Insights

The 90-Day Marketing Turnaround: A CEO’s Action Plan

Written by Jennifer Layne Welch | Feb 4, 2025 5:51:22 AM

In today’s fast-paced business environment, CEOs are under constant pressure to deliver measurable marketing results. However, many find themselves navigating unclear strategies, outdated tactics, and ineffective execution. To address these challenges, the CMO Syndicate recently hosted a webinar featuring experienced marketing leaders Brad Pitts and Jennifer Welch, offering a structured, high-impact 90-day marketing turnaround plan. This guide distills their insights into a clear, actionable roadmap for CEOs and business leaders.

Understanding the 90-Day Marketing Turnaround

The 90-day turnaround is not about quick fixes or gimmicks. Instead, it is a structured approach designed to diagnose, strategize, and implement essential changes to transform a company’s marketing performance. The plan is built around three key phases:

  1. Assessment & Alignment (Days 1-30)

  2. Strategic Implementation (Days 31-60)

  3. Optimization & Acceleration (Days 61-90)

Each phase plays a crucial role in ensuring that marketing efforts align with business goals, drive customer engagement, and ultimately, improve revenue performance.

Phase 1: Assessment & Alignment (Days 1-30)

The first 30 days are dedicated to understanding where the company stands, identifying gaps, and aligning marketing strategies with business objectives. Key activities include:

1. Conducting a Marketing Audit

  • Evaluate existing marketing strategies, campaigns, and channels.

  • Assess website performance, SEO, social media, and digital advertising effectiveness.

  • Identify bottlenecks in lead generation and conversion processes.

"Before you can fix what’s broken, you need to truly understand where the gaps are. A comprehensive audit sets the foundation for an effective turnaround." — Jennifer Welch

2. Customer & Market Analysis

  • Define the ideal customer profile (ICP) and analyze customer pain points.

  • Examine industry trends and competitor strategies.

  • Gather insights from sales teams and frontline customer interactions.

3. Aligning Stakeholders & Defining Goals

  • Engage key executives, sales leaders, and customer service teams.

  • Establish clear, measurable KPIs (Key Performance Indicators).

  • Define success metrics for the turnaround plan.

"Marketing doesn’t operate in a vacuum. True transformation requires buy-in from leadership and alignment across departments." — Brad Pitts

This phase ensures that all stakeholders are aligned and that marketing objectives are designed to drive business growth effectively.

Phase 2: Strategic Implementation (Days 31-60)

Once the foundational assessment is complete, the next step is executing high-impact strategies to create momentum. Key initiatives in this phase include:

1. Revamping the Value Proposition & Messaging

  • Refine brand messaging to resonate with target audiences.

  • Ensure consistency across all marketing and sales touchpoints.

  • Implement storytelling techniques to enhance brand positioning.

"Your messaging should be so clear and compelling that a customer immediately understands why they need your product or service." — Jennifer Welch

2. Enhancing Digital & Demand Generation Strategies

  • Improve website UX and optimize conversion funnels.

  • Leverage paid media (Google Ads, LinkedIn, etc.) to generate high-intent leads.

  • Develop content marketing strategies (blogs, case studies, whitepapers) to establish thought leadership.

3. Strengthening Sales & Marketing Alignment

  • Implement lead scoring systems to prioritize high-value prospects.

  • Introduce automation tools to streamline lead nurturing.

  • Foster collaboration between sales and marketing teams to improve conversion rates.

This phase is crucial for putting strategies into action, driving initial results, and setting the stage for long-term success.

Phase 3: Optimization & Acceleration (Days 61-90)

The final phase focuses on refining and scaling marketing efforts for sustained growth. Key actions include:

1. Measuring Performance & Adjusting Strategies

  • Analyze campaign performance against predefined KPIs.

  • Identify successful tactics and scale them for greater impact.

  • Eliminate underperforming strategies and reallocate resources effectively.

"Marketing isn’t a ‘set it and forget it’ function. The best teams constantly measure, adjust, and refine for continuous improvement." — Brad Pitts

2. Automating & Enhancing Customer Engagement

  • Implement advanced CRM and AI-driven marketing automation tools.

  • Personalize customer interactions based on behavioral data.

  • Strengthen email marketing and retargeting strategies to improve engagement.

3. Building a Scalable Growth Framework

  • Develop playbooks and best practices for continuous marketing improvement.

  • Train internal teams to sustain momentum beyond the 90-day period.

  • Foster a culture of data-driven decision-making to ensure ongoing success.

By the end of this phase, companies should have a well-optimized, scalable marketing engine that continues to drive business growth.

Key Takeaways for CEOs & Business Leaders

  1. Marketing Turnarounds Require Cross-Functional Buy-In: Engaging leadership, sales, and customer service teams is essential for success.

  2. Focus on Customer-Centric Strategies: Understanding customer pain points and delivering compelling value propositions is key.

  3. Data & Agility Drive Long-Term Growth: Continuous analysis and refinement ensure sustained marketing effectiveness.

By following this 90-day turnaround plan, CEOs can take control of their marketing strategies, drive measurable improvements, and position their companies for long-term success.

Final Thought

Marketing turnarounds are not just about fixing what’s broken—they are about creating a foundation for sustained growth and competitive advantage. With the right strategy, alignment, and execution, any company can achieve a high-impact transformation within 90 days.

Are you ready to take your company’s marketing strategy to the next level? Connect with the CMO Syndicate today to explore how our expert-led marketing solutions can help accelerate your growth.