Fractional CMO Archives - Authentic Brand

Channels: From undefined to omnichannel

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…)

Authentic Brand Selected as Fast 50 Honoree by Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal

Annual List Recognizes the Twin Cities’ Fastest Growing Private Companies August 31, 2023 / Minneapolis, MN - Authentic Brand was named a Fast 50 Honoree by the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal. The annual Fast 50 list recognizes Twin Cities-based privately held companies with the fastest revenue growth for the past three years. This year’s list includes companies with revenue growth between 2020 - 2022. To be eligible for the Fast 50, companies must be independently owned, privately held, for-profit businesses headquartered in the Twin Cities 24-county metro area. They also must have year-over-year revenue growth for each of…

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

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…)

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…)

Sales Xceleration and Authentic Brand 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 Brand, 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 Brand shore up the outsourced leadership suite for the front-office, addressing what has previously been a gap in the growing ecosystem of fractional…

Marketing team: From founder-led to fully-resourced

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…)

Authentic Brand Named a 2023 Best Places to Work Honoree

For the rapidly-growing fractional CMO services firm, 2023 marks its first year as a nominee on the esteemed list of top Twin Cities-based companies Minneapolis, MN, June 20, 2023– Authentic Brand was announced as one of the 2023 Best Places to Work honorees by the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal (MSPBJ).   This year marks the 25th annual Best Places to Work awards — the Twin Cities longest-running program recognizing engaging workplaces - and marks Authentic Brand’s first year as a nominee for the honor. “Being recognized by our employees as a 'Best Place to Work' has been on my…

Marketing budget: From zero to unlimited

Business leaders often want us to tell them how much to allocate to their marketing budget. But there’s no easy answer to this question; no universal formula exists that works for all companies due to varying factors, such as industry, business model, market, company culture, appetite for investment, the maturity of the existing marketing programs, and how quickly they’re willing to change. (more…)

Go Next: Client Story

Group travel operator Go Next hired Authentic Brand to re-envision and grow the brand after a tumultuous time. “The Authentic Brand imprint certainly positioned us for future growth and marketing opportunities; we’re well-positioned to make further enhancements to our marketing.” John Weeks, President & CEO, Go Next Go Next at a glance Company size: 20 employeesBusiness type: Group travel operatorCategory: B2B, B2CHeadquarters: Edina, MNKey initiatives: Brand messaging and design, digital strategy, marketing resourcing, employee development, agency management https://youtu.be/LlpQxsY3f6w The Challenge Go Next, a group travel operator that works primarily with alumni and affinity groups wanted to refresh its brand to…

Tag: Fractional CMO