Doug Schmeltzer’s Post

Fractional CMOs sound great: increased efficiency, access to strategy and experience, and all at a lower price tag than hiring in-house. But how do you know if it’s time to consider one for your business? Here are six signs it's time to consider adding a fractional CMO to your leadership team: 1️⃣ Your existing marketing team is overwhelmed and needs direction. 2️⃣ Your sales team has to make their own marketing/enablement materials. 3️⃣ Your executive team isn't getting the right insights & data from marketing. 4️⃣ Your sales & marketing teams are out of alignment. 5️⃣ Your past marketing strategies or campaigns failed. 6️⃣ Your business needs to scale before you're ready for a full-time Chief Marketing Officer A fractional CMO helps you grow smarter and faster. You get expert guidance now while you scale enough to hire a full-time executive later. This approach allows your business to thrive in a competitive market!

The CMO role is disappearing, and I believe it’s a good thing. CMOs have one of the shortest tenures among C-level executives, typically lasting between 3.3 and 4.8 years (depending on the source). Why? Marketing covers a lot of different elements, and the weight of all that responsibility–especially within a limited timeframe–can lead to high turnover. Additionally, depending on the size of the company, CMOs may oversee not just marketing but also the sales team, adding to the pressure of proving ROI quickly. The pressure is so overwhelming that many marketers are now hesitant to take on senior marketing roles. According to Phil W.’s recent article in Fortune, the revamp of the CMO role also stems from organizational structural changes. Another related post on the topic by Anthony Kennada, Founder & CEO at AudiencePlus, shared that we’re already seeing new roles such as: ✔️ Chief Brand Officer ✔️ Chief Creative Officer ✔️ Chief Content Officer ✔️ Chief Events Officer ✔️ Chief Communications Officer From my perspective, this is one of the best changes to happen to marketing in a while. By separating functions, responsibilities, and budgets, the burden on a single person could be alleviated. This approach would allow individuals to focus on specific aspects of marketing, fostering a more effective and sustainable strategy. I say let’s get rid of the CMO role. What do you think? #CMO #marketingroles #marketing

Dear A/E/C marketing directors, managers, coordinators, & specialists, As a fractional CMO, I don’t want your job. You’re safe if your company hires me. It’s not that your work is beneath me. It’s that your company benefits from having both of us. They grow faster and more efficiently. I often recommend that construction companies increase their marketing headcount because they’re severely understaffed (based on SMPS research and my own research), and this is hampering the company's ability to grow and recruit. My role involves marketing strategy, executive leadership, and mentoring. I focus on the future, provide direction, and "clear a path" for you handling the day-to-day. Together, we will catch up on those initiatives you could never get to while you were too busy putting out fires because we will have a strategic focus, implement new tools, and create scalable processes. Your life will become calmer as you work on more enjoyable work and work more proactively. We’re a team; like in sports, good players get better with the right coaching. I offer my decades of experience marketing dozens of construction companies from $1 million to over $1 billion and a macro viewpoint while you know your company and brand(s) better than I ever will. --- PS - Yes, I'm a youth swim coach. Image generated by AI via Microsoft Copilot.

Tip #1 of 3 For Recruiting Top Global Product Marketing Talent By now, most technology and financial services companies realize that product marketers can play a pivotal role in unlocking new product and portfolio growth. A great product marketer brings a blend of strategic and tactical skills to launch new solutions with the right positioning and messaging, enable sales teams, and elevate marketing programs. So how do you recruit the best product marketers in a field where they are in high demand? In my last global product marketing leadership role, I was known for developing a high-performance of 15 managers and individual contributors around the world. Here’s how I recruit top talent: Tip #1: STOP Using Direct Experience to Filter Candidates Too often, job descriptions require many years of industry, product, and product marketing experience. While direct experience is helpful, in my experience it has a neutral effect on actual product marketing performance – neither better or worse than others newer to the industry or field. A qualified product marketing leader can develop the right person into a great product marketer. Those who fit the profession take initiative to quickly learn industry and product specifics. But what I can’t teach are things like integrity, collaboration, creative problem solving, and building influence. Product marketing is such a rapidly expanding field, and we often find talent coming from related disciplines, including: Sales, Product, Business Consulting, Strategy, and Marketing. #productmarketing #productmarketingteam #productmarketer

Being a great marketing leader is less about your depth of marketing knowledge and more about your ability to build relationships with people. So why does it seem like every course or talk for marketing leaders focuses on teaching marketing knowledge? Instead, you should focus on your ability to influence and win over people. That's hiring.   That's managing and retaining your team.   That's managing your CEO's expectations.   That's getting along with the rest of the leadership team. If you do those well, that’s like 90% of the job. When I became a VP of marketing, I spent more time on relationship building than on anything else. Not because I was smarter than others (I wasn’t), but because that's where I felt the most pull. I quickly realized that this was marketing leadership. I needed to keep my team close and happy so they wouldn’t take offers elsewhere. I needed to understand the challenges the sales team was facing so we were in lockstep tackling them. I needed to see what the product team was building or thinking about building so marketing could communicate it to our customer base. In all these situations, I needed to have influence over the decisions being made. That's only possible if you've put in the work building relationships with your counterparts and team. So if you’re trying to make the next jump in your career, prioritize studying people and building influential relationships. And you can skip the “budgeting and attribution” courses 😀

