No not your business, but how a brand is defined.

In a recent Forbes CMO article, the author talks about brands used to be defined: name, logo, product, marketing campaign.

Per the author: “Today, the definition has expanded to encompass every interaction a consumer has with a company—from the moment they land on their website to their experience with customer support. As the definition of brand has evolved, so too has the remit of marketers, leading internal organizational silos to have more visible consequences.”

So being a marketer and using an agency to support your business goes well beyond connecting with your consumers along their journey to buy your product.  It means making certain that every touchpoint (e.g., customer service) and every one touching the process (e.g., sales) need to be aligned and share mutual goals.

It’s when there are silos in the organizational structure that things begin to break down – and the brand is put at a disadvantage because of that.

Doesn’t mean you as the CMO have to act alone.

The agency or agencies you bring on board to support your business should have enough experience and exposure to issues like this that they should be able to provide you with perspective on how to manage your way through a challenging web.

At the CMO Summit that this author attended he noted: “Throughout the CMO Summit, marketers discussed how they’re breaking down internal silos by aligning marketing with sales, customer service, and beyond.”

Having an agency that can not only look externally to point you and your brand in the right direction, but look internally to show you how to bring the organization together and mirror the message your sending directly to consumers is critical.

So if your agency doesn’t seem to possess these talents and you feel like your out on the ocean on a boat all alone, might be time to look for a new firm – someone that can see both sides of the world – yours in marketing and the rest of the world that more and more is playing an ever-critical role in defining your brand.