Government Marketing Strategies for a SWaM Business

Patrick McFadden

Today’s topic is Government Marketing Strategies During Uncertain Times for SWaM (Small, Women- and Minority-owned Businesses), one of my favorite groups of businesses to speak with. While some of this information is focused on doing business with VCU (Virginia Commonwealth University), the senior buyers and supplier diversity specialists from other government agencies who attended felt it was applicable to them as well. Below is the transcript from the presentation.

I’m Patrick McFadden, owner and founder of a small business marketing consulting firm called Indispensable Marketing. I’m excited today because I’m going to be talking about marketing strategies during uncertain times.

What’s great about this is that some of the things I’m going to talk about may or may not correlate or directly relate to your marketing, but I promise you it is essential to keeping the promise that we make to our clients, which is to help government contractors present their business as capable, professional, and successful at doing the work they’re trying to win , and that’s what I’m going to be talking about. What can you do to position your business in a way so you can win the work that you’re going after?

Now, government contractors always ask, “what do we mean by goNow, government contractors always ask, “What do we mean by government marketing and in what ways can we support them?” For us at Indispensable Marketing, it’s these specific marketing elements.

  • We help create targeted messages and documents to specific agencies, primes, decision-makers and opportunities.
  • We help our government clients build what we call “the obvious choice online presence” that mitigates perceived risk, builds trust, and supports your business development efforts.
  • We work on developing differentiators that impress a range of decision-makers you need to get in front of.
  • We also make sure that your website is effective, which means that it offers the specific information that decision-makers want to see.
  • We then take a systematic approach to everything that we do. There’s a process, a plan, and a way to get it done.
  • Finally, we focus on ways that marketing supports the individual efforts of your business development or capture person.

Those are the specific ways that we help government contractors present their business as capable, professional, and successful at doing the work they’re trying to win.

The government marketing strategies I’m going to cover over the next hour are strategies you need to be able to see, learn, and explore. Like I said, some of the things may not relate to your marketing, but I promise to present your business as capable, professional, and successful, as it does relate to marketing.

#1: Know The Environment – Fully grasp what’s going on

So, I want to start off with the first marketing strategy for uncertain times: know the environment. This is something that’s tough for SWaM businesses because you are operating with limited time, limited resources, and limited attention spans, and this marketing strategy requires all of those things. However, if you’re going to be operating in the VCU procurement environment or any government procurement environment, you have to fully grasp what’s going on.

So, I want to talk a little bit about the economics. You have to understand what generates revenue for the agency or the entity you want to do business with. If you’re looking to do business, not only just with VCU, but any state university, the economics is revenue. Revenue comes from student enrollment, so you have to understand which solutions in your product or service offering align back to the economics of the school, especially in environments where things are uncertain.

Another key aspect that SWaM businesses need to be aware of is the tier of the school you’re pursing. Some of you may not know this, but VCU is called a tier three school, which means they can offer different procurement options and contract vehicles than other universities. This is important is because, as a SWaM or small business, you have to be narrowly focused on the contracts, relationships, and agencies that you do business with.

By knowing that you may work well with tier two, three, or four schools, you’re able to pinpoint the contract opportunities and agencies that you want to build relationships with and do business with, and if you know that tier three schools are best for SWaM businesses, then you may want to focus your efforts on tier three universities.

Next, know the current needs, missions, and objectives of the government agency you’re trying to do business with or currently doing business with, and, once you learn them, use that insight to connect your solutions to address them. Obviously, we know universities at this current time are looking for PPE.

They have a mission, a mandate, and a need to keep students safe and to also make sure students feel confident enough to enroll. Knowing that those are some of the issues, does your solution address them? If it does, you need to tie that together with messaging, documents, and education to let procurement professionals or supplier diversity specialists know that’s the case.

Next, understand procurement methods. So, VCU has created programs to help SWaM businesses. One of the examples is a SWaM spot award, which is a (single non-recurring) purchase ≤ $100,000. This is important because, if you don’t know that this procurement vehicle exists  and don’t understand the details of this spot award, a senior buyer could come to you and say, “Hey, I want to give you a SWaM spot award based on this opportunity because your business can fill this need. Give me a quote,” and you would quote in return, “It’s going to cost $110,000.”

Well, this particular procurement method only goes up to a $100,000. So, by not knowing and understanding the details of that, you’ve priced yourself out of the opportunity. Make sure you familiarize yourself with the procurement methods and you understand what opportunities exist for SWaM businesses.