Caught in the crossfire of responsibilities? Hiring a fractional CMO can make a world of difference, with more impact than you might realise. Drawing from my own experience as a fractional CMO, I've seen first hand the value one can bring to a business. From crafting razor-sharp marketing strategies to shouldering leadership roles, the impact is truly comprehensive. Here's a snapshot of what a fractional CMO can do: - Strategic oversight: From brand positioning to lead generation, we ensure every marketing effort aligns with the bigger picture. - Budget mastery: We squeeze value from every penny, creating efficient and effective marketing plans that pack a punch. - Multi-hatted: We aren’t just marketers. We’re strategists, mentors, leaders, and sometimes, firefighters extinguishing unexpected issues. Being a fractional CMO means making every moment count. So here's the question, is your business ready to embrace the full impact of a fractional CMO? Let's discuss this further...Feel free to drop me a message or comment below.

Is your business seeking top-tier marketing leadership to drive growth without the full-time cost? 🙌 Discover the benefits of hiring a fractional marketing director! These experienced professionals offer strategic marketing expertise on a flexible, part-time basis, helping businesses drive growth, optimise strategies, and stay competitive. Learn how a fractional marketing director could transform your marketing efforts today! 🚀 Read our latest blog to find out more: https://bit.ly/3WLpdAJ #FractionalMarketingDirector #MarketingLeadership

There is a lot of discussion about marketing and sales alignment, but I would like to raise a discussion about silos within marketing teams, especially the ones spread in different locations. During my career across international companies, from channel marketing to CMO roles, I have seen a common obstacle: marketing silos. Organizations typically split their marketing between HQ and local market teams, aiming for localized strategy execution and insight gathering. However, this division can dilute overall strategy impact. True success lies in surpassing these divisions. A unified approach, marrying the strengths of HQ with local insights, is key. This not only aligns every initiative with the company's broad objectives but also adapts to market specifics. Yet, many fall into the silo trap due to organizational structure, communication barriers, resource allocation, and differing KPIs. A crucial, often overlooked aspect of these silos is their impact on career paths. Specifically, country or field marketers may see limited prospects for international roles, as such positions are predominantly HQ-based. Breaking down silos can open career doors, offering growth into global roles and ensuring talent is nurtured without geographical bias. This not only empowers the marketing team but also fosters a more driven and innovative workforce. Despite the hurdles, breaking down these barriers is crucial and, while challenging, really rewarding. Have you faced marketing silos? How have you worked to bridge these gaps, and do you believe in the synergy between HQ and local teams? I’d love to hear your thoughts in comments. #internationalmarketing #teamwork #marketingstrategy

❓ Looking to hire a Chief Marketing Officer ❓ Hiring a #cmo is no easy feat, as the role is multifaceted and requires a combination of strategic thinking, #leadership, and creativity. ❓ When should I hire a CMO ❓ Hiring a CMO depends on a company’s needs and growth stage. If a company is in its early stages, a CMO may not be necessary, as the CEO may handle the #marketing efforts. Some examples of when a scale-up business may want to consider hiring a #chiefmarketingofficer are when a business: ✅ Wants to expand into new markets ✅ Wants to increase market share ✅ Is launching new products or services ✅ Needs #brand differentiation ✅ Requires improved #customer acquisition and retention ✅ Lacks marketing expertise internally In this blog post, we will explore what the role entails, when to hire, and the different approaches to successfully hiring a CMO. https://lnkd.in/eJQfa5rH #recruitment

📈 Unlock Strategic Growth with a Fractional CMO! 🚀 Are you a small business owner looking to scale but don’t have the budget for a full-time Chief Marketing Officer? Let’s change the game! Introducing my Fractional Chief Marketing Officer service, designed specifically for small businesses. I’ll bring 30+ years of sales and marketing expertise to your business without the full-time commitment or cost. 🔹 Strategic Guidance: Tailored marketing strategies to elevate your brand and increase revenue. 🔹 Expert Execution: I’ll lead your marketing efforts, from campaign management to team leadership, ensuring seamless execution. 🔹 Scalable Solutions: As your business grows, so will your marketing. Get the flexibility you need to scale effectively. 🔹 Cost-Effective Leadership: Get CMO-level insights and direction at a fraction of the cost of hiring in-house. Ready to accelerate your growth? Let’s chat and make your business stand out in the market! 💡 DM me or visit edweeksjr.com to learn more about how I can help your business thrive. #FractionalCMO #SmallBusinessGrowth #MarketingStrategy #BusinessGrowth #ScaleYourBusiness