[ Heart + Smart ] Blog by Authentic Brand - Marketing content for B2B growth organizations

02Jan 2019 by Mike Bernard No Comments

Make a “NOT-TO-DO” List for Marketing in 2019

Brand & Messaging, Digital, Fractional CMO, Marketing, Strategy & Coaching

Isn’t the New Year great? It’s time to bust out those resolutions and ring in the start of a new calendar by making a change that brings something positive to your life. Many of us will sit down and write out a list of “To-Do’s for the New Year.” (more…)

01Jan 2019 by Jennifer Zick No Comments

Take Your Company From $5 Million to $50 Million (or More) With the Marketing Leadership You Need

Fractional CMO, Marketing

Business owners and marketers around the world agree on one thing: Marketing tends to be one of the hardest areas to focus and scale when growing your business. Whatever stage your company is at, this doesn’t seem to change. (more…)

17Dec 2018 by Emily Youngblood

Social Media Breakfast presents: You’re not the boss of me. Jennifer Zick speaks to the joys and perils of being self-employed

Brand & Messaging, Event, Marketing

We were grateful to be included in a recent panel discussion at the Social Media Breakfast MSP series. The panel of entrepreneurs and independent consultants shared what it's really like to be your own boss. (more…)

14Dec 2018 by Emily Youngblood

Authentic Brand CEO Shares Entrepreneurship Journey at Fueled Collective Event

Brand & Messaging, Digital, EOS / Traction, Event, Marketing

[caption id="attachment_2999" align="aligncenter" width="900"] Jennifer Zick speaks at Fueled Collective event for entrepreneurs[/caption] We were honored to be included in a recent event series by Fueled Collective. This four week series featured successful solopreneurs and entrepreneurs, highlighting the lessons learned from the trenches. (more…)

07Dec 2018 by Emily Youngblood

We helped prepare 1,650 bags of food for kids across the Twin Cities!

Community, Event, Two Or More

This was our first time serving with The Sheridan Story and we all enjoyed it. Our Two Or More community of volunteers gathered at their warehouse in Roseville to pack, organize, and box bags of food for kids that are facing food insecurity. This team of volunteers packed 1,650 bags which equals 6,325 meals for families! (more…)

06Dec 2018 by Mike Bernard

Marketing Metrics that Matter (and how to avoid Random Acts of Marketing)

Digital, Fractional CMO, Marketing, Strategy & Coaching

I have the best job in the world. I get the privilege of talking with leaders of small and mid-size businesses about their growth plans and strategies. Each time I meet with someone, I learn something new. But I also notice a lot of recurring themes. One of those themes is metrics. Every time a conversation turns to marketing, it almost invariably, without fail, gets to the challenge of measuring marketing success. (more…)

26Nov 2018 by Mike Bernard

7 Considerations to Keep in Mind Before Making a Technology Investment for Marketing

Digital, Marketing

If you’ve been in the business world for more than three months, you’ve probably had some vendor reach out to you about buying their software which promises to solve all your problems. There is literally a tool for every possible situation you could imagine. Sometimes there are even tools for things you didn’t realize were a thing! (more…)

12Nov 2018 by Jennifer Zick

Brand Messaging Moments: The Right Story for Investors, Stakeholders, and Acquirers. Part 3.

Brand & Messaging, Marketing

How will major growth affect your brand messaging? When you started your journey, messaging was simple and solution-focused. But, when investors, stakeholders, and acquirers get thrown into the mix, it adds a whole new layer of complexity to your brand narrative. (more…)

02Nov 2018 by Jennifer Zick

The Necessary Skills and Qualities of the Modern Fractional CMO

Brand & Messaging, Fractional CMO, Marketing

From flipping burgers to becoming an astronaut, every job takes some degree of skill and ability. But, the more advanced the job is, the more difficult it can be to define the skills and qualities that will make someone truly successful in that role. (more…)

31Oct 2018 by Jennifer Zick

Brand Messaging Moments: Staying True to Your Roots Through Next-Level Growth. Part 2.

Brand & Messaging, Marketing

In our last post, I covered how your brand message or brand narrative will change during the start-up phases of your growth. These are the moments that will make or break a company’s future. So, when major growth is on the table, you have to make sure your brand narrative is up to the challenge. (more…)