News, Updates, and Information You Need
Are You Getting the Full Service You Deserve?
At Fractional CMO & Marketing, we strive to provide our clients with all the marketing-related services they need. As a full-service marketing firm, we help our clients with coordination of many logistics so they can focus on what they do best.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – June 2024
When running a business, we often focus our attention and energy on the day-to-day activities. We concentrate on acquiring new customers, delivering our product or service on time, quality control, cash flow, irate customers, managing our teams, etc. We leave planning and deciding about corrective measures for the third or fourth quarter… and sometimes not at all.
Go Above and Beyond, Because Their Success Is Your Success Too
Every business-to-business executive knows that in order to do well, their customers must do well too. Put differently, for your customers to be able to purchase from you, their business has to generate the revenue to be able to pay you.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – December 2023
Most of us reflect on the past during this time of the year, and so do I. Fractional CMO & Marketing is about to start its 9th year and I am filled with gratitude for our staff and our clients. Our dedicated team works tirelessly every day to help our clients meet their goals, and often to surpass them. Our clients are incredible, and we are very grateful to be working with them.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – September 2023
In some respects, it feels like the year is moving along rather fast. Soon, we will enter the fourth quarter and the last sprint of 2023. How is your business performing compared to the goals you set? Does your marketing deliver the results you were hoping for? Are you leveraging the full potential of your email marketing, your social media, your website, your blog, your podcast, and everything else at your disposal?
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – June 2023
Over the past several months, AI (artificial intelligence) has been in the news constantly. Without getting into the philosophical implications of AI’s potential domination of every aspect of our lives, I wanted to share what AI means for marketing currently and in the very near future.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – March 2023
The term ‘supply chain’ has been in the news a lot since COVID-19 started. Many people had never even heard of the term prior to it being talked about in the context of the pandemic.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – December 2022
The holiday season and the end of the year is a wonderful time of reflection. It is an opportunity to look back at the year and evaluate what we have done.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – September 2022
An asset is a thing of value, and often highly guarded and regarded. In business, assets are expected to pay dividends in a form of return on investment (ROI). Most assets require care and maintenance to keep them in good shape to justify the investment and continue to pay dividends.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – July 2022
ABM – The Ultimate Collaboration Between Marketing & SalesAccount-Based Marketing, or ABM, has gained popularity over the past few years in B2B (Business-to-Business) marketing efforts. In practice, it is not a new concept, and many companies have been engaged in the practice for years. ABM...
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – June 2022
Triggers and The Buyer’s JourneyA few years back, I wrote about the process that leads to the buying decision from the seller’s point of view. This is often called the ‘Sales Funnel’ and it was conceptualized in 1898 by E. St. Elmo Lewis. In my article, I argued that “The Sales Funnel Isn’t”....
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – May 2022
Who Wants to Buy My Widgets?We all wish we could sell our ‘widgets’ - whatever it is that we offer - to everyone in our respective markets. For most small and medium-sized companies, this wish is impossible to achieve because going after every potential customer is not feasible due limited...
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – April 2022
Is Email Marketing Still A “Thing”?Recent studies have shown that email marketing is still the primary method used by marketers to promote brands and products, especially in B2B marketing. This is not to say that the pursuit of other efforts as part of the marketing mix are gone, ineffective,...
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – March 2022
It is our responsibility – as business owners and managers, and especially those of us in the marketing discipline – to offer our customers what they need. Sometimes, however, we get caught up in our own ‘worlds’ and we think we know what our customers want, or worse yet, we think we know what’s best for them.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – February 2022
How Mobile Are You?It’s no secret that we all use our mobile devices dozens of times a day. In fact, studies have shown that everyone spends more time on them than ever before, and more than half of website traffic comes from mobile devices now! Do you know what devices your website visitors...
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – January 2022
As we celebrate our seventh year in business, we are gratified to see how the concept of “Fractional CMO” is gaining wide acceptance and popularity.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – December 2021
During 2021, it seemed like most businesses focused on reestablishing and even redefining themselves after 2020 was so chaotic due to the pandemic. Challenges were plenty, and included managing distributed workforces, hiring and retaining quality employees, and competing for customers amid their changing purchasing habits.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – November 2021
As I shared last year, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday for several reasons which I mentioned at that time. I do believe - strongly - that we should be thankful for all the blessings bestowed upon us every single day, and we should show gratitude to all and for all who are part of our journeys.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – October 2021
Effective Marketing Should Not Be a Struggle!Over the years, we have worked with many small and medium-sized companies. The most common challenge such businesses face is limited resources – including funds, personnel, time, and in-house expertise – to accomplish all the things they want to do....
