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

Where Pricing and Marketing Strategies Intersect
Thu, Mar 28, 2024 — Back in the day, pricing was a foundational piece of all marketing strategies. When I went to grad school, for example, the four Ps were in vogue – product, price, place, and promotion. At that time, the intersection of pricing and marketing was seen as a given, almost a tautological concept. But as marketing professionals and professors' desire to innovate and differentiate intensified, the traditional 4Ps evolved into new frameworks like the “4Cs”, emphasizing concepts such as customer, cost, convenience, and communication and the "4Es" of experience, exchange, evangelism, and everywhere into the marketing lexicon. And I admit I lapse into momentary shudders when I think of all the as-yet-untapped letters in the alphabet.

Beyond Lead Gen: How CEOs Can Leverage Marketing for Sales Performance
Wed, Mar 27, 2024 — In today's competitive business environment, a highly skilled and empowered sales force is essential for driving revenue growth. However, the effectiveness of sales training alone is limited without consistent support and reinforcement. This is where the collaboration between the sales and marketing departments becomes crucial. It's imperative to recognize that marketing and sales are not isolated functions but interconnected components of the business success equation.

Phoenix Rising: Reinventing B2B SMBs in the Fires of Disruption
Tue, Mar 5, 2024 — Certain dynamics can make a CEO think more than twice about how to ensure their company is not “left behind” like archaic brands of the past. Remember BlackBerry? Blockbuster? Yahoo? Their riches-to-rags stories reveal that these companies did not stay agile, ignored market warning signs, and found themselves severely impacted or bankrupt.
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Navigating the Choppy Waters of Recession: A Healthcare Marketing Survival Guide
Thu, Feb 22, 2024 — As the dark clouds of economic recession gather on the 2024 horizon, healthcare companies must brace for the choppiness ahead. It's no secret that the healthcare sector, once deemed recession-proof, now faces the stark reality of financial strain, with more than half of hospitals already operating in the red. This alarming statistic not only signifies the urgency for change but also beckons a strategic pivot in how healthcare entities approach marketing.

Listening with Eyes Wide Open: Harmonizing Voice-of-Customer and AI Insights for CEO Success
Wed, Feb 21, 2024 — In my experience, growth successes and challenges almost always have some foundation in voice-of-customer (VoC). That’s a sweeping statement, but as a CEO if you lack up-to-date insight into what your customers want and need, how they anticipate that changing, and how they think of your brand, your offerings, and your competition, you may be running your company with your hearing impaired. As someone who uses hearing aids, I know I need to wear them and look directly at a speaker, or I miss information and must make guesses to fill in the blanks. That invariably slows me down and leads to misunderstandings and errors.

Forecasting the Best Impact on Your Marketing Dollars
Thu, Feb 8, 2024 — With the 2024 U.S. presidential election approaching, Americans are once again keenly interested in predicting outcomes. Techniques for forecasting election results using punch cards and early computers were developed in the late 1960s. Today, the use of AI has significantly improved our ability to predict election results and tabulate them accurately. Interestingly, the principles of forecasting elections and projecting the impact of marketing dollars in the business world share some similarities.

Full-time or Fractional? Focusing on the Next Generation of Your Company’s Leadership
Tue, Jan 23, 2024 — Nothing quickens the pulse or conjures beads of sweat on the brow of a mild-mannered CEO than the departure of a key member of the executive leadership team. Like it or not, the door to your company’s success swings in both directions, and often, you may find yourself on the drafty side, wondering how you’re going to replace that experience, counsel, and leadership.

New Year’s Resolutions for Businesses: Fine-tuning your appetite for growth
Tue, Jan 16, 2024 — Final in a 3-part series Oh, that resolution to exercise more and eat a healthier diet. It sounds so right—but incredibly daunting. Can I keep it up? When it comes to our own fitness, plenty of folks help us with tools, plans, and the mindset to climb that mountain. But we need to select the right ones, at the right price—or an intended investment in our future could instead be a wasted expense we can’t afford. And it couldn’t hurt to have an accountability partner who keeps us honest.

New Year’s Resolutions for Businesses: What self-work do you need to do?
Thu, Jan 11, 2024 — Second in a 3-part series Reflecting on Business Self-Improvement It’s a common question people are asking themselves in January: What’s the self-work I need to do this year to make myself healthier, happier, more financially secure.... But as a CEO obliged to your board, employees, and stakeholders, are you asking the same questions of your business?