Marketing is one of those areas where CEOs know they should be seeing results: more leads, more awareness, more growth. But the reality often feels very different. You invest in campaigns, your team posts on social media, you hire an agency for a project here and there… yet when you look at the numbers, the ROI just isn’t there.
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many medium-sized businesses find themselves in the same position. The problem isn’t that marketing doesn’t work, it’s that it isn’t being managed in a way that connects activity with business goals. And that’s where an outsourced marketing consultant can change the game.
The common reasons marketing fails to deliver ROI
Most marketing failures can be traced back to a few core issues:
Lack of clear marketing strategy
Without a defined direction, activity becomes scattergun. You try a bit of everything, hoping something sticks, but there’s no consistent thread pulling it together.
No proper planning
Posting on social media when you have time, sending out a newsletter every few months, or running a campaign without linking it to the bigger picture rarely drives long-term results.
No measurement or KPIs
If you’re not tracking the right numbers, it’s hard to know what’s working. CEOs often tell me they “don’t see results” but when we dig deeper, it’s because nothing was being measured in the first place.
Over-reliance on tactics
Many businesses jump straight to execution, such as “let’s post more on LinkedIn” or “we need a new brochure”. But tactics without strategy are just busywork.
Why CEOs struggle to fix it in-house?
Medium-sized businesses often hit a growth stage where they need marketing leadership but aren’t ready for a full-time CMO. Here’s why:
Limited expertise in-house: the team may be great at delivery, but not at building strategy
Time pressures: as CEO, you can’t be the head of marketing and run the business
Cost: hiring a senior marketer full-time isn’t always realistic
The result? Marketing stalls, budgets get wasted, and growth slows.
How an outsourced marketing consultant helps?
This is where outsourcing comes in. By bringing in a fractional head of marketing, you get senior-level expertise without the full-time overhead. Here’s what that looks like in practice:
Creating a clear, focused strategy: no more scattergun campaigns, you get a roadmap that aligns with your business goals
Bringing structure to delivery: from 90-day marketing plans to content calendars, everything has a place and a purpose
Fresh perspective: an external consultant can spot gaps and opportunities you may have missed
Flexible support: you get the expertise you need, at the level you need it, without committing to a permanent hire.
Real-world examples
Outsourced marketing support doesn’t have to mean a permanent arrangement. For some businesses it’s about bringing in expertise for a short, focused period to build the foundations. For others it’s about a longer-term partnership while we put structure in place and work out what your in-house team should eventually look like.
For example, an events agency that had no marketing setup at all. We started from scratch, launching a new website, creating social content including “day in the life” videos and client case studies, and showing the impact of consistent storytelling. Within 18 months they had grown enough to employ their first marketing person, confident they had the right structure to support them.
In contrast, when we partnered with an L&D department, the need was more intensive. Over three months, working closely with their team, we carried out a full communications audit, ran audience research, delivered a strategy and 90-day plan, and gave them the tools and platforms to connect better with their audience. By the end of the project, they had a new SharePoint intranet site, clear roadmap and the confidence to deliver it themselves.
Both examples show that outsourcing is flexible. It can be a stepping stone to get you started, or a longer-term partnership while we shape the right team for your business.
Is outsourced marketing right for you?
It might be the right solution if:
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You’re spending money on marketing but can’t see results
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You don’t have the time or expertise to build strategy
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You’re not ready to hire a full-time senior marketer but know you need direction
Final thoughts
Marketing should never feel like guesswork. With the right strategy and structure in place, every activity has purpose, every channel works harder, and ROI becomes clear.
If you’re tired of scattergun campaigns and want a marketing partner who can bring clarity and confidence, let’s have a chat.
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