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – September 2021
In business, just like in our personal lives, things seem to constantly change due to pandemic-related events. One day the pandemic seems to subside, only for a new variant to rear its ugly head the next.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – August 2021
In the business world, we often define companies as either ‘business-to-business’ (B2B) or ‘business-to-consumer’ (B2C). Though the distinction is important, it strictly refers to transactions. When it comes to marketing, we want to have a broader perspective.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – July 2021
You may think it’s crazy… but hear me out. We all learned some valuable lessons over the past year and a half, and we all do business and make purchases differently now. The digital tools at our disposal have ‘shrunk’ the world and made distance and geography almost irrelevant for many businesses.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – June 2021
So, It Begins.Although somewhat timidly, things around us are starting to relax. In-person meetings are being scheduled, customers are coming in, training classes are held with groups of people, and trade shows are practically everywhere again.We all learned a lot over the past year-and-a-half...
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – May 2021
You started your own business or climbed the ladder to a leadership position because you are passionate about your profession. You probably saw an unmet demand in the market and thought you could meet it better than anyone else. And through it all, you worked your butt off to stay competitive, stay in business despite all adversities, and your business thrives.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – April 2021
The Marketing Silver BulletWouldn’t it be great if you knew what that one thing is you can do to market your business better? Of course, it would! If you could focus your resources on the one marketing effort that would deliver the results you need and eliminate all others, it would be more...
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – February 2021
When planning the growth of your business and revenue, you have four basic marketing strategies to consider and pursue. Sometimes, the choice is relatively clear or dictated by marketing condition; though there are times when all four approaches must be carefully weighed before the course is chartered.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – January 2021
The wide spectrum of marketing activities ranges from design to advertising, messaging to lead generation, and dozens more. The way companies go about executing them varies too.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – December 2020
What Does “Post-COVID” Mean? All of us get many holiday greetings and good wishes for the new year. Practically every single one of them mentions how terrible 2020 was and how everyone can’t wait for the year to be over. Sure, this year was certainly horrible in many ways, but there was a lot...
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – November 2020
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It always has been. I like how inclusive and inviting it is because it does not ‘belong’ to any one religion. Thanksgiving often brings out the best in people, it celebrates positivity, its traditions are uplifting, and it is so very American!
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – October 2020
Yes, that’s right! We are in the middle of the 4th quarter of 2020, and most of us are more than ready to see this year in our rearview mirror. Nevertheless, we must stay the course and finish it strong!
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – September 2020
It is interesting to see how the power is shifting from sellers to buyers, and how this changes marketing. We used to plan our shopping trips based on the stores’ opening hours, and seek professional services based on their schedules.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – August 2020
Well-run companies take the time to evaluate and plan - most do this once a year, some more frequently than that. It is a particularly good practice to take a step back periodically to assess where you are, set goals, and put plans in place to reach them.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – July 2020
Every now and then, I come across a business owner who tells me, “We don’t do any marketing!” or “We can’t afford marketing”. They are not necessarily proud of it, and most say they wished that were not the case. Upon further conversations and an occasional thorough Marketing Needs Assessment, it becomes clear that they do engage in marketing activities… they just did not think they were.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – June 2020
When circumstances and technology intersect, beautiful things can emerge. In the world of business, consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic have been mitigated time and time again with smart technology solutions. One such solution is virtual trade shows.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – May 2020
Things have been moving very quickly over the past few months – We have all experienced it, in both our personal lives and professional endeavors.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – April 2020
Last month, I wrote about how necessary it is to adjust operations for all businesses that were allowed to remain open ‘during’ the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – March 2020
These are unprecedented times, both in our personal lives and in terms of our businesses. We are all concerned and worried about our own health and that of our loved ones, and we are nervous about the future of our businesses.
