Kevin C. Whelan

Marketing Strategy Advisor and Mentor

Articles

2021

July

July 19, 2021Jul 2021
Positioning is the soil in your garden
July 18, 2021Jul 2021
Fractional CMOs may be generalists—but they should also be specialists
July 17, 2021Jul 2021
Fractional CMOs are generalists and that’s okay
July 16, 2021Jul 2021
Systems, habits, and goals
July 15, 2021Jul 2021
You have permission to not know everything
July 14, 2021Jul 2021
Is your consulting business niched enough?
July 13, 2021Jul 2021
There are big businesses in tiny niches
July 12, 2021Jul 2021
Brush up on your SEO fundamentals
July 11, 2021Jul 2021
Which would you rather?
July 10, 2021Jul 2021
Your prospects don’t care about your proprietary methodology (but your clients do)
July 9, 2021Jul 2021
My marketing Methodology for advisory client engagements 🔊
July 8, 2021Jul 2021
Trust your gut about bad clients
July 7, 2021Jul 2021
Writing daily into the void
July 6, 2021Jul 2021
The profit margins of an advisory business
July 5, 2021Jul 2021
Stocks and flows
July 4, 2021Jul 2021
The risk of overwhelming your clients
July 3, 2021Jul 2021
The world is craving fractional access
July 2, 2021Jul 2021
Are you alienating your ideal prospects?
July 1, 2021Jul 2021
What does this say about me?

June

June 30, 2021Jun 2021
Three questions to guide your next blog post
June 29, 2021Jun 2021
Acting against your immediate best interest
June 28, 2021Jun 2021
Organize your thinking
June 27, 2021Jun 2021
What to do when nothing is getting done
June 26, 2021Jun 2021
Your brand is how people feel
June 25, 2021Jun 2021
Write the truest sentence you know
June 24, 2021Jun 2021
On writing daily
June 23, 2021Jun 2021
Niching is a force multiplier
June 22, 2021Jun 2021
Four benefits of fractional CMO positioning
June 21, 2021Jun 2021
The risk of fractional CMO positioning
June 20, 2021Jun 2021
“Best” or “only” positioning
June 19, 2021Jun 2021
Your differences are your strengths
June 18, 2021Jun 2021
A framework for leveraging and selling your marketing expertise
June 17, 2021Jun 2021
Should you start out niched or broadly positioned?
June 16, 2021Jun 2021
Should you take on clients outside of your niche?
June 15, 2021Jun 2021
Good design and marketing
June 14, 2021Jun 2021
“They’re not cheap”
June 13, 2021Jun 2021
Are you dreading your next project?
June 12, 2021Jun 2021
How you onboard could make or break the relationship
June 11, 2021Jun 2021
132. How to design a group coaching program 🔊
June 11, 2021Jun 2021
What business are you really in?
June 10, 2021Jun 2021
How to build a consulting business you can love
June 9, 2021Jun 2021
The price of uncertainty
June 8, 2021Jun 2021
Always be marketing
June 7, 2021Jun 2021
Not sure what to write about?
June 6, 2021Jun 2021
“Process saves us from the poverty of our intentions”
June 5, 2021Jun 2021
Cheap advice doesn’t sell
June 4, 2021Jun 2021
Marginal profit and handling value conversations 🔊
June 3, 2021Jun 2021
An advisor’s duty is to be radically honest
June 2, 2021Jun 2021
Fix the system, don’t reprimand the person
June 1, 2021Jun 2021
Pricing advisory retainers the goldilocks way

