Growth Insights for CEOs

GEO – What it is and Why You Should Understand It
Part 2 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.
| Executive Takeaways |
| GEO is about optimizing for answers within AI search engines. Ranking well doesn’t guarantee visibility anymore – AI citations are needed too. Offsite reputation and mentions are just as critical as on-page SEO. |
Recent Posts

Elevating the VIP: Recognizing Your Best Customer is a Make-or-Break Proposition
Thu, Jan 13, 2022 — I have a secret to share that may be surprising. Though automotive folklore insinuates that Henry Ford would only allow his world-beating Model T to be painted in black, you could, in fact, purchase your new horseless carriage in a variety of colors, including blue, red, gray, and green. So as early as 1908 – the year the first Model T was shipped – a customer could distinguish their tastes and flaunt their individuality on America’s roads in a hue that was different from the pack.

A Marketing Mission: Core Messaging That Captivates
Thu, Dec 16, 2021 — You don’t have to be a “trekkie” to know that the continuing mission of the U.S.S. Enterprise was to “boldly go where no one has gone before.” In the same vein, one could say that marketing leaders – much like Captain Kirk or Captain Picard – are navigating a similar path. While marketers don’t face asteroids, droids, or alien encounters, the stakes of their mission are just as high — if not higher. After all, marketing leadership turnover is at an all-time high. When it comes to the business world, success or failure often falls squarely on the shoulders of the head of marketing. And without the right gas in the proverbial marketing engine, the path will be bumpy…and short.
How ONE MINOR FLAW can RUIN the Customer Journey
Mon, Dec 13, 2021 — Are you checking every step in your company’s customer journey to make sure that the passage is smooth and rewarding, and in fact, DELIGHTING for your customer? DELIGHT takes so much work by so many people – the product, the website, the employee service training. And DELIGHT is what builds lasting loyalty. And it can all, unfortunately, be spoiled by a minor detail.
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Changing the Conversation: How ABM Helped One Company to Break the Mold
Fri, Oct 22, 2021 — Written by Don Lee, with Greg Acquavella, Senior Marketing Manager, Gryphon.AI Sales and marketing technologies have transformed the way companies attract and retain business. Just ask the team at Gryphon.AI, which has developed a unique solution to businesses that wish to improve their sales efficacy. Using a concept called “real-time conversation intelligence,” Gryphon uses an AI platform to provide in-the-moment call coaching and guided selling.

What Does it Take to Innovate? Part 5: Choosing a Development Methodology and Testing, the Second and Third Phase Gates
Fri, Oct 1, 2021 — Why innovate? Your business depends on it. By Ahmet Abaci and Beth Somplatsky-Martori In the first blogs in this series, we talked about how to get started with innovation and ideation, and building a business case – essential components in what we are calling the “Stage Gate Lite” approach to fostering and accelerating new product and service ideas within your organization. Now it’s time to talk about what happens when the rubber hits the road. And trust us – this can be a very messy part of the process. We are reminded of a quote from that famous innovation guru, Mike Tyson, who once said that “everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.” At this point, though you may have some glancing blows aimed in your direction, we hope in this blog to give you some processes on how to handle this turmoil and maintain your course.

Injecting the “V-FACTOR” Into Your Marketing Efforts Can Be a Game Changer
Mon, Sep 13, 2021 — If the lifeblood of any business is customer cash, then perhaps we can consider customer satisfaction the heart and soul. As a CEO, you likely are well aware of the value of a satisfied consumer. They stick around, spend more, and often become fierce advocates for your company, its products, and services.

Applying “Growth Gears” to Your Personal Brand
Tue, Sep 7, 2021 — “Hi – I’m Don Lee. I help companies build growth engines.” After reading those first two sentences, are you intrigued? Do you want to know more about me? Do you wonder what a “growth engine” is, and how I help to build them? If so – and I hope you do – you are getting a sense of how powerful a personal brand can be in marketing yourself – not necessarily as a tangible commodity, but an intangible resource that can be of value to you, the customer.

“We need more leads” (and what must come first)
Fri, Aug 27, 2021 — A client’s desire for “More leads from Marketing" is often the impetus for our firm’s engagements. We’ve learned that “more leads” can be great. If. There’s something that companies need beforehand, or “More leads” won’t do much good.

The Fractional Chief Marketer: An Insider’s View
Thu, Aug 19, 2021 — How much is just enough? When you are the CEO of a small or mid-market business, this time-honored question isn’t just a euphemism, but a way of life. Obtaining just the right amount of resources – at the right moment in the company’s maturity – can be a game changer. Enter the fractional executive – an experienced, highly-credentialed CMO-for-hire who can be plugged in for a right-sized engagement, without the expense or expectations of a full-time senior marketing executive.