NOT The Same-Old COVID-19 Email
Undoubtedly, like the rest of us, you have received dozens of COVID-19 related emails from your bank, credit card company, mortgage company, grocery store, your eye doctor, kids’ school, online retailers, and many more.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – February 2020
A Seat at the TableOver the years, I worked for and worked with companies that missed huge opportunities because the people at the helm misunderstood the role of ‘marketing’ in their business. Sometimes, the marketing people and their skills are viewed as a ‘service’ only, and all they are...
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – January 2020
The beginning of a year is always a good opportunity to start fresh. The same should be applied to your marketing approach. It is still early enough in the year to examine how you are going to make marketing work for you.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – December 2019
This year has been great and exactly what I had hoped it would be – maybe even better. Fractional CMO & Marketing has helped twice as many companies as the year before! The results our clients are reporting are phenomenal and make me very happy!
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – November 2019
The way people and businesses buy things changes over time for a variety of reasons. We are in the midst of changing consumer behavior that is undoubtedly fueled by technology.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – October 2019
If your brand were a person, what kind of person would it be? How would you describe the characteristics that make its personality?
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – September 2019
An engine is a machine with moving parts that converts energy into motion. Marketing is very similar in that it is made of moving parts that must work smoothly and in harmony to generate motion. In marketing, that motion generates leads and moves them along the buyer’s journey.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – August 2019
You may have read that studies show people do business with those they know, like, and trust – We believe this is true. We see how top salespeople go out of their way to inform their customers and work tirelessly to make them like and trust them.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – July 2019
Sometimes in life, as well as in business, we pursue certain activities because we always have. Oftentimes, we keep doing what we have been doing the same way we always have, without questioning our actions or their outcomes.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – May 2019
When we start working with new clients, we conduct a very thorough marketing needs assessment which we developed based on decades of experience and working with hundreds of clients.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – April 2019
When we start working with new clients, we conduct a very thorough marketing needs assessment which we developed based on decades of experience and working with hundreds of clients.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – March 2019
Over the years, I have written several articles that emphasized the importance of lead follow-up, as well as the all-too-familiar ‘call reluctance’ (for example see our November 2018 newsletter).
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – February 2019
You’ve heard it before “This product sells itself!” Yet, human history is full of great ideas and magnificent products that never actually made it big.
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – January 2019
We have already established that there is no ‘silver bullet’ when it comes to marketing. Effective marketing is comprised of many different types of...
Fractional CMO & Marketing – December 2018
Thank you for an incredible 2018!
We are looking forward to making your business a success in 2019 and continuing to be
Your Smart Marketing Solution
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – November 2018
So, You Got Leads – Now What? Generating leads is one of marketing’s chief objectives. In fact, generating leads is the ultimate goal of the sum of all marketing activities. However, generating leads alone does not create revenue or profits!It is...
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – October 2018
Empathy and The Art of Marketing An important part of what ‘marketing’ does is educating and persuading. Marketers always point out needs or pain-points, and then illustrate the merits of their products and how well-suited they are to solve those problems. Have you ever seen a promotion for a...
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – September 2018
How to Budget for Marketing ‘Simple’ and ‘easy’, are not necessarily the same thing. Running a marathon, for example, is very simple – just put one foot in front of the other in succession… but it is not easy to do this for 26 plus miles! One of the most common questions we hear from business...
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – August 2018
Too Much Marketing Mark Twain said, “Too much of anything is bad…” – This is true for marketing, as well! I recently met with a very smart and experienced new business owner, and I asked her (as I ask all new clients): “What do you perceive to be your greatest marketing challenge?” Her answer...
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – July 2018
The question about the relevancy of marketing collateral in the digital age pops up every-now-and-then. Before I explain our approach, let’s define what we mean by “marketing collateral”:
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – June 2018
Out With The Old, In With The New! But Should I Get A New One or Just Fix It? Marketing materials are perishable. One cannot assume that just because they were created once, they will remain effective and appropriate for ever. I once met with a new client who did not understand why he needed to...
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – May 2018
Our Love Hate Relationship With Marketing Email marketing has been around for a long time, and we all have love-hate feelings about it. When all is considered, email marketing is still a great tool for both marketers and consumers. And judging by how much it is still being used, there is more...