May

May 31, 2021May 2021
The benefit of doing fewer things
May 30, 2021May 2021
Use constraints to your advantage
May 29, 2021May 2021
How to get your content read by your ideal clients
May 28, 2021May 2021
Using a methodology & operating system in your advisory OR execution business [Ep. 130]
May 27, 2021May 2021
There’s no such thing as a perfect client
May 26, 2021May 2021
Modelling success
May 25, 2021May 2021
Doing the thing you’ve been putting off
May 24, 2021May 2021
Value propositions that work
May 23, 2021May 2021
Be the advocate for your clients
May 22, 2021May 2021
Are you in alignment with your work?
May 21, 2021May 2021
128. How to create epic case studies with minimal effort [Ep. 128]
May 20, 2021May 2021
Nothing important to say
May 19, 2021May 2021
Why you need space to think
May 18, 2021May 2021
What it means to sell your expertise
May 17, 2021May 2021
How to transition from selling execution to advisory work
May 16, 2021May 2021
Consistency over time is hard to beat
May 15, 2021May 2021
Useful content
May 14, 2021May 2021
Why creating confidence in yourself and your clients is critical to your success [Ep. 126]
May 13, 2021May 2021
How much should marketers rely on their gut instinct?
May 12, 2021May 2021
Vague goals lead to vague strategies
May 11, 2021May 2021
Fighting for simplicity
May 10, 2021May 2021
Think of daily writing as a sample
May 9, 2021May 2021
The two traits you’ll need to succeed as a professional marketer
May 8, 2021May 2021
A good example of productized consulting services
May 7, 2021May 2021
What to do when a client or prospect asks for a discount [Ep. 123]
May 6, 2021May 2021
What you need to know to sell strategy
May 5, 2021May 2021
Not every marketing dollar needs to prove an ROI
May 4, 2021May 2021
An email-based community concept
May 3, 2021May 2021
How to quickly improve your business
May 2, 2021May 2021
Don’t do this
May 1, 2021May 2021
Do you run a business or do you own a job?

April

April 30, 2021Apr 2021
More isn’t always more
April 29, 2021Apr 2021
The systems of a marketing consultant
April 28, 2021Apr 2021
What problem are you really solving?
April 27, 2021Apr 2021
Questions make great content
April 26, 2021Apr 2021
The two kinds of clients
April 25, 2021Apr 2021
How to fix your value proposition to get more consulting clients
April 24, 2021Apr 2021
There’s always another client
April 23, 2021Apr 2021
Audio: How to scale your marketing consulting business (Ep. 119)
April 22, 2021Apr 2021
Client turnover is a good thing
April 21, 2021Apr 2021
How to talk about money with your clients
April 20, 2021Apr 2021
Why marketing advice should be jargon-free
April 19, 2021Apr 2021
The four things you need to be a successful consultant
April 18, 2021Apr 2021
One thing for one target market
April 17, 2021Apr 2021
Mass production or boutique service
April 16, 2021Apr 2021
Marketing needs a 6+ month horizon
April 15, 2021Apr 2021
How to know if your idea will work
April 14, 2021Apr 2021
How to get traction in a new niche
April 13, 2021Apr 2021
Why you should be selective about who you work with
April 12, 2021Apr 2021
The win/loss cycle of consulting
April 11, 2021Apr 2021
Your market is bigger than your target
April 10, 2021Apr 2021
The longer I’m in business, the less I do
April 9, 2021Apr 2021
The case for niche specialization (EP 118)
April 8, 2021Apr 2021
Replicating the things that work
April 7, 2021Apr 2021
What if you could only do the part of your job you loved?
April 6, 2021Apr 2021
How it feels to be a specialist vs. generalist
April 5, 2021Apr 2021
Check in on your best clients
April 4, 2021Apr 2021
Take a blue collar approach to your work
April 3, 2021Apr 2021
The best way to get clients
April 2, 2021Apr 2021
How to create target market profiles that actually get results
April 1, 2021Apr 2021
How do you know if your product or service is any good?

