Incite Creative Celebrates 24 Years as an Outsourced CMO Trailblazer
As the business world looks forward to a fresh start, hiring challenges at the C-level will carry over from 2023 and include additional demands, shedding new light on the value of fractional Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs). Incite Creative, a Maryland-based marketing advisory firm, introduced its outsourced CMO model 14 years ago to address similar issues — a business’s need for senior-level expertise at an affordable rate. Today, Incite’s approach continues to prove effective, evidenced by its 24 years in business, performance-driven results averaging a client’s annual personnel savings of $126,000, and a low 1% annual client attrition rate.
Incite Creative’s first CMO client was a two-person firm unable to afford a qualified full-time marketing leader. The company had funds to invest in marketing over the course of a year, but cashflow couldn’t handle the traditional agency fee structure of 33% upfront either. Instead of turning them away, Incite offered the business owners a new model — a low monthly fixed fee for 12 months set up as a retainer for its services. Today, Incite Creative provides outsourced CMO services to small, mid-sized and enterprise businesses alike. Although monthly budgets and priority needs vary, they all share the same benefit — a greater ROI.
“Incite Creative’s CMO service has been a Godsend to our organization,” said Carey Walker of IEC Chesapeake. “Like many companies, we lacked the level of staff to create and manage social media and web presence tailored to our needs. As you may know, you often find out that the IT skill set does not necessarily possess a creative marketing mind, leaving you short again. It would be prohibitively expensive for us to staff up to accomplish what their service does for us ‘out-of-house’. This is a one and done. We recommend them highly!”
The competition for highly qualified C-suite executives will remain fierce in 2024 due to a limited talent pool and increased pressure to build strong, diverse leadership teams. Priorities are also shifting to attract leaders with strong digital acumen and the ability to adapt quickly. These executive demands sharply contrast with shifting candidate non-negotiables such as greater work-life balance, remote work, and higher wages.
The need to fill critical C-suite roles quickly can compromise thorough talent evaluations leading to costly mis-hires. While executive search firms are helpful, they can add significant recruitment costs, and internal talent development teams are often ill-equipped to fill the void. The answer for proactive employers is to outsource.
Incite Creative’s flexible CMO model provides companies and organizations a vested partner that is able to quickly come aboard, bring decades of relevant outside-in perspective, confidently strategize with fellow C-suite executives, lead and mentor internal marketing teams, and leverage technology to drive brand growth and deliver measurable results. As a woman-owned business with diverse team members, Incite lends support to its client’s DEIB initiatives. As a fractional leader, Incite Creative is a risk-free solution. Businesses can gain access to an experienced team without taking on the risk of a full-time commitment to a single individual.
“When we engaged Incite, we needed an organized, customer-oriented marketing plan and we needed execution. They stepped right up, learned our business, and really gave form and substance to our marketing efforts” said Frank Grosch, Vice President of AGM Financial Services. “We have come not only to value and depend on Incite Creative but to really love them as part of our team. We have seen more inquiries, more traffic to our website, greater brand recognition, and really great results in building customer loyalty and retention. We really didn’t know what we were doing when we found Incite or what to expect. We are so lucky that we did find them.”
As businesses seek reliable marketing support for 2024 initiatives, Incite Creative remains committed to providing strategic and creative solutions that build and boost brands, offering a cost-effective alternative to hiring a full-time CMO or a traditional agency. For a free 30-minute consultation and to explore the transformative possibilities of outsourced CMO services, businesses are encouraged to connect with Incite Creative today.
About Incite Creative, Inc.
Incite Creative is a marketing advisory firm specializing in outsourced CMO services. The company operates as a virtual and efficient chief marketing officer, delivering time and cost savings. Since 1999, the team has built and enhanced brands across diverse industries, gaining recognition as a sought-after Mid-Atlantic marketing partner. The firm’s transparent retainer, no markup model, ensures fees align with its clients’ strategic and financial means.
###