past performance and interview responses, how likely are they to achieve the goal of increasing customer advocacy participation by 25% within the first year?

Guidance: Discuss specific examples from the candidate's past performance that indicate their ability to drive customer engagement and participation in advocacy programs.

How well-equipped is the candidate to generate 50 new customer success stories across various industries and use cases within 12 months?

Guidance: Consider the candidate's demonstrated skills in storytelling, content creation, and their past success in producing customer success stories.

Is there anything further we need to investigate before making a decision?

Guidance: Based on this discussion, you may decide to probe further on certain issues with the candidate or explore specific issues in the reference calls.

Has anyone changed their hire/no-hire recommendation?

Guidance: This is an opportunity for the interviewers to change their recommendation from the new information they learned in this meeting.

If the consensus is no hire, should the candidate be considered for other roles? If so, what roles?

Guidance: Discuss whether engaging with the candidate about a different role would be worthwhile.

What are the next steps?

Guidance: If there is no consensus, follow the process for that situation (e.g., it is the hiring manager's decision). Further investigation may be needed before making the decision. If there is a consensus on hiring, reference checks could be the next step.

Reference Checks

Directions for Conducting Reference Checks

When conducting reference checks, aim to speak with former managers and colleagues who have directly worked with the candidate in a customer marketing or advocacy capacity. Explain that their feedback will be kept confidential and used to help make a hiring decision. Ask the same core questions to each reference for consistency, but feel free to ask follow-up questions based on their responses.

Questions for Reference Checks

In what capacity did you work with [Candidate Name], and for how long?

Guidance:

Establish the context of the professional relationship
Determine the reference's ability to speak to the candidate's customer marketing skills

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How closely did you work together on customer advocacy programs?
Were you directly involved in overseeing their performance?

Can you describe [Candidate Name]'s primary responsibilities in their customer marketing role?

Guidance:

Verify the candidate's claims about their previous role
Understand the scope and complexity of their customer marketing experience

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What types of customer advocacy programs did they manage?
How many customers or accounts were they responsible for engaging?

How would you rate [Candidate Name]'s performance in customer marketing compared to their peers?

Guidance:

Get specific metrics or rankings if possible
Understand their impact on customer engagement and advocacy

Possible Follow-up Questions:

Can you provide any specific metrics on how they improved customer advocacy participation?
How did they rank in terms of content creation or customer story generation?

Can you give an example of a particularly successful customer advocacy program or initiative that [Candidate Name] developed and implemented?

Guidance:

Assess the candidate's ability to design and execute effective advocacy programs
Understand their strategic approach to customer marketing

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did they measure the success of this program?
What challenges did they overcome in implementing this initiative?

How would you describe [Candidate Name]'s approach to building and maintaining relationships with customers and internal stakeholders?

Guidance:

Evaluate the candidate's ability to engage with both customers and cross-functional teams
Understand their skills in long-term relationship management

Possible Follow-up Questions:

Can you provide an example of how they turned a customer relationship into a successful advocacy partnership?
How did they collaborate with other departments to support advocacy initiatives?

What strategies or techniques did [Candidate Name] use to create compelling customer stories or content?

Guidance:

Assess the candidate's storytelling and content creation skills
Understand their ability to showcase customer success effectively

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did their content perform in terms of engagement or impact on marketing goals?
Did they introduce any innovative approaches to content creation or distribution?

On a scale of 1-10, how likely would you be to hire [Candidate Name] again if you had an appropriate customer marketing role available? Why?

Guidance:

Get a clear, quantifiable measure of the reference's overall impression
Understand the reasoning behind their rating

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What would make you rate them higher?
In what type of customer marketing environment do you think they would thrive most?

Reference Check Scorecard

Verification of Role and Responsibilities

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Significant discrepancies with candidate's claims
2: Some minor discrepancies
3: Mostly aligns with candidate's claims
4: Fully verifies and expands on candidate's claims

Customer Marketing Performance

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Below average performer in customer marketing initiatives
2: Average performer, met basic expectations
3: Above average performer, consistently exceeded expectations
4: Top performer, significantly outperformed peers in customer marketing

Program Development and Management

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggled to develop and manage effective advocacy programs
2: Developed and managed basic advocacy programs
3: Successfully developed and managed multiple effective advocacy programs
4: Excelled at creating innovative, high-impact advocacy programs

Relationship Building

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Difficulty building relationships with customers or internal stakeholders
2: Maintained adequate relationships with some stakeholders
3: Consistently developed strong relationships with customers and internal teams
4: Masterful at cultivating deep, lasting partnerships with all stakeholders

Content Creation and Storytelling

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggled to create engaging customer stories or content
2: Produced adequate customer stories and content
3: Consistently created compelling customer stories and content
4: Exceptional storyteller, consistently produced high-impact customer content