Next, to understand what’s going on, read Do Business with VCU. I put the link in here so just in case someone wants a copy of this presentation, but you can go to that website and read about doing business with VCU. There are step by step forms, processes, information, and other things that you’ll want and need to know.

Be familiar with the general terms and conditions. These are some of the things that the best in class SWaM businesses are doing, and they help protect you, not only in uncertain times, but in great times, because like I said, the more you understand about the environment, the more you can speed up the process of doing business with you.

Next some of you may not have thought about or even considered this but offer prompt payment discounts. Make it an incentive for getting paid faster. That’s a great idea and it works. So, in uncertain environments, always fully grasp what’s going on and take the time to know the university, know the needs, understand the environment, know the ways you can get paid, know how they like to procure, and understand the terms and conditions.

#2: Effective and Frequent Communication – Responsiveness and the right information matters

Marketing strategy #2 during uncertain times is something most businesses do not consider as a marketing strategy: effective and frequent communication, but it is, because at the end of the day, communication is the key factor in determining:

  • whether a customer is retained,
  • whether the customer spends more time with you, and
  • whether you outsell the competition.

Now, responsiveness and the right information is part of effective communication. I don’t think a lot of SWaM contractors even consider this but keep your contact information updated.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard from senior buyers and supplier diversity specialists that they have a $100,000, $300,000, or $700,000 contract to award a SWaM business, and the issue is that they can’t get in contact with the contractor. They said, “Instructions said to email this specific key contact or always call this key person, but that individual is no longer employed at the company and probably has been gone for 3 months, so now opportunities are being missed,” then they’ll get a call, weeks or even months later in some cases, saying, “Is that opportunity still available?” Of course it’s not, so keeping your contact information updated is critical for effective communication.

Educate on your approach to solving problems. So, in times like this, I think it’s key to focus on: have you been able to eliminate a step or two in the process of getting an end result for an agency? Have you been able to incorporate technology that allows you to serve a government agency or prime faster and more efficiently? If so, you need to educate those decision makers, supplier diversity specialists, and senior buyers. You have to make everyone that you come into contact with your advocate, and you do that by educating them that “We have evolved our approach to solving your problem, and I would love to discuss that with you, show you how this saves cost on your end, ties back to your bottom line, and puts it all together.” So, educate on your approach to solving problems.

If you have furloughs (and it happens), you have to inform the procurement point of contact about that so the options can be discussed. Perhaps, instead of getting that work done in two weeks, it could be stretched to three weeks to allow your staff to complete it, but if you have furloughs and you’re not communicating, you’re leaving your key point of contact and maybe advocate to guess, and nobody wants to be left guessing instead of knowing. So just make sure (if that happens)to mention it so options can be discussed around the delivery of the service and contract obligations.

Now, one of the things that the best in class SWaM contractors are implementing at this moment is offering communication options. They’re scheduling times of availability for them to speak with senior buyers, supply diversity specialists, or the end-users; instead of offering the office phone number, they’re offering their direct phone number. Another communication option that they’re implementing is setting the appointment on their calendar to say, “This is my appointment for today or next week,” and also having scheduled times of availability such as 10am-1pm. With senior buyers and supplier diversity specialists working at home right now, they’re able to offer this type of communication flexibility, and they’re open to that. So, make sure that you can incorporate that somehow, in some way.

Most terms and agreements have your response time in there, but here’s my recommendation: 24 hours is good. 2 hours is better. 2 minutes is best. If you can respond back within that time frame, that’s going to be the best chance for a SWaM firm to acquire, retain and keep contracts.

The last part about effective communication is when you’re working with any vendor, but especially VCU, make sure you have a valid purchase order, a signed contract, or you’ve been presented with a P-card before you start working and start delivering your service. That’s so important, especially as a SWaM business. You don’t want to work and not get paid, so just make sure that you have good communication habits.

#3: Innovate and Educate – The reality of SWaMs

Alright; we’re going to move into the third marketing strategy during uncertain times, which is about innovation and education. Now, this is just the reality of being a SWaM or small women and minority owned business, and it’s just a fact that you’re going to have capacity limits.

That’s just the way it works until you can get enough human capital or figure out how to infuse technology to streamline some things. You’re going to have capacity issues, so what I want to talk to you about is how to build strategic relationships to overcome that. As a SWaM business, you have to be prepared and start looking to build relationships that increase your capacity levels. Some people call it augmented staffing, but you have to figure out if there is a way you can either partner with the company or bring in a company only when you need them to help with a specific aspect of a contract.

