Article Archives - Page 4 of 19

The Components of Authentic Growth™ Methodology

What is Authentic Growth™ Methodology? Authentic Growth™ Methodology is Authentic’s proven and proprietary marketing operating system that helps small and mid-sized, growth-focused businesses build strategic marketing departments and create alignment between sales and marketing. It’s a habit-forming system that teaches a simple, but powerful, set of components that drive alignment, accountability, and activation. (more…)

What is the Authentic Growth™ Roadmap?

A proven framework for driving marketing success Authentic was born from the desire to help entrepreneurial businesses Overcome Random Acts of Marketing® and more confidently take steps toward healthy growth. One of the primary ways we do this is through our fractional CMO services. However, our vision isn’t just to provide leadership to solve these issues on behalf of businesses. We also want to coach businesses on how to run successful marketing teams and programs themselves. (more…)

Buyer beware: Is that fractional CMO really the executive they claim to be?

The fractional CMO Wild West The number of professionals who call themselves fractional CMOs has skyrocketed over the past few years. At Authentic, we see this rapid influx as a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it validates what we hoped would be true when our founder, Jennifer Zick, started the company in 2017: Small businesses can benefit tremendously from having access to experienced marketing leadership on a part-time, flexible basis. Broad adoption of the term “fractional CMO” indicates there is a market and need for these services. However, on the other hand, the fractional CMO space has become the…

Accelerating Marketing Results for EOS-Powered Companies with Authentic Growth™ Methodology

Running a business on the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) is a strategic choice aimed at achieving sustainable growth and alignment. EOS provides a solid foundation for vision, traction, and alignment in growth-oriented companies. In this article, we will explore how Authentic Growth™ Methodology can accelerate marketing results for companies operating on EOS. EOS Marketing Strategy: Setting the Stage EOS incorporates valuable tools like the Vision/Traction Organizer™ (V/TO) to help companies define their organizational vision, including their EOS marketing strategy. The V/TO acts as an anchor, outlining the target market, differentiators, proven process, and guarantee. This strategy ensures clarity, direction, and…

Empowering Success with EOS

In the ever-evolving landscape of business, finding the right system to fuel growth, maintain focus, and drive success is like discovering a hidden treasure. For me, that treasure is the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). In this blog post, I'll share why I run my Fractional CMO firm, Authentic, on EOS and how it has been a driving force behind our journey. My relationship with EOS began 15 years ago, and today, I can't imagine running my business without it. Entrepreneurial Operating System® 1. Authentic Success with EOS 🚀 I'm excited to share why I run my Fractional CMO firm on…

Professional services marketing tips from experienced fractional CMOs

Professional services organizations face unique challenges with marketing. When your product is your people or expertise, elevating that expertise in your marketing efforts is critical. Firms have to share their thought leadership in a way that captures prospects’ attention and cultivates trusted relationships — all while keeping pace with developments in the industry and strategically allocating resources for maximum marketing impact. We invited three Authentic Fractional CMOs™, Dee Heffernan, Sherry Rothenberg, and Tracy Steeno, to share marketing insights and recommendations for professional services organizations facing growth hurdles today. The panelists dive into the biggest growth challenges these firms face today,…

How Authentic Fractional CMOs™ build maturity in growing organizations

Every Authentic client wants to grow their business At Authentic, our clients span various industries and business types, and the challenges they face often depend on factors unique to each company. But what all of our clients do have in common is that they are looking to grow their businesses. To support our clients in their growth, we developed our Authentic Growth™ Methodology. This methodology is our proprietary system that provides each of our Authentic Fractional CMOs™ with a set of tools and processes that they can strategically apply to the unique challenges of our client engagements — ultimately helping clients achieve marketing alignment, accountability, and aptitude. One…

Channels: From undefined to omnichannel

Channels connect your business to your buyers A company’s first go-to-market channel usually emerges organically as the business finds its footing and tests its idea with the market. But as a company matures, it must thoughtfully choose new channels for growth and develop strategic integrations between them. Using our Authentic Growth™ Marketing Maturity Matrix, we demonstrate the stages a business moves through as its channel strategy matures. Before we dive into the six stages of channel maturity, let’s define what we mean by channels. (more…)

Healthcare marketing tips from experienced fractional CMOs

Healthcare has always been a challenging industry to market within. Competition is fierce with large investments being made into innovative startups, patient choice is largely based on factors you cannot control, margins are often slim, and regulation presents challenges for how you engage with your patients. Marketers must understand these unique challenges, keep up with developments in the industry, and know how to strategically allocate resources for impact. (more…)

Media mix: From no mix to a combination that builds compounding reach

Four essential media categories In the earliest days of a business, most founders see marketing as one big category. However, any marketing program can and should be understood in the context of these four mediums: paid, earned, shared, and owned. Separating marketing initiatives into these mediums helps companies visualize and assess their overall media mix — the combination of marketing activities a business uses to communicate its value, promote itself, and connect with its audiences. (more…)