HOW IT WORKS
WE DON'T START WITH MARKETING
WE START BY ASKING ...WHY?
Inspired Marketing & Photography asks a lot of questions before recommending a marketing strategy. Questions like Why? So what? Who cares? Because those are the same questions your customers are asking.
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Marketing may be where we’re headed, but first we need to understand the business, the people it serves and what you are trying to accomplish.
MARKETING IS A SYSTEM,
NOT A SERIES OF DISCONNECTED TACTICS.
THE REALITY
A Good Idea Isn't Always the Right Idea
A website, social media, email, advertising or content can each be a good idea. That does not mean every business needs all of them, or needs them right now. Each marketing tactic needs a job and should connect to the same strategy. Otherwise, the work becomes a collection of Random Acts of Marketing that consume time and money without a clear purpose.
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If it doesn’t lead somewhere, why are we doing it?
The Inspired approach
HOW THE MARKETING STRATEGY PROCESS WORKS
After more than 35 years working inside businesses and alongside business owners, I developed a framework for understanding the business before deciding what the marketing should do. It guides the process from the first questions through planning, execution and adjustment.
FINDING THE WAY FORWARD
Understand the Business
We start by understanding how the business works today and where you want it to go.
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Identify What Matters Most
We sort through what is happening to determine which issues or opportunities deserve attention.
Set the Right Priorities
Not everything needs attention at once. We decide what needs to happen now, what can wait and what is no longer worth doing.
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Direct the Right Work
The strategy becomes a plan people can carry out. Inspired may do selected work directly, guide an internal team or coordinate outside vendors.
Measure & Refine
We look at the results, learn what worked and adjust what happens next.
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Where are you right now?
STARTING SOMETHING NEW?
Starting something new means making a lot of marketing decisions before you have much information to work with. Inspired helps founders and solo business owners understand the customer, decide what matters first and build a marketing foundation that can grow with the business.
WANT BETTER RESULTS?
Marketing can fall behind the business. Results may have stalled, the market may have changed or growth may have outpaced the original plan. Inspired looks at what is happening, what is still working and what needs to change.
Need a marketing lead?
Marketing needs an owner. When no one is responsible for leading the plan, even good ideas can turn into disconnected tasks. Inspired can step in as a Fractional CMO or contract marketing director to lead the strategy, coordinate the work and make sure it gets done.
Let’s Make Marketing Make Sense.
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Once we understand the business and what the marketing needs to accomplish, we can decide what kind of help makes sense. Inspired can develop the marketing strategy, lead a defined project, coordinate execution or stay involved as your Fractional CMO.
STRATEGY BECOMES EXECUTION
Strategy has to
make it into the real world.
I do not hand you a marketing strategy and walk away. Depending on what the plan requires, I can lead a defined project, stay involved as ongoing marketing leadership or carry out selected work directly. I can also coordinate your internal team, outside specialists and vendors so everyone is working from the same plan.
WORKING WITH INSPIRED
Clear
Direction
You will know what the marketing needs to do, what comes first and why.
Integrated thinking
Marketing decisions are made with the rest of the business in mind, including your goals, customers, operations and ability to deliver.
Inspired Execution
Plans do not sit on a shelf. I stay involved to keep the work moving, solve problems and adjust when something changes.
QUESTIONS ABOUT WORKING WITH INSPIRED
No. You do not need to diagnose the problem or choose a service before we talk. Tell me what is happening, what you are trying to accomplish and where you feel stuck. I will help you determine the right place to begin.
That is often an advantage. I can work with your employees, freelancers, agencies and vendors, give them clear priorities and make sure their work supports the same plan. If something is missing, I can help find the right specialist without replacing people who are already doing good work.
Yes. I handle some work directly and can lead your internal team or coordinate outside specialists for the rest. What I handle depends on the plan, the skills already available and the scope we agree on. You will know about any outside costs before work begins.
It means I first look at the business behind the marketing. Your goals, customers, positioning, sales process, operations, customer experience and capacity can all affect what marketing should do. Once we understand those things, we can choose work that has a reason behind it.
Traditional agencies often specialize in a particular service, such as social media, advertising or content. I start with the business and determine what marketing needs to accomplish before recommending tactics. I can then develop the strategy, lead the work and bring in the right resources when needed.
No. Some businesses come to me because their marketing has stalled or become scattered. Others are launching, growing quickly, entering a new market or questioning whether the current plan still fits. You do not need to wait until something is broken to take a closer look.
A Fractional CMO provides experienced marketing leadership on a part-time or contract basis. I can set the marketing direction, develop plans, guide the team, coordinate vendors and keep the work connected to the company’s goals without the cost of hiring a full-time marketing executive.
Inspired Marketing & Photography is based in Corona, California. I work with small and midsized businesses throughout the Inland Empire, Southern California and beyond. Depending on the engagement, I can work on-site, remotely or through a combination of both.
I complete much of the strategy and hands-on work myself. Depending on the project, I may also direct your employees and current vendors or bring in a trusted specialist. I stay involved in the direction and coordination, so you are not left managing disconnected people or explaining the plan over and over.
EXPERIENCE IN ACTION
Strategy grounded in real business experience.
I started as an entry-level assistant, worked my way up to vice president and now work as a Fractional CMO and marketing strategist. Over more than 35 years, I have worked in manufacturing, motorsports, retail, professional services and nonprofit organizations. I know the difference between an idea that sounds good in a meeting and a plan a business can actually carry out.
MAY 2035
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WHERE INSPIRED CAN STEP IN
Marketing Discovery & Strategy
For businesses that need to understand what is happening, decide what matters most and build a practical marketing plan.
Fractional Marketing Leadership
For businesses that have people doing the work but need an experienced marketing leader to set priorities, guide the team and keep the plan moving.
Managed Marketing
For businesses that need ongoing marketing direction along with selected hands-on execution and coordination.