You decided not to get a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) for your company. It’s not necessary. This role is nothing but great at straining the company’s budget. While you think the idea makes sense, in actual fact it’s not. It’s a terrible decision. Did you know that the CMO role does not disappear just because you decided not to hire one? Here’s the not-so-good news for you. High-stakes decisions about positioning, market share, and revenue channels are still happening inside your business whether you like it or not.
Right now, it is either you, the person who does the work, or that part-time freelancer you hired who, according to you, "understands social media," who does the work, or the tasks are decided when you and your team cross the bridge there and then. This isn't a clever cost-cutting approach; it is expensive indecisiveness. When non-experts run your company’s growth engine, it won’t last long.
Here's how to fix it.
Acknowledge that you have a marketing problem. Accept that you need someone to advise you on the overarching marketing strategy. You need this expert to tell you exactly what to do, how to do it, when to do it and what to expect.
Get the right advisor for the job. Don't hire a random expert. Find a credible strategic marketer with proven experience, deep expertise, and a track record of building actual growth engines. Engage the person on a part-time basis. You can either agree to do this on a one-time per-minute consulting basis or a decent-sized monthly retainer.
