In the ever-evolving business landscape, marketing is a cornerstone that can make or break your company’s success.
Enter Smart Yeti, a forward-thinking agency that has revolutionized how small businesses in the B2B Professional Services sector approach marketing. Behind Smart Yeti is Jeremy Kanne, a Fractional Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) whose engineering background and creative flair blend seamlessly to craft marketing strategies that drive growth and stand the test of time.
A Journey from Engineering to Marketing Mastery
Jeremy’s journey began in civil engineering, where he honed problem-solving skills that would prove invaluable in his later marketing career. With a practical approach that sought the best budget options, his engineering background laid the foundation for his marketing prowess.
Interestingly, Jeremy also explored his creative side during this time, performing on improv stages for a decade. These experiences gave him strong team-building skills vital for achieving outstanding results with marketing teams.
Transitioning from engineering to freelance marketing, he founded Smart Yeti, which was initially a video production company that eventually evolved into a creative agency. His focus was always on the brand side of marketing — crafting websites, brand materials, and sales collateral. The main goal was to create assets of tangible value, whether in the form of leads or partnerships. This journey illuminated the importance of understanding the target audience’s desires, pain points, and motivations, setting the stage for his strategic brand-building career.
The Birth of a Fractional CMO
During his tenure as a creative agency owner, Jeremy observed a recurring pattern among small business owners: an erratic, uncoordinated approach to marketing. Rather than following a defined strategy, he noticed that many business owners would resort to isolated tactics, which led not only to ineffective results but also to.
Recognizing these strategy-level challenges, Jeremy was spurred to become a Fractional CMO. This role would allow him to guide small business owners in comprehending their marketing landscape, making informed decisions, and achieving enhanced outcomes.
His dual aptitude for analytical thinking and creative expression became the driving force behind his collaboration with CEOs as their Fractional CMO. His passion for problem-solving, coupled with a nuanced understanding of both the technical and creative aspects of marketing, equipped him to tackle intricate challenges. This very notion—assisting others in grasping and leveraging the intricacies of marketing—fuels his dedication.
Smart Yeti’s Fractional CMO Approach
Strategy development is at the core of Jeremy’s role as a Fractional CMO. He collaborates with small businesses to construct or refine their marketing strategies, subsequently taking ownership of these strategies and guiding the marketing teams responsible. Small businesses often lack internal marketing expertise, relying on junior staff members or external agencies. For this, Jeremy partners with trusted agencies like Zero Company—California’s leading digital marketing agency with over 20 years of outstanding track record—to fill the gaps.
To achieve optimal outcomes, Jeremy chooses an agency partner that aligns with his clients’ strategies. When his client’s internal marketing employees are absent or limited, the agency becomes instrumental in executing marketing campaigns. As the CMO, Jeremy orchestrates the agencies’ efforts, ensuring alignment with the overarching strategy and business objectives.
This symbiotic relationship benefits both clients and agencies: CEOs are liberated from micromanaging marketing, and agencies gain a strategic ally.
Collaborating with an experienced digital marketing agency like Zero Company presents a unique advantage for Jeremy’s approach. An agency partner provides valuable insights and improvements based on their tactical landscape immersion. Their real-time knowledge of competitive edges and emerging trends bolster Jeremy’s role as a CMO, enriching his strategies and, by extension, benefiting his clients.
In the realm of B2B professional services, Jeremy noted the importance of genuine, effective positioning and communication. This authenticity requires a deep understanding of customer needs and desires.
“To provide authentic value, you need to understand what’s valuable to your customers and why. This feedback, whether it’s directly from customers or gathered through the sales process, is the lifeblood of how a business should position itself.”
- Jeremy Kanne Founder, Smart Yeti
The Smart Yeti Approach: Audit and Ongoing Management
Jeremy’s methodology is grounded in two modes: the initial marketing audit and ongoing management. During the audit phase, he collaborates with the client’s marketing decision-makers to assess the current state of their marketing, glean insights from past strategies, and formulate comprehensive recommendations for the next 1 to 6 months. Although clients have the option to implement these recommendations independently, many opt for ongoing management, hiring him as their CMO for continuous guidance.
Jeremy regularly communicates with marketing agencies and internal employees, offering direction, setting KPIs, and upholding accountability for meeting marketing goals. His unique position as an extension of the client’s business streamlines decision-making for CEOs and clarifies directives for his agency partners.
One of the common misconceptions that Jeremy hears about fractional CMOs is that they’re similar to traditional marketing agencies. He clarifies that a fractional CMO operates independently from execution teams, and this separation enables conflict-free strategy development and an unbiased selection of marketing experts for execution, thus optimizing the chances of success.
Interested in a Conflict-free strategy and Agnostic Marketing Approach?
By partnering with Smart Yeti and Zero Company Performance Marketing, clients can unlock a comprehensive marketing strategy solution. Their collaboration ensures a seamless integration of strategy and execution, empowering businesses to achieve their marketing goals while staying aligned with their overarching business objectives.
Through Jeremy’s unique blend of engineering acumen, creative flair, and strategic thinking, Smart Yeti helps businesses flourish. With his expertise and collaboration with Zero Company, businesses can authentically connect with their audience, drive growth, and achieve lasting success.
If you’d like to benefit from Smart Yeti’s conflict-free strategy and agnostic approach in marketing, just book a call / send an email to [email protected].