Strategic Thinking

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Focused primarily on tactical execution without strategic consideration
2: Demonstrated basic strategic thinking in program development
3: Consistently aligned advocacy programs with broader business objectives
4: Exceptional strategic thinker, driving significant business impact through advocacy initiatives

Data-Driven Decision Making

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Rarely used data to inform decisions or improve programs
2: Used basic data analysis to guide some decisions
3: Consistently incorporated data analysis into program strategy and optimization
4: Expert at leveraging complex data sets to drive significant program improvements

Overall Recommendation from Reference

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Would not rehire (1-3 on scale)
2: Might rehire (4-6 on scale)
3: Would likely rehire (7-8 on scale)
4: Would definitely rehire (9-10 on scale)

Goal: Increase customer advocacy participation by 25% within the first year through targeted engagement strategies and program enhancements.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Generate 50 new customer success stories across various industries and use cases within 12 months.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Improve the effectiveness of the referral program, resulting in a 20% increase in qualified leads generated from customer referrals.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Develop and implement a measurement framework to track and report on the impact of customer advocacy programs on revenue and brand perception.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I effectively assess a candidate's storytelling abilities?

Look for candidates who can articulate complex ideas in a compelling, easy-to-understand manner. Ask them to walk you through a successful customer story they've created, focusing on how they structured the narrative and tailored it to different audiences. Our article on key competencies to consider when hiring sales roles includes insights on evaluating communication skills that can be applied to assessing storytelling abilities.

What are some key metrics to look for in evaluating past performance?

Focus on metrics that demonstrate the impact of the candidate's advocacy programs, such as increase in customer engagement rates, number of customer stories generated, growth in referral program participation, and improvement in brand sentiment. Ask for specific examples of how their initiatives contributed to broader business goals. Our blog post on asking the right questions to understand the truth about a sales candidate's past performance offers valuable insights that can be applied to customer marketing roles.

How do I gauge a candidate's ability to work cross-functionally?

Look for examples of successful collaborations with different departments such as sales, product, and marketing. Ask about challenges they've faced in aligning diverse stakeholder interests and how they overcame them. Our article on interviewing sellers for emotional intelligence provides techniques that can help assess a candidate's interpersonal skills crucial for cross-functional work.

What's the best way to evaluate strategic thinking skills for this role?

Ask candidates to describe how they've aligned customer marketing initiatives with broader business objectives in the past. Look for their ability to anticipate market trends, identify opportunities for customer advocacy, and develop long-term strategies. The article on how to identify top sales leaders in the interview process offers insights on assessing strategic thinking that can be adapted for customer marketing roles.

How can I determine if a candidate can successfully scale advocacy programs?

Look for evidence of the candidate's ability to design and implement programs that can grow efficiently. Ask about strategies they've used to increase program participation without sacrificing quality. Inquire about their experience with automation tools and processes for managing larger-scale initiatives. Our blog post on proven tactics to build a great sales pipeline includes scalability concepts that can be applied to customer advocacy programs.

What should I look for to assess data-driven decision making capabilities?

Ask candidates to describe a situation where they used data to improve a customer marketing program. Look for their ability to collect relevant data, derive insights, and implement changes based on those insights. Our article on mastering sales hiring with data-backed candidate profiles offers valuable perspectives on data-driven approaches that can be applied to customer marketing.

How do I evaluate a candidate's ability to build and maintain customer relationships?

Look for examples of how candidates have turned satisfied customers into active advocates. Ask about their strategies for long-term relationship management and how they've handled challenging customer situations. The blog post on interviewing sellers for emotional intelligence provides insights that are equally applicable to assessing relationship-building skills in customer marketing roles.

What are some red flags to watch out for during the interview process?

Be cautious of candidates who struggle to provide specific examples of their past successes, show a lack of strategic thinking, or demonstrate poor communication skills. Watch for signs of inflexibility, lack of customer focus, or an inability to work collaboratively. Our article on this one reason is why 46% of sales hires fail highlights common pitfalls in hiring that can apply to customer marketing roles as well.

How can I use this guide to compare candidates consistently?

Use the scorecards provided for each interview stage to evaluate all candidates against the same criteria. Take detailed notes and complete the scorecards immediately after each interview. During the debrief meeting, focus on comparing candidates' scores and specific examples rather than general impressions. Our blog post on why you should use structured interview when hiring offers additional guidance on maintaining consistency in your hiring process.

What if a candidate doesn't have direct customer marketing experience?

Focus on transferable skills such as relationship building, strategic thinking, and project management. Look for evidence of success in related fields like content marketing, customer success, or community management. Consider their potential for growth and how their unique background might bring fresh perspectives to the role. Our article on how to raise the talent bar in your organization includes valuable insights on hiring for potential.