What if you’ve been negotiating your salary all wrong?

Seasoned executive coach and negotiation expert Jacob Warwick has helped senior leaders unlock millions in overlooked compensation. In our latest Marketing Career Compass session, he shared battle-tested strategies for negotiating higher salaries, better benefits, and stronger positions—whether you’re in a current role or exploring new opportunities.

If you’re a CMO or senior marketing leader tired of settling for 3-5% raises, read on.

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1. The Biggest Salary Negotiation Mistakes CMOs Make

Mistake #1 - Relying Too Much on Market Benchmarks

Most CMOs enter negotiations armed with industry salary reports, thinking, “Everyone else in my role makes X, so I should too.” It seems logical, but salary decisions aren’t just about market data. They’re about perception, negotiation, and what the company believes you’re worth.

Jacob explained that even when companies have millions in funding, they’ll often respond to salary demands with excuses:

• “We’re a startup, so we can’t afford to pay top dollar.”
• “We just raised $500M, but we need to be careful with spending.”

Instead of anchoring your value to what others make, tie it to your unique impact on the business. Companies don’t pay for averages—they pay for exceptional leadership.

Mistake #2 - Focusing Too Much on Past Performance

‍Many executives make the mistake of framing their raise requests around past achievements. They list their accomplishments:

• “I led a brand refresh.”
• “I increased pipeline 200%.”
• “I launched a killer ABM strategy.”

These are all great achievements—but they don’t guarantee you more money. “Executives care about the future,” Jacob said. “They want to know, ‘How will you drive the next 12 months of growth?’” Instead of making your case based on historical wins, shift the conversation toward future business impact:

• “What would it take for me to be in the 90th percentile of compensation here?”
• “How do you see my role evolving as the company grows?”
• “Where should I focus in the next 12 months to have the biggest business impact?”

This shifts the discussion from defending your worth to collaborating on the company’s future success.

Mistake #3 - Ignoring the Emotional Side of Negotiation‍

‍Executives assume salary talks are purely business, but in reality, most decisions are emotional. People make decisions based on:

• Ego – “I need to look good to my board.”
• Fear – “If we don’t hit targets, I could lose my job.”
• Identity – “I want to be the leader my team respects.”

Jacob once helped a client negotiate a raise by simply relating as a parent to their CEO. “I said, ‘I want my son to see me as a leader who knows his worth.’” The CEO, a parent, immediately connected, and the conversation shifted.‍

Understanding these deeper emotional drivers gives you an edge in any negotiation. When you connect beyond just numbers, you become a leader they want to invest in.

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2. How to Negotiate a Raise in Your Current Role

‍If you've been at your company for years, you may feel underpaid—but simply pointing to past performance isn’t enough.

Most CMOs make the mistake of framing their raise request as a demand: “I’ve done great work. I deserve more.” This immediately puts leadership on the defensive. Instead of working with you, they start justifying why a raise isn’t possible.A better approach is to start with alignment:

• “How do you see my role evolving in the next year?”
• “What are the biggest business priorities, and how can I help?”

When you position yourself as a strategic partner, you make it easier for leadership to justify increasing your compensation.

Tie Your Compensation to Business Growth

‍Most marketing leaders focus their salary negotiations on marketing KPIs—traffic, pipeline, MQLs. But executives care about revenue, profitability, and company valuation.To strengthen your negotiation:

• Tie your compensation to clear business milestones.
• Position marketing as a revenue generator, not a cost center.

For example:

• “If we hit $100M ARR, I’d love to discuss a performance-based increase.”
• “If we reduce CAC by 30%, I’d like to revisit my comp structure.”

When your success is directly tied to company success, your raise becomes an easy decision for leadership.

Use the “Play Dumb” Strategy

‍Jacob’s go-to move: “Help me understand…”

• “Help me understand what it would take to increase my comp.”
• “Help me understand why this role is valued at X.”

Playing slightly naïve forces the other person to explain their reasoning—giving you insights you can use to strengthen your position.

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3. How to Negotiate a Higher Offer for a New Role

‍“If you share your number first, you lose,” Jacob warned. Companies want you to name your salary first—so they can anchor the negotiation below that number. Instead, flip the script:

• “Compensation is important, but first, I’d love to understand how you see this role creating impact.”
• “I’m more interested in the right fit—what’s the budget range you’ve set for this role?”

By letting them reveal their budget first, you avoid undercutting your worth.

Additionally, some companies list VP roles that are really CMO roles—but with VP pay. If you suspect the title or budget is misaligned, ask strategic questions:

• “It sounds like this role has CMO-level responsibilities. Is there a reason it’s titled VP?”
• “Would a fractional CMO model be a better fit, given budget constraints?”

Jacob has helped candidates double their initial offers just by pushing back on these assumptions.

