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Outsourced CMO And Supporting The Hire Of New Head Of Marketing

Paradigm Norton had grown significantly without marketing support, but with ambitious plans for growth, needed someone to step in and help them build a marketing function.

About the business

Paradigm Norton is an employee-owned, multi award-winning and Certified B Corporation financial planning firm. The business has over 20 years of experience guiding thousands of families toward financial wellbeing. As a values-driven company, they encourage their clients to align their financial decisions with their core values.

The problem

Paradigm Norton had experienced significant growth, establishing itself as a leading financial planning firm. However, despite their impressive expansion, they did not have a dedicated marketing team in place. Recognising the need to support their ambitious plans for further growth, including expanding into new verticals within the market, Paradigm Norton decided to invest in a comprehensive marketing strategy.

The solution

The Marketing Plot's comprehensive approach provided Paradigm Norton with the tools, strategies, and leadership needed to achieve their growth ambitions. By auditing their marketing efforts, assisting with key hires, and offering ongoing support, The Marketing Plot ensured Paradigm Norton could amplify their brand and effectively serve new market verticals.

Jess is an extremely talented, warm and affable marketing professional who has made a massive difference to our marketing efforts. Jess's marketing audit highlighted the areas where we initially need to really focus our efforts. She has helped design and implement many of our new marketing channels. Jess was also key to the recruitment of our new head of marketing. I'm pretty confident that we wouldn't have found such an outstanding candidate if it wasn't for Jess.

Barry Horner, CEO of Paradigm Norton

1. Comprehensive Marketing Audit and Strategy Development

The Marketing Plot's first step was to conduct an in-depth audit of Paradigm Norton's current marketing landscape. This audit covered every aspect of the firm's marketing activities, from branding and messaging to digital presence and client engagement strategies. By thoroughly evaluating these elements, The Marketing Plot identified both strengths to build on and weaknesses that needed addressing.

By providing this comprehensive marketing audit and strategy, The Marketing Plot laid a solid foundation for Paradigm Norton's marketing efforts. This strategic roadmap not only addressed immediate marketing needs but also set the stage for sustainable growth and success in new market verticals.

2. Recruitment of Head of Marketing

To ensure Paradigm Norton had strong leadership in their marketing department, The Marketing Plot managed the recruitment process for a new Head of Marketing. This included crafting the job description, reviewing CVs, conducting interviews, and onboarding the successful candidate. The new Head of Marketing was provided with a clear strategy and tools to hit the ground running, ensuring a smooth transition and immediate impact.

3. Team Day Session: "Amplify"

The Marketing Plot organised and ran a themed session during Paradigm Norton's team day. This interactive session aimed to inspire the Paradigm Norton team to explore innovative ways to amplify the brand. The focus was on understanding what potential clients seek from a financial planner during major life events, fostering a client-centric approach across the organisation.

Session Objectives:

  • Fostering a Client-Centric Mindset: The session aimed to deepen the team's understanding of what potential clients seek from a financial planner, particularly during major life events such as retirement planning, getting divorced, or dealing with a significant career change. By putting themselves in the clients' shoes, the team could better empathise with and address client needs.
  • Encouraging Innovative Thinking: The session was chosen to encourage the team to brainstorm and propose innovative ideas for enhancing Paradigm Norton's market presence and client engagement.
  • Building Internal Cohesion: The session was also designed to strengthen internal cohesion and teamwork. By working together on these initiatives, team members could develop a shared vision and commitment to the firm's marketing goals.

Team Day Films

The Marketing Plot collaborated with videographer Josh from Amani Films to produce videos for the social media channel at Paradigm Norton, highlighting their employer brand and how they work with clients.

4. Ongoing Marketing Support

Beyond initial strategy development and recruitment, The Marketing Plot continued to support Paradigm Norton’s marketing efforts, providing ongoing guidance to the new Head of Marketing, ensuring they were well-integrated into the company. The Marketing Plot also helped design and implement campaigns aimed at new verticals, maintaining momentum in Paradigm Norton's growth journey.

The particular focus was on creating lead magnets which, linked to their CRM Hubspot, allowed the company to start measuring and engaging with prospective clients.

The key for Paradigm's team (like so many others!) was to move away from a "shoot from the hip" marketing function, to a business that is led and informed by its data. This therefore involved a design of potential client journeys through the business: From initial discovery of the company through to initial engagement and, ultimately, inbound enquiry.

Expanded Ongoing Support:

  • Strategic Guidance: The Marketing Plot provided continuous strategic guidance, helping Paradigm Norton stay on track with their marketing objectives and adjust their strategies as needed.
  • Campaign Design: They assisted in designing targeted campaigns for new verticals, ensuring each campaign was tailored to the specific needs and preferences of the target audience. This included drafting campaign content, creating downloadable resources to collect first-party data, and designing testimonial films that resonated with the personas of the new verticals.
  • Email Nurture Campaigns: Leveraging the first-party data collected from the downloadable content, The Marketing Plot crafted and managed email nurture campaigns. These campaigns were designed to engage leads, nurture them through the sales funnel, and convert them into loyal clients.
  • Support for Head of Marketing: The Marketing Plot provided ongoing support to the new Head of Marketing, ensuring they had the tools, resources, and guidance needed to succeed in their role. This support included regular check-ins, strategic advice, and assistance with campaign execution.

Results:

  • Paradigm Norton successfully established a dedicated marketing department.
  • Effective campaigns were launched to penetrate new market verticals.
  • The company’s brand awareness and client engagement increased.
  • The new Head of Marketing seamlessly integrated into the team, driving forward the strategic vision.

"Working with Paradigm Norton has been an incredible journey of collaboration and growth. Their commitment to excellence and client-focused approach made it a pleasure to develop and implement a comprehensive marketing strategy tailored to their ambitious goals. By combining my expertise with their vision, we were able to establish a new Head of Marketing and launch targeted campaigns that resonate with their audience."

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