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The Chief Outsider
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Recent Posts
Your AI Search Playbook - 6 Moves to Reclaim Visibility and Demand
Part 4 of our four-part series exploring how AI search is transforming visibility, SEO, and digital strategy - and what CEOs need to do now to stay competitive.
CEO Preparedness Guide for the Post-Pandemic Recovery: Avoiding the Ad-Budget Ax
Fri, Apr 24, 2020 — Blog 1: Avoiding the Ad-Budget Ax In these uncertain times amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, there are likely two distinct pathways for businesses to follow—adapt or perish. Because none of you reading this would ever consider just laying down your arms and not fighting for survival, I thought I’d share a couple of quotes from noteworthy types who chose the latter mindset, choosing to both adapt, and thrive, rather than just survive.
Communicating in Tough Times: A Strategic Approach
Thu, Apr 23, 2020 — As the saying goes, “when the going gets tough, the tough get going,” but unfortunately the saying doesn’t tell us how to get going. Thinking about the many types of crisis, from a data breach to a product recall, from a catastrophic weather event to a pandemic, it's clear they are all different with a unique set of challenges, and as such different ways of “getting going." However, they all have one thing in common and that is the need to quickly, clearly and effectively communicate information.
Keys to COVID-19 Crisis Communications Success: Tips for Every CEO
Wed, Apr 22, 2020 — As the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic continues to mount, the workforce remains ever fearful. With unemployment rising by the millions, and those still employed wondering if—or when—the other shoe may drop at your company, it’s never been more critical to be transparent. Right now, your employees are looking to you for the kind of leadership that will help them, and your company, get through the crisis.
Shooting Some Holes in the Minimum Viable Product
Thu, Apr 2, 2020 — With the right vision, appropriate resources, and more than a sprinkle of luck, a really good idea can quickly become a sensational success. When that happens, as late-night comedian John Oliver might say, such an idea becomes “a thing.” Unfortunately, when a good idea becomes “a thing” — like the product equivalent of John, Paul, George, and Ringo – the quality can suffer if too many producers try to put their imprint on the hit record. The idea can get watered down, generalized, and misused.
Achieving Revenue Growth and Excellent ROI with a Radio Restaurant Promotion
Thu, Mar 26, 2020 — Those of you in the restaurant chain or franchise business may enjoy the details of this successful restaurant promotion executed by Doug Reifschneider. Doug was Vice President of Marketing at Pita Pit at the time, but recently joined Chief Outsiders as a fractional CMO. The promotion involved six Pita Pit restaurants located in Northern Idaho and the Spokane area who agreed to pool funds to test a cooperative advertising program. The test included a guerrilla radio advertising tactic, print, social and email support with offers to encourage trade-up and increase party size.
What can Professional Services CEOs do Right Now?
Thu, Mar 19, 2020 — Industry Specific Advice in a Time of Crisis from the Chief Outsiders CMOs These are challenging times. The actions you take now and in the coming weeks will have a huge impact on what happens to your company, your customers and your employees. Some of the challenges we will face during this crisis will apply to all sectors, but some will be industry specific. To help you decide where your focus should be, we assembled panels of Chief Marketing Officers from our Tribe at Chief Outsiders who have spent their careers working in your industry with companies like yours, to discuss what CEOs need to think about doing, right now. The following summary encapsulates the highlights of our panel discussion for the Professional Services industry, hosted by Art Saxby. Featuring CMOs Paul Sparrow, Mark Coronna and Don Lee. For the full benefit, view the discussion video in its entirety (35 minutes). Short of time? See the discussion highlights (6 minutes).
What can Industrial and Manufacturing CEOs do Right Now?
Thu, Mar 19, 2020 — Industry Specific Advice in a Time of Crisis from the Chief Outsiders CMOs These are challenging times. The actions you take now and in the coming weeks will have a huge impact on what happens to your company, your customers and your employees. Some of the challenges we will face during this crisis will apply to all sectors, but some will be industry specific. To help you decide where your focus should be, we assembled panels of Chief Marketing Officers from our Tribe at Chief Outsiders who have spent their careers working in your industry with companies like yours, to discuss what CEOs need to think about doing, right now. The following summary encapsulates the highlights of our panel discussion for the Industrial Manufacturing industry, hosted by Art Saxby and featuring CMOs Dawn Werry, and Dennis Bailen. For the full benefit, view the discussion video in its entirety (19 minutes). Short of time? See the discussion highlights (6 minutes).
Are You Loyal to Your Customers?
Wed, Mar 4, 2020 — Loyalty, not such a long time ago, was a fairly easy thing to cultivate. You give a punch card or green stamps (or even wooden “round-tuits,” some of you may recall) to your customers, and they reward you with frequent visits or purchases so they can earn the points or badges to pocket free stuff. Even today, as businesses like restaurants, retail stores, airlines and hotels work to digitize and mobilize loyalty programs, customers still find it exciting and compelling to rack up the rewards.
Five Major Indicators that Suggest a Need for Focus
Tue, Mar 3, 2020 — A Common Challenge for B2B technology, SaaS and Professional Services Businesses If market demand was a fixed commodity, attracting new business would require only that you create awareness and build interest around well-known needs. Companies who see their marketplace in this way often subscribe to a “lather, rinse, repeat,” approach to pipeline management – focusing marketing dollars on prospects already well-along their purchasing journey, identifying qualified opportunities, but paying little attention to the world of prospects who do not yet see their needs as urgent.