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4. How to Respond to Counteroffers & Avoid the “Compromise Trap

”Many executives jump too quickly at the first counteroffer, leading to lost income. Jacob’s strategy? Silence is power. 

He shared a real example where a CMO was offered $30,000 less in base salary and reduced equity. Instead of pushing back immediately, Jacob advised her to say nothing for two days. The company later returned with the full original offer—without her even asking.

‍Silence can be a powerful negotiation tool. When companies make an offer, they expect pushback. But if you pause, it creates uncertainty on their end, making them more likely to sweeten the deal before you even ask.

Another mistake is getting caught in small back-and-forth negotiations. If a company counters with an offer $10K–$20K lower than what you asked for, many people accept or try to meet in the middle. But this kind of haggling is usually a sign that you’re fighting over the wrong things—salary is important, but bigger wins often come from negotiating benefits, equity, or severance.

If you ever feel like you're "annoying" with follow-ups, shift your mindset to: "How can I add value?"

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5. Negotiating Severance Like a Pro

‍Most executives don’t think about severance—until they need it. Jacob’s advice is to treat severance like it’s standard. Instead of asking outright, he suggests a subtle approach:

1. Finalize all compensation details first.
2. Then say, “I noticed the severance policy wasn’t included. Can you send that over?”

This forces the company to address it, and more often than not, they will add it in rather than lose a great hire. If the CEO insists they don’t offer severance, suggest they extend it to the whole exec team to create fairness.

In one case, a CMO used this tactic to secure six months of severance—not just for herself, but for the entire executive team. Instead of coming across as demanding, she positioned it as a best practice for executive hires—and the company agreed.

If a company resists a six-month severance, ask for a review in six months. "Let’s revisit this after I’ve delivered impact."

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7. The Real CMO Compensation Benchmarks (Not Just the Reports)

‍Jacob has helped negotiate millions for CMOs. Based on his experience, here’s where real CMO compensation lands.

For CMOs at Mid-Market Companies ($50M–$200M revenue)

‍At mid-market companies, CMO salaries can vary dramatically, depending on factors like growth stage, funding, and company leadership’s perception of marketing. But based on real negotiations that Jacob has led, here’s where the numbers typically land:

• Base salary: $325K – $600K
• Bonus structure: 30% – 50% of base salary
• Equity grants: Can vary significantly, but should be meaningful and structured to vest over time

If your company is in this range, your job as a CMO is not just to demand higher pay, but to tie your compensation to business outcomes. Structure your negotiation around growth impact, pipeline contribution, and revenue alignment—not just your past successes.

For CMOs at Large Private Companies & Unicorn Startups ($200M–$1B revenue)

‍Once you move into larger private companies or high-growth startups, compensation becomes more competitive—but still highly variable.

• Base salary: $400K – $700K
• Bonus structure: 40% – 60% of base salary
• Equity: More substantial, often tied to company milestones or long-term vesting schedules

At this level, CMOs are expected to own growth strategy at an enterprise scale, but many still report directly to a CRO or CEO with a heavy sales focus. This can lead to misalignment in perceived value, which is why marketing leaders must frame their impact in terms of revenue acceleration.

‍Jacob has seen CMOs successfully negotiate equity packages worth millions by positioning themselves as revenue-driving executives rather than traditional brand marketers.

For CMOs at Fortune 500 & Public Companies

‍At the highest levels, CMOs at Fortune 500 companies operate on a very different playing field, with compensation packages that include base salary, performance incentives, stock options, and retention bonuses.

• Total compensation: $1M – $1.4M+
• Base salary: $450K – $800K
• Stock & long-term incentives: Can range from hundreds of thousands to millions, depending on company performance
• Bonuses: Often structured as short-term performance-based incentives (STIs) and long-term incentives (LTIs)

At this stage, brand reputation, customer loyalty, and executive influence play a significant role in earnings. CMOs are expected to manage multi-billion-dollar budgets, oversee global teams, and act as a public face for the company.

At the Fortune 500 level, your ability to navigate the boardroom and influence executive decision-making is just as important as marketing expertise.‍

The Best Negotiators Don’t “Find” Opportunities—They Create Them

‍Most CMOs and senior marketing leaders wait for the perfect job posting or internal promotion to appear before making a move. The highest-paid executives don’t wait for opportunities—they create them. They position themselves as indispensable and negotiate proactively rather than passively reacting to the salary or title offered.

Warwick has seen this play out in real-world negotiations time and time again. The CMOs who command the highest salaries and best benefits do one thing differently: they make companies believe they can’t afford to lose them.

If you’re tired of playing small and ready to take control of your career, compensation, and executive influence, you don’t have to do it alone. Bold careers need bold communities. Explore upcoming Mavuus Career Compass sessions and access on-demand content on Mavuus Academy. 

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