Strategic Marketing Leadership Through Fractional CMO Success | Marguerite Yeo from YorCMO

Ernesto Quezada: Pathmonk is the intelligent tool for website lead generation. With increasing online competition, over 98% of website visitors don’t convert. The ability to successfully share your value proposition and support visitors in their buying journey separates you from the competition online. Pathmonk qualifies and converts leads on your website by figuring out where they are in the buying journey and influencing them in key decision moments with relevant micro experiences like case studies, intro videos, and much more. Stay relevant to your visitors and increase conversions by 50%. Add Pathmonk to your website in seconds. Let the AI do all the work and get access to 50% more qualified leads while you keep doing marketing and sales as usual. Check us out at pathmonk.com. Welcome to today’s episode. Let’s talk about today’s guest. We have Marguerite from YorCMO. How are you doing today, Marguerite?

Marguerite Yeo: I am doing well, thank you, Ernesto.

Ernesto: It’s great to have you on today’s episode. I’m sure our listeners are tuning in wondering what YorCMO is all about. So let’s kick it off with that. In your own words, can you tell us a little bit more?

Marguerite: Sure. We are a fractional marketing strategy company. We help business owners develop marketing strategies and plans, and we help them align their sales and marketing efforts.

Ernesto: Great to hear that. For our listeners to get a good understanding of your company, what would you say is a key problem that you solve for clients, Marguerite?

Marguerite: We solve a number of marketing-related challenges. Some clients come to us and say, “Hey, I’m expanding my offerings. What is the go-to-market strategy I should take?” Others come to us saying, “We’re rebranding and entering a new space. How do we retain the best of the old brand as we launch a new name and identity?”

We also have clients seeking funding rounds who need to achieve specific results, while others want help diagnosing why their marketing activities are no longer effective. Many clients have marketing managers in place but lack a leader to create strategy and coach their team. And, of course, others come to us simply wanting more consistent and predictable marketing results.

Ernesto: Great to hear that. So, is there a vertical or segment you focus on? Do you have an ideal ICP?

Marguerite: Yes, we do. Our ideal ICP includes companies with 50+ employees, $5 to $15 million in revenue, and based in the US and Canada. Our fractional CMOs have experience across a broad range of industries, so we serve clients in industries like consumer packaged goods, manufacturing, finance, franchising, and more. Essentially, we span across industries, except for marketing agencies.

Ernesto: Good to know. Speaking of industries, how does someone typically find out about YorCMO? What’s your top client acquisition channel?

Marguerite: That’s a great question. It’s very different from my past marketing days. Our best-performing channel is referrals, followed by organic search. We focus on networking with other fractional companies in sales, finance, and operations, as well as with agencies.

Since we don’t provide design, creative, or telemarketing, we partner with agencies that do, creating a strong referral network where we exchange business.

Ernesto: Referrals are always key. And for our listeners, you can check them out at YorCMO.com. What role does the website play in client acquisition, Marguerite?

Marguerite: Our website helps clients understand who we are, what we offer, and our proven process. It includes free content like blogs, customer success stories, white papers, and ebooks—recently, we even released an AI ebook.

We’re currently updating our website with new messaging and design because there’s always room for improvement.

Ernesto: Definitely! Great to hear that. For our listeners, can you share any tools, tips, or methods you recommend for lead generation?

Marguerite: Content and user experience are key. Keep your copy succinct—no one wants to read a book online. Communicate what’s in it for your customers and remove jargon. Focus on clarity and relevance.

Also, remove friction: make information easy to find, avoid unnecessary long forms, and share success stories to build trust. Finally, use white space and declutter your design for a better user experience.

Ernesto: Agreed—less is often more. Thanks for the insights, Marguerite. Let’s switch gears a little and talk about you as a leader. What are some key tasks you focus on daily as the YorCMO?

Marguerite: I review our pipeline, tracking lead sources and conversion rates at every stage—intro calls, discovery, proposals, and contracts. I also focus on marketing programs, referral networks, content creation, SEO metrics, and website performance.

A big part of my time is spent networking with fractional leaders and agencies, as well as long-term planning and budget management.

Ernesto: Sounds like you have a full plate. Kudos to you for managing it all!

Marguerite: Thank you.

Ernesto: Let’s move into our rapid-fire round. Are you ready?

Marguerite: Sure, let’s do it.

Ernesto: First off, what’s the last book you read?

Marguerite: I’m passionate about ice hockey, so I recently read Business the NHL Way: Lessons from the Fastest Game on Ice. It explores branding, marketing, and leadership through hockey-related stories. I got it at a Seattle Kraken event last season—it’s a fascinating read.

Ernesto: That’s unique! What’s one thing your company is focusing on the most right now?

Marguerite: Expanding our referral and networking efforts. Networking doesn’t come naturally to all marketers, so we’re honing that skill and coaching our CMOs to leverage the referral channel more effectively.

Ernesto: Great to hear. If there were no boundaries in technology, what’s one thing you’d want to fix in your role as a marketer?

Marguerite: End-to-end lead attribution. I’d love a tool that tracks every single touchpoint with complete accuracy, especially in a cookie-less world.

Ernesto: Definitely a great challenge to solve. What’s one repetitive task you’d love to automate?

Marguerite: Managing my inbox. I need an AI bot that can filter, respond intelligently, and delete spam while mimicking my voice.

Ernesto: Agreed—email overload is real! Lastly, what’s one piece of advice you’d give yourself if you were starting your marketing journey today?

Marguerite: Focus on work-life balance. Gen Z is doing it right—balancing careers, passions, and causes. Early in my career, I focused too much on work without enough balance.

Ernesto: Excellent advice. Marguerite, thank you so much for joining us today. If someone forgets everything about this interview, what’s the one thing they should remember about YorCMO?

Marguerite: We’re a marketing strategy company here to help you develop strategies and plans. If you’re struggling with your marketing program or lack a clear strategy, come chat with us.

Ernesto: You heard it, folks! Check them out at YorCMO.com. Marguerite, thank you again for being on with us. To our listeners, thank you for tuning in. Looking forward to our next episode on Pathmonk Presents.

Marguerite: Thank you, Ernesto, for having me.