Finding gold in your crm is not just grunt work; it is strategic, and knowing what you are looking for and where to dig comes with experience.
Working as a Fractional CMO for SMBs requires a broad skill set—not just in branding, strategy, and growth marketing but also in martech and execution. It’s a role that blends marketing expertise with business analysis and coaching, helping companies break free from stagnant habits and unlock new growth potential.
I recently wrapped up a project that saw a company grow over 30% year-over-year. You may ask how? The truth is, most small businesses don’t operate with the rigor of an enterprise. Instead, they get comfortable, relying on what comes to them easily rather than proactively chasing opportunities. They don’t always track every lead, explore cross-selling and upselling opportunities, or survey customers to identify new areas for growth. The result? A lot of missed potential.
Getting Started
One of my first priorities in any engagement is optimizing the company’s CRM. In this case, they were using @HubSpot, a powerful tool—if used correctly. But like many SMBs, they don’t keep up with the updates and new features, and they had fallen into the trap of “set it and forget it.” Their contact lists were outdated, their pipeline was cluttered, and leads were being lost in the shuffle. There was no structured approach to following up, nurturing prospects, or leveraging data to refine their marketing strategy.
To turn things around, one of my first tasks was to dive deep into their CRM, combing through form fills, email inquiries, and chat transcripts from the past 18 months. As expected—because I’ve seen this pattern in both enterprise and SMB settings—there was a wealth of untouched leads buried in their database. Some had been waiting for months, even a year or more, without a single follow-up.
Recognizing the untapped potential, I set up a systematic workflow for re-engaging these leads. I implemented clear guidelines for handling inquiries, ensuring that every prospect was nurtured appropriately. Employees and owners were given a structured playbook to follow, complete with automation and tracking to maintain consistency.
CRM Optimization Results
The results were immediate and impressive. Dormant leads turned into sales, and new opportunities surfaced simply by taking the time to reach out. The business is now on track for its most successful year yet.
Marketing isn’t just about creating awareness—it’s about execution, persistence, and strategy. It takes time and diligence to understand a company’s business model, competitive landscape, customer base, and market potential. But when you put in the effort and see tangible results, there’s no greater reward than witnessing real growth and a happy client.
Success often lies not in the latest trends or flashy campaigns but in doing the foundational work that so many overlook. And that’s where the magic happens.
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Ian Faith is a Fractional CMO for Growth Companies