March

March 31, 2021Mar 2021
Your clients are paying for your worldview
March 30, 2021Mar 2021
Why you need to prune your clients sometimes
March 29, 2021Mar 2021
Nobody can succeed for you
March 28, 2021Mar 2021
The real way to keep score
March 27, 2021Mar 2021
Momentum and inertia
March 26, 2021Mar 2021
Podcast Interview on the Mitch Gray Show: Why Marketing and Mentoring Matters
March 25, 2021Mar 2021
Everything is a signal
March 24, 2021Mar 2021
How to ask people to do things the right way
March 23, 2021Mar 2021
Know why people should invest in you
March 22, 2021Mar 2021
How to get good at marketing
March 21, 2021Mar 2021
Great copy is assembled, not written
March 20, 2021Mar 2021
Do things that light you up for people you like
March 19, 2021Mar 2021
How to succeed in business
March 18, 2021Mar 2021
Say one thing, say it well
March 17, 2021Mar 2021
The value of scarcity
March 16, 2021Mar 2021
When should you execute tasks and when should you advise on them?
March 15, 2021Mar 2021
Reputation management
March 14, 2021Mar 2021
The daily portfolio
March 13, 2021Mar 2021
Why it’s important to like who you serve
March 12, 2021Mar 2021
Two things that make you more likely to be hired
March 11, 2021Mar 2021
Daily means daily
March 10, 2021Mar 2021
Why small is an advantage for consultants
March 9, 2021Mar 2021
Why offering less will make you a better consultant
March 8, 2021Mar 2021
Why you should price your consulting services based on longterm value
March 7, 2021Mar 2021
Why should I choose you?
March 6, 2021Mar 2021
The marketing voyage has no one set course
March 5, 2021Mar 2021
“Anti-laws” of advertising
March 4, 2021Mar 2021
Single-focus marketing
March 3, 2021Mar 2021
Nothing shows you care like a David Hasselhoff Cameo
March 2, 2021Mar 2021
A tip for daily bloggers
March 1, 2021Mar 2021
Steven Pressfield and The Resistance

February

February 28, 2021Feb 2021
Should you be a stickler for scope on fixed-fee engagements?
February 27, 2021Feb 2021
Inspiration and insight on running a membership program
February 26, 2021Feb 2021
The benefits of being a niche consultant
February 25, 2021Feb 2021
Nobody wants to hire the cheapest consultant
February 24, 2021Feb 2021
Assuming success in any niche
February 23, 2021Feb 2021
Does a daily newsletter exhaust you and your readers?
February 22, 2021Feb 2021
Knowing when to flex your authority (or not)
February 21, 2021Feb 2021
How to build an audience (insights by Tim Ferris)
February 20, 2021Feb 2021
Consulting is an intimate game
February 19, 2021Feb 2021
By doing less you accomplish more
February 18, 2021Feb 2021
A visual approach to a marketing plan
February 17, 2021Feb 2021
The best marketing
February 16, 2021Feb 2021
Minimizing your cognitive load
February 15, 2021Feb 2021
Sweat the basics
February 14, 2021Feb 2021
First impressions matter
February 13, 2021Feb 2021
The nuance to selling a “system”
February 12, 2021Feb 2021
Good marketing strategists and planners use examples
February 11, 2021Feb 2021
A writing trick for daily bloggers
February 10, 2021Feb 2021
Why you should work on your marketing daily
February 9, 2021Feb 2021
The three prongs of marketing
February 8, 2021Feb 2021
The tech stack I use to run a paid community on Circle
February 7, 2021Feb 2021
How NOT to add people to your mailing list
February 6, 2021Feb 2021
Transparency of mistakes
February 5, 2021Feb 2021
The ATM Strategy
February 4, 2021Feb 2021
The purpose of your website
February 3, 2021Feb 2021
The five kinds of content
February 2, 2021Feb 2021
Be unreasonably reliable
February 1, 2021Feb 2021
Sell the destination, not the journey