Look for ways to streamline your service delivery or the end result. Are there ways that you could have relationships that allow you to deliver the service faster and better?

Be prepared to evolve your business offering. I want you to think about which relationships could allow end to end servicing.

As a quick example, let’s say that you’re in the business of delivering equipment, but the contract needs you to install that equipment. Well, in your business, you should already have a strategic relationship that can fulfill that component, so you need to be building relationships with other businesses to say “Hey, if I have an opportunity that comes in, we need to be able to talk it out and have procedures or guidelines of working together where you can come in; you don’t have to worry about the delivery and the logistics of this equipment, I just need your installation service,” so it’s easier to price it out and get that in, but that’s going to allow a senior buyer or a supplier diversity specialist to bring you into that contract and say “Okay, I know that they have a system for not only being able to deliver the equipment, but perform end to end servicing, which can be installation.”

This is no different from other industries.  You have companies who plan and companies who implement the plan. You have companies who design and companies who build the design. You have companies who deliver and companies who install the elements delivered. So, think about, in your business, what does that end-to-end servicing look like? What relationships do you need to build,  just in case that needs to be part of the contract? These capabilities need to be present at a moment’s notice, giving you the ability to come in and actually deliver on every aspect of a contract.

Finally, take contracts and opportunities that you can 100% deliver on if nothing else. Here’s why: I’m calling them reputation deposits. You have to make deposits before you make withdrawals. If you take an opportunity that you’re not 100% sure you can deliver on, you’re hurting your reputation, and that means you’re making a withdrawal before you even made a deposit, which puts you in the negative and limits your chances of getting another opportunity.

I really want to challenge you to look at what relationships would allow you to increase your capacity and will allow you to deliver the end-to-end type of servicing or streamline your service delivery, and as a SWaM business, it’s okay to partner. It’s okay to share that piece of cake.

#4: Develop a Obvious-Choice Online Presence – No online presence, no opportunities

This next marketing strategy during uncertain times is based around developing an obvious-choice online presence. I think we’re at the point where every business person knows you need a website. We’re past that today, and we’re at the point where it’s about an online presence that makes you the obvious choice, because, whether you believe it or not, you’re making that impact whether you have a presence online or not, because most of the research that procurement professionals are doing today is online, and when a senior buyer or someone who’s advocating for you is thinking about your business, they may need a leg to stand on. They may need to say, “Hey John, check out this company here,” and the only tool they have is the content you’ve made available online, so we’re also past the point of just having a website built. You need to know how to communicate through your online presence that your firm is the obvious choice, and that doing business with you is going to be a success and not a risk.

So, a lot of government contractors just want to build a website. It’s not just having it built, it’s having the right information on there as well. I promise you, I’ve talked to a lot of professionals in the state and local procurement space, and I will tell you, if you have a limited or no online presence, you’re limiting your opportunities. This is the truth, and in some cases, no online presence means no opportunities and you’ll be looking for a job. I’m going to tell you how to do that. There would be no need for me to tell you about it and not give you all of the information.

So here are the online presence must haves:

  • You must have an effective website, one that builds trust, one that demonstrates your expertise, one that allows end-users and procurement professionals to say, “I can see us doing business with you; you speak our language.”
  • SEO. You have to at least be found for your own name. That’s rule number one. If I type in your name into Google, you have to show up.
  • You need downloadable materials, whether that’s a capability statement or a briefing sheet, something that somebody could use that acts as a salesperson for you. Good news too: if you build your online presence properly, that is your additional salesperson 24/7. You could be sleeping at 1:00 AM and a procurement professional, senior buyer or supplier diversity specialist could be looking at your website or a component of your online presence.
  • Up to date and active Eva account. That’s online. That’s part of your online presence. It represents your company, and part of that is having the right commodity codes within that Eva account. That’s so important.
  • An active SWaM status is part of having a good online presence, an obvious-choice online presence, and an up-to-date SBSD directory listing.

These are what I’m going to call, for a SWaM business, the essentials for an online presence. You must have these things in order.

Now, your website is a separate deal, so I’m going to call this the website essentials for SWaM contractors .

