Insights

Straight answers about marketing leadership.

Guides on fractional CMOs, marketing strategy, referrals and getting found, including plans for law firms and financial advisors. Written for owners rather than marketers.

Fractional CMO What is a fractional CMO agency? A plain-English guide By Stephen Conley, 7 min read Fractional CMO How much does a fractional CMO cost? Pricing explained By Stephen Conley, 6 min read Fractional CMO Fractional marketing agency vs fractional CMO: what is the difference? By Stephen Conley, 5 min read Fractional CMO How to choose a fractional CMO: 12 questions to ask before you hire By Stephen Conley, 6 min read Law firms How to build a law firm marketing plan, step by step By Stephen Conley, 6 min read Financial services Marketing for financial advisors: a strategy-first guide By Stephen Conley, 5 min read Strategy First What a fractional CMO should deliver in the first 45 days By Stephen Conley, 3 min read Marketing Hourglass The Marketing Hourglass, explained for owners who are tired of funnels By Stephen Conley, 3 min read Strategy First Random acts of marketing: how to tell if you have a strategy problem By Stephen Conley, 4 min read Referrals How to build a referral system that doesn't depend on luck By Stephen Conley, 3 min read SEO and AI search What AI search means for a local service business By Stephen Conley, 3 min read Fractional CMO What belongs on a small-business marketing scorecard By Stephen Conley, 3 min read

Free Marketing Strategy Assessment

Find out where your marketing stands.

Answer ten questions and get a score, a rating on each of ten factors and your three priorities. It costs nothing, and it shows you what Strategy First would fix before you spend a dollar.