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – April 2018
The Most Powerful Marketing Tool It has been said that “word-of-mouth” is the most powerful marketing tool out there, and we concur. However, what exactly is word-of-mouth and how do we get it? Simply put, word-of-mouth is when someone who is not being paid by you tells others about how great...
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – March 2018
Don’t Waste Your Resources on Trade Shows! You receive an invitation to exhibit at “the industry’s premier trade show” – you know, the one you can’t pass up. And now, you try to decide if investing thousands of dollars, if not more, will pay off. Exhibiting in a trade show should not be “just...
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – February 2018
Are Keyword Rankings Still Relevant? As marketers, we used to make many decisions based on keyword rankings and, collectively, billions of dollars are spent on SEO and digital advertising based on them. You may want to rethink this strategy! Slowly but surely, changes made – most notably by...
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – January 2018
Random Acts of Marketing In last month’s newsletter, I urged you to “Plan to Plan Your Marketing Plan”, and provided seven important items to consider when doing so. Well, it is time to actually do it – It is time to make a decision about what you want to accomplish in marketing next year, and...
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – December 2017
Who Needs Marketing in a Booming Economy!? Regardless of your political leaning, certainly we all can agree that our nation’s economy has been on an upswing lately. From low unemployment rates to high GDP, and record-breaking stock market performance, practically all indicators are encouraging....
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – November 2017
Random Acts of Marketing In last month’s newsletter, I urged you to “Plan to Plan Your Marketing Plan”, and provided seven important items to consider when doing so. Well, it is time to actually do it – It is time to make a decision about what you want to accomplish in marketing...
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – October 2017
Plan to Plan Your Marketing Plan Fall is the time of year when business owners and managers should start planning for next year. By now, you should know with a high degree of confidence, how the year will end, and focus your attention to what’s next. Your marketing plan is an...
Fractional CMO & Marketing Newsletter – September 2017
Fractional CMO Is Now Fractional CMO & Marketing Today marks an important milestone in our firm’s growth. I am excited to announce three new things which are the result of our growth, and the extraordinary acceptance in the marketplace to our ‘fractional’ concept: New name...
Fractional CMO Newsletter – July 2017
‘Hit-and-Run’ Marketing Events Organizations participate in a variety of marketing events, such as conferences, trade shows, and speaking engagements, just to name a few. These events are part of many marketing efforts, and they can be very beneficial. However, if you have ever worked on a...
Fractional CMO Newsletter – June 2017
Fake Likes and Click Farms For years, many businesses and their respective marketers coveted “likes”, “shares”, and “followers” more than everything else. Millions of dollars and countless hours of meetings and planning sessions were devoted to capturing more...
Fractional CMO Newsletter – May 2017
Marketing is a Contact Sport Ultimately, the purpose of marketing activities is to create or identify qualified leads. And by qualified leads, I mean people who are interested in your product or ideas, or whatever it is you are marketing to them. To do so, marketers devise all...
Fractional CMO Newsletter – April 2017
The Hidden Danger of Buzz Words and Empty Phrases The first and foremost goal or communication is to convey an idea, and only then impress. However, often times the communicator gets the two confused. These people are so focused on impressing the reader (or listener) their words...
Fractional CMO Newsletter – March 2017
360 Degrees Marketing Some companies are fully engaged in marketing efforts. However, other companies just have a few people engaged in marketing. There are also some companies that still wonder exactly what marketing is. Even companies that fully engage in marketing efforts and allocate...
Fractional CMO Newsletter – February 2017
The Often-Untapped Revenue Stream You already have the best salespeople you could ever ask for – Your Customers! Assuming you provide outstanding products and services, your customers can refer others to you… but they must be ‘recruited’. If you have been in business for any length of time, you...
Fractional CMO Newsletter – January 2017
The Marketing Formula: Recently, I gave a talk to a group of entrepreneurs on the topic of names and slogans, as they relate to both companies and brands. As we were exploring some notable branding successes and some miserable failures, I couldn’t help but notice some uneasiness on...
Fractional CMO Newsletter – December 2016
Goals: Do We Really Need Them? Top Reasons for Setting Goals This is it folks – The last week of 2016! I hope it was a good year for you and your business. This year was a great year for our clients, and we are very happy to be instrumental in their success. This year was also a great year for...