  •  On your website, please have a government contracting page, or please have a page dedicated to contracting. Whether that’s state, local, or very targeted towards a university, you need to have a page speaking to the exact audience you want to talk to.
  • You need to incorporate trust and credibility elements. That could be past performance, or it could be your certifications. You want to incorporate those things that build trust and build credibility. It could be a video or a demo of your service or product. It could be a process chart of how you go about doing what you do.
  • Have the right contact information. I think we talked about how important that is.
  • Keywords and code information needs to be on there, and, in some cases, you may even have your contract vehicles.
  • Core services. People come to look for one thing and they found out you do another, so you don’t want to limit your opportunities. You want to say, “Here are the things and the problems that our services solve,” and that moves me to my next one.
  • For some of you, instead of listing your services, you may just say “We need to offer solutions by need.” So, if the need is X, Y, and Z, then we have solutions for those needs because of the number of services that you may offer.
  • You need a downloadable capability statement.

These are the essentials for a SWaM contractor.

At this point, I hope this has enlightened you, made you aware, and made you say “Yes, I see what’s possible. I see what can happen,” because the truth is that many of us who own our own businesses can think about a decision or two that you can make today that would negatively impact your revenue over the next week or two. I’m sure most of us would go, “Yep, there’s a decision or action I could take that would negatively impact my revenue.” Well, I’m going to challenge you to think the opposite way. Is there something that you could do today or this week that could positively affect your revenue? Of course, the answer is yes. I’ve heard of cases where, like I said, people have missed out on a half million, a hundred thousand, or a $50,000 contract because they don’t have the right information.

So, we’re here to solve that problem and help government contractors present your business as capable, professional, and successful at doing the work they are trying to win . If you would like us to look at your website, we’d be happy to do that, provide you with three recommendations on how to present your business as those three elements.

Big News: Google LSA Ads Update Opens New Opportunities for Remodeling Contractor Marketing

By Patrick McFadden • January 13, 2025
Discover how Google’s LSA update impacts kitchen & bathroom remodeling marketing. Learn SEO tips to attract leads and boost visibility in Richmond VA & beyond.

