Inbound Back Office podcast featuring Jennifer Zick

Inbound Back Office podcast featuring Jennifer Zick

Why agencies need marketing leadership Our founder and CEO, Jennifer Zick, was recently the featured guest on the Inbound Back Office podcast with host Amy Foley.  Jennifer Zick discussed why growing businesses need marketing leadership, the different phases of business, and when you need a strategic marketing leader.  Additionally Jennifer discussed: What happens when no one "owns" the marketing role in a business How fractional CMOs can help you scale with lower risk Benefits of working with a team of Fractional CMOs with differing skills and experience Listen to the podcasts
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Media mix: From no mix to a combination that builds compounding reach

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…)
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CRM Optimization: Aligning your organization for insight and efficiency

CRM Optimization: Aligning your organization for insight and efficiency

In growing businesses, it’s vital to leverage a CRM for growth, scalability and insight. But is your CRM slowing you down with clunky processes and outdated contacts? A clean, optimized CRM can change your business from sluggish growth to a systematized organization that's ready for growth. Watch this webinar in partnership with Authentic, 11outof11, and Convergo to learn more about how to optimize your CRM for maximum insight and efficiency.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yL9Rxtexml0 Key Takeaways Clear role definitions help align different departments' objectives with the CRM strategy, enhancing cross-functional collaboration and data integrity. CRM systems serve as a centralized repository for all…
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We helped pack 17,280 meals!

We helped pack 17,280 meals!

Authentic team members, clients, Ally Providers, and friends gathered at Feed My Starving Children to help pack meals in support of the organization’s mission to break the cycle of poverty around the world. Along with other volunteers, together the group helped pack 80 boxes filled with 17,280 meals which will feed 47 kids for a year! (more…)
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Sales + Marketing: Creating synergy for success

Sales + Marketing: Creating synergy for success

For early stage businesses, marketing often reports to the founder or head of sales, and plays a subordinate role as a sales support function. This model can work during the forming phase of business growth - when sales is driving most engagement and is helping to further define the market fit. But eventually, to scale a brand and expand the business, marketing and sales must become peers within the leadership team - playing complimentary, but truly different roles.  Making the shift from sales-led to sales and marketing synchronized can be tricky. It’s truly a “make it or break it” moment…
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Embracing AI as a business leader: 8 insights from fractional CMOs

Embracing AI as a business leader: 8 insights from fractional CMOs

Even though AI has been around for some time, everything changed when OpenAI released ChatGPT to the public in late 2022. Now, speculation abounds about the implications of AI: is it a friend or foe to businesses and their employees? Can AI accelerate business growth? What are its benefits? Its risks? How do organizations balance the risks and benefits of AI and use it responsibly and strategically to support their growth? (more…)
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Sales Xceleration and Authentic Join Arms in National Partnership

Sales Xceleration and Authentic Join Arms in National Partnership

The alliance between the front-office fractional firms will accelerate sales and marketing success for small to mid-sized businesses. Minneapolis, MN, July 25, 2023 - Authentic, a fast-growing national fractional CMO (chief mar­­­keting officer) firm and Sales Xceleration, the pioneer in fractional sales consulting, have launched a partnership that leverages their complementary capabilities to deepen value for their clients. This alliance provides a holistic approach to sales and marketing for growing businesses. Together, Sales Xceleration and Authentic shore up the outsourced leadership suite for the front-office, addressing what has previously been a gap in the growing ecosystem of fractional resources. A…
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Manufacturing & distribution: Marketing tips from experienced fractional CMOs

Manufacturing & distribution: Marketing tips from experienced fractional CMOs

Manufacturer marketing: Tips from experienced fractional CMOs In the rapidly evolving world of manufacturing and distribution, staying ahead of the curve is vital for survival. With growing competition driven by eCommerce, shifts in consumer behavior, persisting supply chain challenges, talent constraints, and the ever-present digital revolution, marketers must be savvy, strategic, and always ready to adapt. (more…)
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Marketing team: From founder-led to fully-resourced

Marketing team: From founder-led to fully-resourced

Marketing team: cost or investment? Many entrepreneurial organizations put off hiring marketing leadership or internal roles until it becomes painfully, undeniably necessary. Instead of investing in strategic marketing early on, founder-led, sales-driven organizations often cobble together what they need to support sales, create market traction, and develop operational critical mass. Marketing is often considered a cost instead of an investment. As a result, the earliest iterations of the marketing function lack clarity and structure, and the makeshift team is likely committing random acts of marketing. (more…)
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Embracing AI: What growth leaders need to understand about the next frontier of technology innovation

Embracing AI: What growth leaders need to understand about the next frontier of technology innovation

It’s the hottest topic since the “world wide web” disrupted everything for businesses. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been around for quite some time already, quietly humming in the background, having a nearly imperceptible impact on most individuals and organizations - until in late 2022, OpenAI released ChatGPT to the public, and our collective minds were blown. As the whole world turns its attention to the new frontier of innovation, plenty of speculation exists about whether AI is a friend or foe to businesses and their employees. Will AI be a threat to artists, authors, musicians, analysts, developers, and all other…
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