Hiring a Marketing Executive feels like progress. Finally - someone to take marketing off your plate!
But here’s what often happens:
Your new hire throws themselves into social media, newsletters, ads, events, blogs… and within months, they’re exhausted. They’re producing activity without a clear strategy, and because they don’t have senior-level guidance, they’re not sure which activities are really making a difference.
The end result? Lots of “marketing stuff,” but not much progress. And a Marketing Exec who’s close to burnout.
I know this problem because I’ve lived it.
Twenty years ago, I was the lone marketing hire in a growing engineering company. I’d moved across from engineering into marketing and sales, and suddenly I was flying the flag for marketing in a business that had never really had it before.
I can still remember one Friday night, standing in the office surrounded by half-packed exhibition stands and boxes of brochures ready for the following week, wondering if any of it would actually win us a single customer. I was always busy, but rarely confident it was making a difference.
And unlike today, I didn’t have millions of hours of YouTube “advice” to scroll through - I was pretty much figuring it out as I went with a couple of books that talked about SWOT analyses and the 4 Ps of marketing.
Now, let me be clear: I had an amazing boss. He was a brilliant entrepreneur, and I loved working there. But he was an engineer, not a marketer. So while he was leading the business brilliantly, neither of us had the strategic marketing experience we needed.
So I worked hard. I produced brochures, went to exhibitions, wrote sales copy… but looking back, much of it was scattergun. I was busy, but I wasn’t building momentum.
If I felt overwhelmed 20 years ago, I can only imagine how it feels for junior marketers today.
They’re not just juggling events and brochures - they’re facing a tidal wave of options: AI tools, TikTok, podcasts, LinkedIn, SEO, email, automation, funnels… the list is endless. Everyone’s shouting about the “next big thing,” and without senior support, it’s impossible to know what to focus on.
It’s isolating. And overwhelming.
If you’ve hired a Marketing Exec (or you are that person!) here are a few warning signs they might be close to drowning:
If any of these sound familiar, it’s not a sign they’re not capable - it’s a sign they need support.
The truth is, it’s not fair to expect a junior or mid-level marketer to set strategy. They don’t have the experience yet - and that’s okay.
What actually works is pairing them with strategic support. That might mean hiring a Head of Marketing, but for many SMEs, that’s financially out of reach.
That’s where a fractional CMO makes such a difference.
“Fractional” just means part-time, but at a senior level. A fractional CMO works inside your business to set strategy, mentor your Exec, and make sure the activity is focused and effective.
The Exec gets guidance. The MD gets results. And the business gets a marketing machine that actually works.
If your Marketing Exec looks like they’re paddling furiously but not really getting anywhere, don’t assume it’s because they’re not up to the job. Chances are, they’re missing the strategic support they need to thrive.
And here’s the good news: when they do get that support, the change is huge. Instead of running in circles, they gain confidence. Instead of burning out, they feel motivated and supported. And instead of filling time with busy work, they’re focused on activity that genuinely moves the business forward.
That’s what happens when strategy meets execution.
If you're reading this and realising you're in that situation now - either as the Exec trying to keep up, or the MD hoping they’ll “just make it work” - let's talk. Let's have a chat and see if I'm the right person to help.