The challenge
When I stepped in, the marketing team hadn’t run a strategic campaign in nearly two years.
They were behind on content, paid media, SEO, and lead nurture—and had one big (possibly unrealistic) goal from leadership:
Double net new deals.
Their monthly average was hovering around 60 deals.
The ask? Get to 120. Fast.
We didn’t hit 120—but we did hit 93 in 5 months. And, then we hit 120. Consistently. And most importantly, we turned the downward trend around.
So how’d we go from “we’re falling behind our competitors” to “best growth quarter in a year”?
Let’s break it down.
The diagnosis
The first thing I saw?
Their top competitor had lapped them with strong branding, influencer relationships, and a clear presence in the CrossFit space. Meanwhile, this team had taken their foot off the gas—and their pipeline was paying the price.
They needed:
- A repositioning strategy to reconnect with core audiences
- A rebuilt content and channel mix
- A massive increase in efficiency using AI + automation
- Better CRO tactics to turn interest into pipeline
What we did (and why it worked)
1. Used AI to move faster + smarter
AI wasn’t just “cool”—it was necessary. We were two years behind on execution, and catching up required serious leverage. I used ChatGPT and other tools to:
- Build a content calendar fast
- Write cold emails + landing page copy (which we still reviewed and optimized by hand)
- Draft performance ad copy at scale
We paired this with Asana + HubSpot to create a seamless, scalable campaign engine.
2. Launched high-converting PPC campaigns
We went straight for bottom-of-funnel.
I launched BOFU campaigns against competitors, targeting lookalike audiences and offering an irresistible Theragun giveaway in exchange for demos.
It worked.
Fast.
And it helped us steal market share.
3. Fixed broken SEO and content
We addressed years of technical SEO debt and started publishing weekly blog content—targeted, internally linked, and built for conversion.
We aligned slugs to keywords and improved site structure, which paid off in organic rankings and on-page engagement.
4. Improved site conversion with simple tactics
We added lightboxes on the homepage and pricing page to drive demo interest.
We tightened CTA placements, improved copy, and routed traffic more intentionally based on user journey.
Simple changes, big difference.
5. Scaled email 14x without killing engagement
Before: 1 email a month.
After: 14+ emails a month across targeted lists—without drop-off in open or click-through rates.
Email became a top channel for deal closure. We used AI + smart scheduling to stay lean but personalized.
The results (July–November 2024)
- 📈 +168% in closed/won deals
- 📉 Sales cycle shortened by 10 days
- 💰 Avg. MRR per customer increased by $100
- ✉️ Email became a top-converting channel
- 🔁 Reversed a -38% YoY dip and posted the best quarter since Q1 ‘23
And we did it all with a lean team and a smarter, more modern playbook.
The lessons?
You don’t need a 10-person team to scale.
You need focus, velocity, and a real strategy.
AI didn’t replace our marketing team—it multiplied it. Paid media didn’t just drive leads—it drove the right leads.
And email didn’t die—it became the silent killer of pipeline. Trust the process. The CMO Agency is proud to help you get the growth you need.
It’s possible.
And, it can start today.
Want help doing this in your org? Let’s talk.