Ever heard the proverb about the shoemaker’s children going barefoot?
Basically, it’s a saying that calls out the tendency to do a GREAT job solving others’ problems… while having a blind spot to our own.
The shoemaker makes shoes for everyone else, all the while his own “baby childrens” are running around barefoot and stepping on splinters. In our case, we realized that the Fractional CMO company that helps stressed Visionaries to focus on leading their companies had a Visionary who was stretched thin and wearing too many hats at 8 SIGNAL (aka, ME). We specialize in marketing leadership… but we needed our own marketing leadership!.
About two years ago, we hired ourselves for Fractional CMO services, and what a game changer that’s been! Within six months, our pipeline tripled, our brand messaging sharpened across every channel, and I reclaimed mental bandwidth and time on weekends to NOT be working 24/7.
Don’t have time to read this post? Watch the video here instead!
The Bottleneck You’re Blind To…
Even as a fractional marketing leadership company, we were blind to the fact that we needed marketing leadership.
Are you in the same boat? If you’re a stressed out Visionary, here are some of the signs that you might need marketing leadership.
- You’re wearing multiple hats in your business.
- You feel stressed and stretched thin by day-to-day marketing tasks.
- You are frequently the bottleneck to the team’s marketing progress.
- You tend to get sidetracked by “shiny new marketing ideas” that aren’t aligned with your goals.
If this sounds like you, say it with me: “Hi. My name is ___________, and I’m a stressed out Visionary.”
Hi, [Your Name]!
If you’re like us, the first step was recognizing that a lack of marketing leadership was a real bottleneck.
Reclaiming Your Most Valuable Asset: Focus
As founders and visionaries, ideas are our superpower. We thrive in the realm of possibilities. We’re at our best when we’re not bogged down in details. You might even say that getting overwhelmed and spread thin is our kryptonite.
Fractional marketing leadership gives you:
- Clarity: A single north star for every marketing initiative.
- Momentum: Consistent progress instead of sporadic bursts.
- Freedom: The mental headspace to innovate and lead.
And if a marketing-focused firm like 8 SIGNAL needed Fractional CMO services— you might too. Or maybe you don’t. Either way, here are some steps you can take to tackle the marketing overwhelm:
1. Make Your Marketing Meetings Count
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: don’t waste your money and time on worthless meetings. Tools like Level 10 Meetings keep your marketing meetings focused and productive.
2. Stay Accountable
When there are marketing tasks to be done, make sure there are clear tasks, due dates, and follow up to ensure things are getting done.
3. Block Your Time
I’ve recently discovered the concept of “maker time.” Trying to work on tasks in between meetings wasn’t working for me and was dividing my focus… leading to the bottleneck situation we discussed earlier. Instead, try blocking out time (a day, a couple afternoons, etc.) dedicated to task completion.
4. Leverage Frameworks
Here at 8 SIGNAL, we’re big fans of the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). Using frameworks like EOS helps us to set goals, identify and overcome challenges, measure progress, and move toward our goals.
5. Schedule a Discovery Call
Even if you’re on the fence about needing fractional marketing leadership, consider scheduling a Discovery Call. If we seem like a good match, we can move forward with a free (no strings attached) 30-day trial of our Fractional CMO services. Even if it’s not a fit, you’ll still walk away from a Discovery call with fresh insights and a more dialled-in plan to address your marketing needs.
Would Fractional Marketing Leadership Be Right For You?
All this to say, you don’t have to be a stressed out bottleneck of a business leader. As we learned, even marketing experts need expert marketing leadership. If you’ve also realized that you have a marketing leadership blind spot, it’s time to become the soaring eagle… or, er… whatever… that you are meant to be. Schedule a Discovery Call to talk with one of our Fractional CMO experts. We can help you take your marketing from overwhelming to under control.