January

January 31, 2021Jan 2021
What I learned about group coaching vs. private consulting last year
January 30, 2021Jan 2021
Should you sell upfront stategy, audit, and roadmapping or start with an advisory retainer?
January 29, 2021Jan 2021
Directionally accurate
January 28, 2021Jan 2021
8 books every marketing consultant should read
January 27, 2021Jan 2021
Everything you encounter is a content idea
January 26, 2021Jan 2021
Strategy, systems, processes, and results
January 25, 2021Jan 2021
What if you couldn’t use your hands?
January 24, 2021Jan 2021
How to sell advisory services and scale your expertise
January 23, 2021Jan 2021
If you don’t know what to write, start writing
January 22, 2021Jan 2021
The disproportionate upsides and downsides
January 21, 2021Jan 2021
The thing about numbers
January 20, 2021Jan 2021
The thing about limiting beliefs
January 19, 2021Jan 2021
Your business is a system
January 18, 2021Jan 2021
What my toddler taught me about marketing
January 17, 2021Jan 2021
How to package your marketing advisory services
January 16, 2021Jan 2021
A resource for my typography nerds
January 15, 2021Jan 2021
The biggest differentiator you have is you
January 14, 2021Jan 2021
Most people aren’t ready to buy now
January 13, 2021Jan 2021
What to do when things aren’t working out for you
January 12, 2021Jan 2021
The emotional nature of consulting
January 11, 2021Jan 2021
Be known for one specific thing
January 10, 2021Jan 2021
How to listen to any article
January 9, 2021Jan 2021
What to do when your consulting work dries up
January 8, 2021Jan 2021
The tricky part of calculating customer lifetime value
January 7, 2021Jan 2021
How to create stuff people want to buy
January 6, 2021Jan 2021
Own it and move on
January 5, 2021Jan 2021
Be oddly specific
January 4, 2021Jan 2021
What happens when you aren’t charging enough
January 3, 2021Jan 2021
Where do you find your clients?
January 2, 2021Jan 2021
Your job as an advisor is never to convince
January 1, 2021Jan 2021
Brand vs. direct response marketing: which is better?

2020

December

December 31, 2020Dec 2020
How to make any marketing piece more effective
December 30, 2020Dec 2020
The tendency to overcomplicate
December 29, 2020Dec 2020
Should you position yourself as a fractional CMO?
December 28, 2020Dec 2020
Reflecting and planning for the new year
December 27, 2020Dec 2020
The value of marketing expertise
December 26, 2020Dec 2020
Should you pick a niche you’re passionate about?
December 25, 2020Dec 2020
The trick to daily blogging
December 24, 2020Dec 2020
Death to bullsh*t
December 23, 2020Dec 2020
The 8 key documents I use in my marketing consulting practice
December 22, 2020Dec 2020
What is your lemon factor?
December 21, 2020Dec 2020
The unsung tool in my consulting tech stack
December 20, 2020Dec 2020
Should you aim for quality or consistency with your content marketing?
December 19, 2020Dec 2020
Taking a breather
December 18, 2020Dec 2020
The two most important metrics in marketing
December 17, 2020Dec 2020
Looking for early signs of life
December 16, 2020Dec 2020
How to sell more of anything when it launches
December 15, 2020Dec 2020
You can’t move forward while standing still
December 14, 2020Dec 2020
Interview with John Meese on creating what your customers need
December 13, 2020Dec 2020
What do you do when you don’t feel like showing up?
December 12, 2020Dec 2020
Putting in the reps
December 11, 2020Dec 2020
What makes a good consulting methodology?
December 10, 2020Dec 2020
The compounding power of turning your work into a methodology
December 9, 2020Dec 2020
Why should they choose you?
December 8, 2020Dec 2020
The hard thing about marketing consulting
December 7, 2020Dec 2020
How important is it to like what you do and who you do it for?
December 6, 2020Dec 2020
Be generous with what you know
December 5, 2020Dec 2020
When you should turn down clients
December 4, 2020Dec 2020
What’s your backstory?
December 3, 2020Dec 2020
How to measure the actual effectiveness of your marketing
December 2, 2020Dec 2020
Own the whole problem
December 1, 2020Dec 2020
All great consultants have a methodology