The Future of Marketing and Selling May Not Be To Humans But AI Agents

By Patrick McFadden • January 9, 2025
For years, the focus of marketing and sales has been to appeal directly to human customers—to connect emotionally, build trust, and ultimately close the deal. But the rules are changing, and small businesses need to be aware of a massive shift on the horizon: the rise of AI agents as decision-makers. At first, this may sound like science fiction. After all, aren’t people the ones making purchases? But the reality is that artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly becoming the gatekeeper for consumer and business decisions. Understanding this shift is critical for small businesses, as it offers both challenges and opportunities. Let’s dive into what’s happening, why it’s happening, and how your small business can prepare. What Are AI Agents? AI agents are advanced technologies designed to handle complex tasks for consumers. They don’t just provide recommendations—they make decisions. Think of an AI agent as a virtual assistant that interprets your needs, evaluates options, and executes the best solution on your behalf. Here’s a simple example: You might tell your AI assistant, “Find me a hotel near Central Park for two nights within a $1,000 budget.” In response, your AI: Searches available hotels. Compares prices, reviews, and amenities. Books the best option without you needing to lift a finger. For the consumer, it’s all about convenience. For businesses, however, it changes the game: your target audience is no longer just the human buyer—it’s the AI agent. Why Is This Happening? Convenience for Consumers Consumers want faster, easier, and more reliable decision-making. With so much information available, the process of comparing options can be overwhelming. AI agents streamline this process by narrowing down choices and delivering results that align with the consumer's preferences. AI’s Superior Decision-Making AI can process far more data than a human ever could. It evaluates everything from price and reviews to proximity and availability, all in seconds. This allows it to make decisions that are more informed and objective. Consumer Trust in AI As AI becomes more sophisticated, people are increasingly comfortable delegating decisions to their virtual assistants. Trust is shifting from brands directly to the AI agents that curate and recommend those brands. Simple Examples of AI in Action Small businesses are already seeing AI at work in various industries. Here are a few scenarios to illustrate what’s happening: Travel and Hospitality A traveler asks their AI assistant to book a flight and hotel for a weekend getaway. The AI evaluates options, finds the best deals, and books everything. The business that optimizes its data for AI discovery wins the booking. Retail A customer needs a pair of running shoes. Their AI searches for shoes with great reviews, the right size, and quick delivery. It bypasses generic search results and goes straight to businesses with clear, accessible product data. Healthcare A health app uses AI to evaluate symptoms and recommend over-the-counter solutions. Pharmacies with optimized digital listings and relevant information are prioritized by the AI. Home Services A homeowner asks their AI, “Find me a plumber near me with 5-star reviews who can come today.” The AI scans local listings and books the business with the most reliable and visible online presence. What This Means for Small Businesses The shift to AI-driven decision-making has huge implications for small businesses. Here’s what you need to know: 1. Your Audience is Changing You’re no longer marketing solely to human buyers—you’re marketing to the AI agents making decisions on their behalf. These agents prioritize structured data, transparent pricing, and measurable value over emotional branding. 2. Local SEO Becomes More Critical AI agents rely heavily on local search data. If your business isn’t optimized for local SEO —clear location details, accurate business hours, and positive reviews—you’ll be invisible to AI. Need help with your local SEO? Get in Touch. 3. Quality Data Wins AI thrives on structured, high-quality data. If your service descriptions, product descriptions, pricing, and availability aren’t clear and accessible, AI will skip over your business in favor of competitors who have optimized their data. Check out this article so AI doesn't skip over your business. "5 Must Have Elements of Service Area Pages" 4. Proximity Matters For many services, AI prioritizes businesses that are physically closer to the consumer. This is especially true for industries like home services, healthcare, and retail. Small businesses can capitalize on this by focusing on hyper-local SEO strategies. 4a. For Service Area Businesses, Precision is Key For service area businesses (SABs)—those that don't operate from a fixed location but serve customers within specific geographic regions—AI's prioritization mechanisms work differently compared to location-based businesses like retail stores or offices. Instead of prioritizing physical proximity alone, AI evaluates the clarity and accuracy of your defined service area. This is especially critical for industries like commercial cleaning, plumbing, pest control, HVAC, or mobile health services. Learn more about - 5 Steps: Local SEO for Service Area Businesses AI agents rely on several key factors, including: Accurate and detailed information about your service area. Keywords that highlight your services and locations. Social proof, such as reviews, ratings, and testimonials. Content that directly connects to your service area, like localized blog posts or FAQs. The accuracy and consistency of your listings on platforms like Google Business Profile. Quick response times to inquiries. A well-optimized website with clear navigation and mobile responsiveness. Integration of AI-friendly tools like chatbots to provide instant information to users and demonstrate efficiency. An active presence on local social media channels to further enhance visibility and engagement within your service area. By optimizing these elements, service area businesses can enhance their visibility and ensure AI agents prioritize them for local searches. 5. The Playing Field is Leveling While it may seem daunting, this shift levels the playing field for small businesses. Unlike traditional advertising, where big budgets dominated, AI prioritizes data quality and relevance—areas where small businesses can shine. How to Prepare Your Service Based Business for an AI-Driven World Here’s how you can start positioning your business to succeed in an AI-driven world: 1. Optimize for Local Search This step is even more critical for service-based businesses, especially those operating in specific geographic areas (like commercial cleaning, plumbers, HVAC companies, and remodel services). Focus on hyper-local SEO by including business districts, neighborhoods, zip codes, and cities you serve in your website content and Google Business Profile. Add a "service areas" page to your website to clarify where you operate. Encourage reviews that mention specific services and locations to boost credibility in local searches. Use geo-targeted keywords like “emergency cleaning services in Dallas” or “24-hour plumbing in Brooklyn.” 2. Provide High-Quality Data For service-based businesses, this means being very clear about what you offer and where : Use structured data to outline services , pricing estimates, and FAQs. Include service-specific keywords in descriptions, such as "drain cleaning" or "roof repair." Add before-and-after photos , case studies, or examples of completed projects to help AI and potential customers understand your expertise. Create mobile-friendly booking forms for easy service requests. 3. Focus on Trust and Transparency Service-based businesses rely heavily on customer trust because most services are provided on-site or involve direct customer interaction. Highlight safety measures , certifications, and background-checked employees to build confidence. Share detailed testimonials or video case studies that walk through successful projects. Be transparent about response times , pricing structures, and warranties for services. Add "Meet the Team" pages to introduce key staff or technicians, humanizing your business and building rapport. 4. Target AI-Specific Needs AI-driven search is increasingly intent-based , meaning it focuses on what customers are looking to achieve (e.g., “find a reliable roofer near me”). Service-based businesses can target this effectively by: Optimizing for voice search (e.g., "Who fixes water heaters in Austin?"). Using conversational language and FAQs that match natural language queries. Structuring content to answer specific questions like "How much does roof repair cost?" or "How long does an AC repair take?" 5. Embrace AI Tools Service-based businesses can benefit greatly from AI to improve operational efficiency: Use AI-powered scheduling tools to let customers book appointments automatically. Implement chatbots to handle inquiries about availability, pricing, and service areas. Leverage AI analytics to predict seasonal demand spike s (e.g., higher calls for HVAC repairs in summer). Adopt AI-enabled CRMs to track customer preferences and improve follow-up communication. The Opportunity Ahead While the rise of AI agents might seem like a challenge, it’s also a massive opportunity for small businesses. By optimizing your digital presence, focusing on transparency, and understanding how AI evaluates options, you can position your business to thrive in this new era. Remember: AI agents aren’t just replacing human decision-making—they’re enhancing it. By meeting AI on its terms, you’re not just staying relevant—you’re setting yourself up to win in the future of business. So, take a look at your business today. Is your data accessible? Is your local SEO in place? Are you ready to meet the needs of AI agents? The future is coming fast, and the time to prepare is now. Need Help? My marketing firm, Indispensable Marketing, provides a step-by-step strategy and implementation process tailored for service-based businesses with revenues between $750,000 and $7 million. We help optimize local SEO, craft trust-building content, and create scalable marketing processes that deliver measurable results . From foundational setup to growth-focused tactics and amplification strategies, our approach ensures clarity, confidence, and long-term success in your marketing efforts. Get in Touch