Fractional CMO Newsletter – November 2016
In this issue: Did You Get Enough To Eat? What is Fractional CMO Marketing Lingo: “Customer” versus “Client” Featured Client: Management One Would you like to be a Fractional CMO? "So, Did You Get Enough To Eat?” Top 10 Reasons to Follow Up Have you heard this question enough times over the...
Fractional CMO Newsletter – October 2016
In this issue: Thank Your Customers What is Fractional CMO Marketing Lingo: "Value Proposition" Featured Client: Print & Imprint Do You Have What It Takes to Be a Fractional CMO? Thank Your Customers As we get closer to the end of the year, we tend to reflect. One of the things we all think...
Fractional CMO Newsletter – September 2016
In this issue: Tips for Getting More Out of Your Trade Show Marketing Lingo: “Buyer’s Journey” Common Small Business Approaches to Marketing Leadership What Is Fractional CMO Do You Have What It Takes to Be a Fractional CMO? Tips for Getting More Out of Your Trade Show Fall is a season...
Fractional CMO Newsletter – August 2016
In this issue: Not All Marketing Tools Are Expensive Marketing Lingo: “Slogan or Tagline” What Is Fractional CMO Do You Have What It Takes to Be a Fractional CMO? Are Old-School Silos Negatively Impacting Your Company's Harmony and Performance? Not All Marketing Tools Are Expensive! As a...
Fractional CMO Newsletter – July 2016
Do You Know Frugal Frank? In this issue: Do You Know Frugal Frank? Marketing Lingo: “Brand and Branding” What Is Fractional CMO Branding - Its Legal Tending and Protection Example Persona: “Frugal Frank” Male 40-45 years old College degree Earns about $60k annually Purchasing...
Fractional CMO Newsletter – June 2016
One Size Fits All Marketing In this issue: One Size Fits All Marketing What Is Fractional CMO The Incredible Shrinking Business Plan Featured Client: Print & Imprint Marketing Lingo: “Value Proposition” We all know that when a garment is advertised as ‘One Size Fits All’, it...
Fractional CMO Newsletter – May 2016
The Sales Funnel Isn't We all know and use the classic sales funnel that was conceptualized in 1898 by E. St. Elmo Lewis. It describes the customer journey from the moment a brand or product attracted his or her attention to the point of action or purchase. St. Elmo Lewis’ idea is often...
Fractional CMO Newsletter – April 2016
Is Fractional CMO Right for Your Business? These days, it seems like businesses are outsourcing as many roles and functions as they can. From human resources and payroll to IT, small to medium-sized businesses are learning that they can get a better value when they opt to bring in...
Fractional CMO Newsletter – January 2016
The Sales Funnel Isn’t funnel (noun) A tube or pipe that is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, used for guiding liquid or powder into a small opening. We all know and use the classic sales funnel that was conceptualized in 1898 by E. St. Elmo Lewis. It describes the customer journey...
Fractional CMO Newsletter – August 2015
Fractional CMO Mentioned In Forbes Magazine At the end of last month, Forbes Magazine published an article about the concept of the “fractional CMO”. Kimberly Whitler, the author, was discussing the “growing trend” of companies hiring “outsourced”, “part-time” or a “fractional CMO” because they...
Insight Marketing Research Opens an Office in Scottsdale
Insight Marketing Research Opens an Office in Scottsdale The Firm Supports Marketing Teams Nationwide Scottsdale, AZ, July 15, 2015 -- Insight Marketing Research announced today the opening an office in Scottsdale, Arizona. The firm provides marketing research services to organizations...
Why Call Insight Marketing Research Today
10 Reasons to Call Insight Marketing Research Today By Ginger Mace, Marketing Consultant Sales numbers are stagnant, or worse – dropping, and you are not sure what change in the marketing mix will make the most positive impact You are considering an adjustment to your branding, but not certain...
6 Myths About Marketing Research
Marketing involves making decisions regarding hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of variables. As a marketer you have to consider branding, pricing, distribution, customer needs, product quality, reputation, competition, and many more. Marketing research, done right,...
What Is Marketing Research Exactly?
Have you ever wondered what marketing research is exactly? If you have, you came to the right place! The short answer is that marketing research is research related to marketing activities and for the purpose of providing intelligence for future marketing activities. The...