Make Tactical Marketing Execution More Strategic: From Chaos to Cohesion

Make Tactical Marketing Execution More Strategic: From Chaos to Cohesion

Many businesses operate in a reactive mode, executing ad hoc marketing efforts without a cohesive plan. While tactical activities may yield occasional wins, they often lack the consistency and focus needed for sustained growth. Transitioning to a strategic approach amplifies impact, optimizes resources, and drives better results over the long term. Why Strategy Wins A study by CoSchedule found that marketers with a documented strategy are 313% more likely to report success than those without one. Strategic marketing provides clarity, alignment, and measurable outcomes, ensuring every action serves a larger purpose. Why It Matters Improves ROI: A cohesive strategy ensures…
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Develop a Strong Employment Brand: Attract and Retain Top Talent

Develop a Strong Employment Brand: Attract and Retain Top Talent

A company’s ability to grow is directly tied to the strength of its team. To attract and retain top talent, businesses need a compelling employment brand that reflects their values, culture, and opportunities for career growth. A strong employment brand not only fills key roles but also fosters engagement and loyalty among existing employees. The Talent Connection Research from LinkedIn reveals that companies with strong employer brands experience a 50% reduction in hiring costs and attract 50% more qualified applicants. Moreover, Gallup reports that engaged employees are 21% more productive and contribute to a 22% increase in profitability. Why It…
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Strengthen Sales and Marketing Alignment: The Power of Collaboration

Strengthen Sales and Marketing Alignment: The Power of Collaboration

Sales and marketing are often treated as distinct functions, but in reality, they are two sides of the same coin. Misalignment between these teams can lead to wasted resources, missed opportunities, and inconsistent growth. Strengthening the partnership between sales and marketing is one of the most impactful ways to improve lead quality, increase conversion rates, and drive reliable revenue growth. The Case for Alignment Data from MarketingProfs shows that companies with aligned sales and marketing teams achieve 36% higher customer retention rates and 38% higher sales win rates. Additionally, research from HubSpot reveals that these companies experience 208% more revenue…
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Increase Engagement and Generate Qualified Leads: Turning Attention into Action

Increase Engagement and Generate Qualified Leads: Turning Attention into Action

In today’s crowded marketplace, it’s not enough to grab attention—you need to convert it into meaningful engagement that drives qualified leads. Generating high-quality leads requires a strategy that prioritizes relevance, interaction, and trust-building at every stage of the buyer’s journey. The Value of Engagement for Lead Generation According to Forrester Research, companies that excel at lead nurturing generate 50% more sales-ready leads at a 33% lower cost. This underscores the importance of engaging potential customers meaningfully to convert them into valuable leads. Why It Matters Fills the Sales Pipeline: Qualified leads give your sales team the best opportunities for conversion.…
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Extend Brand Awareness and Create Demand: Building the Foundation for Growth

Extend Brand Awareness and Create Demand: Building the Foundation for Growth

You can’t sell what people don’t know exists. For many businesses, a lack of awareness is the biggest roadblock to growth. Expanding brand awareness and creating demand are essential for establishing your presence in the market and attracting new customers. It’s not just about being seen—it’s about being remembered. The Reach of Awareness Campaigns Research from Nielsen found that 59% of customers prefer to buy new products from brands they are already familiar with. This highlights the importance of building awareness to create a sense of trust and credibility with your audience. Why It Matters Boosts Market Credibility: A visible…
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Sharpen Market Focus and Value Proposition / Brand Messaging: Cutting Through the Noise

Sharpen Market Focus and Value Proposition / Brand Messaging: Cutting Through the Noise

In today’s crowded marketplace, businesses can no longer afford to be everything to everyone. Success hinges on understanding your target audience and clearly communicating a compelling, differentiated value proposition. Without a sharp market focus and effective brand messaging, even the best products or services can go unnoticed. The Power of Focused Messaging Research by the Edelman Trust Barometer shows that 81% of consumers say trust in a brand is a dealbreaker for purchasing decisions. Clear, authentic messaging that resonates with a specific audience builds trust, reduces friction in the buying process, and accelerates sales. Why It Matters Stronger Differentiation: A…
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The 16 Authentic Growth® Drivers Every CEO Should Understand

The 16 Authentic Growth® Drivers Every CEO Should Understand

Growth isn’t just about increasing sales. For CEOs of small to mid-sized businesses, achieving sustainable and scalable growth requires a broader, more strategic approach. While your scrappy, sales-driven strategies have gotten you this far, the next phase of your company’s journey demands a deeper understanding of what really drives growth. This is where the expertise of a Fractional CMO comes in. By leveraging diverse growth drivers, a Fractional CMO helps your business identify gaps, prioritize resources, and focus on meaningful outcomes.  Below, we explore 16 “Authentic Growth® Drivers” that can help transform your business, guiding you toward lasting success. 1.…
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Authentic Founder & CEO Jennifer Zick Joins 2025 ACG Minnesota Board of Directors

Authentic Founder & CEO Jennifer Zick Joins 2025 ACG Minnesota Board of Directors

Minneapolis, MN, January 6, 2025 – Authentic is proud to announce that our Founder and CEO, Jennifer Zick, has been appointed to the 2025 Board of Directors for the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) Minnesota. ACG Minnesota is a global community for middle market M&A dealmakers and business leaders focused on driving growth. In her role as an “at large” board member, Jennifer will leverage her deep background in sales, marketing, and entrepreneurship to provide advisory input and cross-functional leadership, helping ACG-MN launch new programs, drive membership and engagement, and multiply the impact of their mission. Jennifer Zick expressed her…
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Is the Agency of Record Relevant in Today’s Marketing Landscape

Is the Agency of Record Relevant in Today’s Marketing Landscape

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmBy0DfnRR4 Video Transcription 20 years ago, when I first started my career in sales and marketing, most marketing capabilities were handled by agencies of record, those traditional agencies that provided the whole landscape of marketing execution capabilities, from advertising to events and sponsorships and PR.  But in the past 20 years, the landscape of marketing capabilities has changed dramatically and exponentially. And that traditional agency of record has really been challenged as a result, because one single source can't possibly provide the thousands of different micro disciplines that marketing requires for today's businesses. So while there are still traditional agencies,…
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