The Missing Ingredient for Small Business Marketing in 2025: Leadership, Not Tactics

By Patrick McFadden • January 9, 2025
As we approach 2025, the changes in the business landscape are going to be significant, and many companies are already feeling the pinch. If you’re one of those business owners who’s noticing a decline in leads or a drop in website traffic, you’re not alone. Something is happening in the market, and businesses are beginning to see the winners and losers emerge.  But here's the critical thing : the reason many businesses fall behind is not because they lack tactics—it’s because they lack marketing leadership. Why Marketing Leadership Matters I’ve worked with many small businesses over the years, and one thing is crystal clear: most marketing failures stem from a lack of leadership. It’s easy to get caught up in the latest marketing tactics or rush into hiring a marketing agency, but without a clear leadership strategy guiding your efforts, you’re just throwing darts at the wall. Your marketing activities might be disconnected, ineffective, and lack the cohesion that makes them truly impactful. Marketing leadership is the key to taking a business from spinning its wheels to driving real, measurable growth. Whether you have internal marketing hires, work with an agency, or manage things yourself, someone needs to own the strategy and ensure marketing activities aligns with the company’s overall growth goals. This is what I call the missing ingredient in many businesses—marketing leadership. The Three Pillars of Marketing Leadership Strategy Thinking First: It’s not just about tactics; it’s about understanding where you’re going and how you’re going to get there. This means developing a clear marketing strategy that aligns with your brand’s core identity, including who you are promising to help (ideal customers) , what problems you are promising solve for them, and how your images, metaphors, colors, words, look and feel, dress, attitude, networks, consistency represents its promises. Once the strategy is defined, you’ll know exactly where to invest your resources and which marketing channels will move the needle. Fixing the Foundations: Before you get fancy with campaigns, you need to fix the fundamentals. This means ensuring your website is a trust-building workhorse , your messaging is aligned with your ideal customer’s needs , and your content is educational and building credibility . When you have a strong foundation, every marketing effort you put forth will be more effective. Building a Repeatable Process: A solid marketing process isn’t just about running ads or posting on social media; it’s about creating a machine that works long term. This process needs to generate consistent leads, build your brand, and retain customers. A marketing leader will help you build this process, ensuring it’s repeatable, scalable, and aligned with your business’s growth objectives. Marketing Leadership as a Service: The Future of Small Business Marketing What I’m seeing—and what I believe is the future—is that agencies need to step up and offer something beyond just execution. Instead of acting as subcontractors who only perform tasks, they need to take on the role of general contractors overseeing and managing the entire marketing process. Marketing leadership as a service is about providing that strategic oversight and ensuring everything aligns with the business’s long-term goals. Think of it this way: AI may be taking over certain tactical tasks, but it’s not going to provide leadership. That human touch—the ability to analyze, strategize, and lead—is what will differentiate the winners from the losers in the coming years. Businesses will need marketing support who can step in, assess the situation, create a roadmap, and then help execute that vision. The First Step: Are You Ready? In 2025, marketing leadership will be the key to success for small businesses. It’s not about doing more; it’s about doing the right things in the right order. If you haven’t embraced marketing leadership yet, now’s the time to make that shift and set your business up for long-term success. Final Thoughts It’s easy to get distracted by the shiny new marketing tactic of the week, but without a clear strategy and leadership in place, it’s hard to see real, lasting results. This year, make it a priority to focus on marketing leadership as the core of your growth strategy. The businesses that do this will be the ones that rise above the competition in 2025 and beyond.
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