Five Traits of a Performance Marketer
As Told by Cass Baker, Co-CEO of Gainshare Performance Marketing
Performance marketing isn’t a new trend. It’s been evolving for decades, driven by data and outcomes. Cass Baker, Co-CEO of Gainshare, shares insights from his 30+ years of experience, touching on the key traits every performance marketer needs to succeed.
- It’s Always About Revenue
Cass began his career in database marketing; a time before the internet, Google, and Facebook, where success was measured solely by revenue. That shouldn’t change - a performance marketer’s primary goal should always be to deliver revenue. Leads and demand are only valuable if they ultimately translate into sales. If an agency or marketing team is only delivering leads without focusing on the revenue they generate, then they’re missing the mark. The real job is to bring in revenue efficiently, maximizing return on every dollar. As Cass points out: “Our clients are successful only when they gain new customers and grow existing ones. Whether our agency’s role is increasing reach, driving traffic, generating leads or full commerce, if the client isn’t making money, it’s not working. Focus has to be on the full funnel, there is no other way."
- Skepticism About Platforms and Ad Tech is Healthy
In the ever-changing world of ad tech and martech, new platforms emerge constantly, but not all are designed with the brand’s best interests at heart. Cass advises a healthy level of skepticism. His first question for any new technology is always, “How was it built, by who, and why?” He believes that it is crucial to understand why the platform was designed and what their goals were. Often, technologies are created to extract more media dollars rather than genuinely drive better performance for the brand. As performance marketers, the focus should always be on whether the platform or tool will help the client drive better return and earn more revenue.
- Embrace Change
Embracing change and constantly seeking improvement is essential. For Cass, a successful performance marketer must be open to the understanding that there’s always someone working on or something doing it better, innovation in marketing never stops. “If you approach that notion as a threat vs an opportunity, you may be in the wrong business,”. Whether it’s new media channels, technologies, strategies, or performance metrics, the best marketers are always on the lookout for ways to optimize and improve outcomes.
- Curiosity is Key
Cass emphasizes that curiosity is not just a nice-to-have trait—it’s critical. The curious will always be leading - you must be willing to learn, adapt, and innovate continuously. What worked yesterday might not work tomorrow. “Technology changes fast,” says Cass. “Those who don’t stay curious and aren’t constantly questioning and testing new methods will fall behind.”
- Traits of Successful Agency / Client Relationships
Finally, one of the most critical traits for any performance marketer is the ability to “be the brand.” This means not only understanding a brand’s products and services but how the business works, what challenges they face, and their overall objectives. The greatest success between agencies and brands is built on a deep understanding of the brand’s world, outstanding work, delivering results and finally, trust. “Performance marketers sometimes fall into the belief if they just deliver today’s result, everything is great. That notion has repeatedly fallen short on building long term partnerships with brands,” says Cass. Instead, in addition to delivering results, it’s about anticipating a brand’s needs, guiding them through challenges and delivering on what comes next.