Struggling with Marketing Strategy?
Marketing involves a lot of moving parts. You have to know your audience. You have to stay on top of trends. You have to plan effective, omnichannel campaigns. You have to monitor metrics in order to determine ROI, and you have to create sustainable, scalable programs that grow with your company. Marketing is a full time job! At the very least, it demands far more attention than the average busy business owner is able to dedicate to it.
If you’re “going it alone” with your marketing but find strategy lacking, execution lackluster and ROI barely perceptible, then it’s time to consider an outsourced CMO to help whip your marketing strategy into shape.
I’ve been providing outsourced marketing services to small and middle-market companies for years. The goal is to increase brand awareness and to generate leads so that these companies may grow their business. I carried that passion into our outsourced CMO services when I built Shared CxO. That’s why we only hire experienced, trusted CMOs who are adept at keeping their fingers on the pulse of emerging trends and marketing technologies. We look for people who can plan and execute in-depth marketing strategies and who are willing to act as unbiased partners in each of our client businesses.
CMOs Build Marketing Strategy from the Ground Up
If you have an existing marketing strategy in place, you can expect an outsourced CMO to go over it with a fine-toothed comb. This professional is likely to make extensive changes. Don’t take offense – correcting problems is a valuable part of what a CMO offers and this is done with no bias or agenda. If you don’t have a formal marketing strategy for your business, an outsourced CMO will build one from scratch.
The CMO will identify your overall goals, target audience and the best channels to reach them. Then it is time to formulate a plan that combines various channels and platforms harmoniously so that each channel amplifies your company’s message and cuts through the static of competition. Your outsourced CMO will also help you refine your company’s messaging and visual branding so that there’s never any doubt that marketing materials belong to your business, eliminating confusion for potential customers or clients.
What makes the advice of a talented outsourced CMO so valuable is that the marketing strategy this professional delivers will be cutting-edge, and will consider both traditional and new channels. The CMO will also know how to create a plan that’s realistic, and will generate tactics that are easy to sustain. Each part of the strategy will be capable of scaling (up or down) in time with the progress of your business.
Outsourced CMOs Effortlessly Execute Marketing Strategy
Once a firm strategy is in place, an outsourced CMO oversees all aspects of execution. The CMO will lead your in-house team and monitor progress and performance to ensure everything’s running smoothly. This is tremendously helpful to business owners who can’t afford to be bogged down in the absolute minutiae involved in marketing campaigns. You can trust that your outsourced CMO will lead your team in keeping track of your company’s Twitter account, responding promptly to media requests, producing captivating collateral, and more.
Marketing Strategy Must Evolve Constantly
Outsourced CMOs know that a marketing strategy is not a one-time effort, but rather an evolving, living plan that is constantly adjusted according to many different factors. New channels and technologies may affect your marketing strategy. Metrics may also force changes, if certain campaigns are not performing up to expectation or are actually exceeding expectations. And the launches of new products or services will always necessitate review of marketing strategy.
I’ve found business owners are rarely able to spare the time to continually revise their marketing strategy as needed. They may be able to come up with a solid initial plan, but that plan becomes quickly outdated. It’s one of many reasons I’m such a strong advocate for outsourced CMOs; a CMO who’s dedicated to your company’s forward momentum will always have a watchful eye on strategy and tactics to make sure they’re in line with your goals.
What to Expect from Your Outsourced CMO Engagement
A typical outsourced CMO engagement starts with a briefing and marketing strategy review. Your outsourced CMO will work alongside you and your team to not only help plan and execute a strategy, but to teach you all how to make the most of the marketing channels at your disposal. You and your team will actually emerge from the engagement better informed about how modern marketing works.
Your outsourced CMO will actively work towards your success and consider his own involvement successful only when your goals have been achieved. He’ll similarly motivate your in-house team and inspire them with mentoring as he puts operations into place that will keep your marketing machine moving. Whether your engagement is a short-term fix, such as filling a gap when an existing CMO departs, or a long-term relationship, your outsourced CMO will plan and carry out strategy as if he were part of your company.
Are you ready to boost your marketing strategy with the help of an outsourced CMO? We welcome you to get in touch to discuss your needs or peruse our packages and rates. You can also find more information about what we offer at our CMO Outsourcing and Advisory page.