November

November 30, 2020Nov 2020
Good positioning hurts
November 29, 2020Nov 2020
Your client isn’t always right
November 28, 2020Nov 2020
Why we need more marketing advisors
November 27, 2020Nov 2020
My first Black Friday offer
November 26, 2020Nov 2020
Love me or hate me
November 25, 2020Nov 2020
What people are really buying
November 24, 2020Nov 2020
A secret to coming up with good content ideas when you’re stuck
November 23, 2020Nov 2020
How to attract more clients
November 22, 2020Nov 2020
Being too busy is not only risky, it’s unethical
November 21, 2020Nov 2020
My audio recording setup in late 2020
November 20, 2020Nov 2020
How to reach busy people with educational content
November 19, 2020Nov 2020
How marketing really works
November 18, 2020Nov 2020
You can be specialized and a generalist at the same time
November 17, 2020Nov 2020
The systematic approach
November 16, 2020Nov 2020
The incentives behind your advice matters
November 15, 2020Nov 2020
Growing and de-risking are two sides of the same coin
November 14, 2020Nov 2020
Dirty taps run clean eventually
November 13, 2020Nov 2020
When you launch something new
November 12, 2020Nov 2020
Your thing isn’t for everyone
November 11, 2020Nov 2020
Lest We Forget
November 10, 2020Nov 2020
This is how long your blog post should be
November 9, 2020Nov 2020
Slow is fast and fast is slow
November 8, 2020Nov 2020
To be a thought leader, you must be prepared to be wrong sometimes
November 6, 2020Nov 2020
Why you should publish your consulting prices on your website

October

October 5, 2020Oct 2020
How to get started as a marketing freelancer or consultant
October 4, 2020Oct 2020
Do you need a website if you’re new to consulting?
October 3, 2020Oct 2020
The weekly newspaper
October 2, 2020Oct 2020
How to become an expert
October 1, 2020Oct 2020
An advisor’s only real asset is trust

September

September 5, 2020Sep 2020
Going your fastest

August

August 26, 2020Aug 2020
The value in taking a stance
August 10, 2020Aug 2020
How to create content that gets consumed today

July

July 31, 2020Jul 2020
Be the fiduciary
July 24, 2020Jul 2020
Three ideas to be enthusiastic about
July 17, 2020Jul 2020
Choosing between independence, experience, and speed for my new mentorship group
July 10, 2020Jul 2020
How to build familiarity with your audience
July 9, 2020Jul 2020
How to write like the great entrepreneurs
July 7, 2020Jul 2020
Paper, twigs, branches, then logs
July 3, 2020Jul 2020
How to find the balance between *working* and producing content for yourself
July 2, 2020Jul 2020
Don’t ignore your dreams

June

June 30, 2020Jun 2020
The Success Path of the Independent Professional—from Employee to Equity
June 19, 2020Jun 2020
The five ingredients of an independent communications platform
June 12, 2020Jun 2020
Why personal blogs ≠ branded websites

May

May 29, 2020May 2020
Breaking the bubble
May 25, 2020May 2020
How to start building a community around your newsletter
May 19, 2020May 2020
A look at Basecamp’s Before & After page

2019

December

December 30, 2019Dec 2019
Negative reviews and positive word of mouth
December 6, 2019Dec 2019
The power of a memorable name
December 5, 2019Dec 2019
The tale of two realtors
December 4, 2019Dec 2019
To write daily, tighten the range of focus
December 3, 2019Dec 2019
The cons of writing and publishing daily

November

November 29, 2019Nov 2019
The pros of writing and publishing daily
November 28, 2019Nov 2019
The power of singular thinking
November 27, 2019Nov 2019
How to get your marketing messages heard
November 26, 2019Nov 2019
Why good design matters in marketing
November 25, 2019Nov 2019
Lessons from a sushi master on consistency
November 22, 2019Nov 2019
You just proved these signs work
November 21, 2019Nov 2019
The genius behind Wendy’s charity campaign
November 20, 2019Nov 2019
280 words daily for a month

October

October 31, 2019Oct 2019
Why you should work on your marketing daily
October 21, 2019Oct 2019
Two specializations, two brands, one door

August

August 25, 2019Aug 2019
Nobody wants to read your sh*t

2018

July

July 29, 2018Jul 2018
Roundup #7: Taking a sabbatical, creating a business utopia, being prolific, and pitching yourself as a podcast guest
July 4, 2018Jul 2018
Should You Buy Social Media Followers?

June

June 25, 2018Jun 2018
Roundup #4: Tell your story in 4 words, 1 single benefit, best Spotify playlist for work, unconventional happiness advice, new tools I am using
June 2, 2018Jun 2018
Aim for the Bare Minimum

May

May 30, 2018May 2018
This Is What Good Marketing Feels Like

March

March 8, 2018Mar 2018
Fear = Progress