As fast-growing companies scale, many CEOs turn to specialized marketers to optimize specific channels like PPC, SEO, or content marketing.

However, this hyper-specialization often results in fragmented strategies and a lack of agility when shifting gears.

The true key to sustained growth is not adding more specialists to your team—it's hiring a generalist marketer (like me) who can see the big picture and make cross-channel decisions that specialists might overlook.

What is a Marketing Generalist?

A marketing generalist is a professional with expertise across multiple disciplines, including digital marketing, branding, content strategy, SEO, paid media, and analytics.

Unlike specialists, a generalist isn’t confined to one area of expertise; they have the unique ability to understand how different marketing channels interact and can pivot strategies as needed.

Key abilities of a generalist marketer:

• Strategic thinking: Generalists can oversee the entire marketing ecosystem, ensuring that each channel works in harmony.
• Adaptability: They can quickly assess what's working and what isn’t, without being limited to one niche or toolset.
• Cross-functional skills: Generalists excel in aligning marketing with sales, operations, and other business areas, creating a cohesive approach to growth.

Why Fast-Growing Companies Need a Generalist

1. Flexibility and Speed

CEOs need a marketing leader who can assess and adapt strategies across multiple channels.

While specialists might take time to optimize within their domain, a generalist can act quickly, making decisions that impact the entire funnel—from lead generation to conversion.

For instance, during my work with BlueLabel, I didn’t just focus on one channel like PPC or SEO.

Instead, I took a systematic, data-driven approach by evaluating all marketing activities.

In my first 90 days, I spent most of my time identifying which channels and strategies were converting, or not, and moving the budget accordingly.

This ability to pivot is crucial when you're growing fast.

2. Efficient Use of Resources

Specialists can be valuable, but they tend to focus narrowly on their own channel’s success.

A generalist, on the other hand, can assess the entire marketing budget and ensure that resources are directed to the most impactful initiatives.

At BlueLabel, I optimized an $800,000 marketing budget, cutting underperforming channels and doubling down on those that were driving the most growth.

The result?

A $5M increase in revenue within one year.

By reallocating funds from ineffective LinkedIn ads to high-converting platforms like Clutch, we saw an immediate improvement in lead quality and conversion rates.

3. Seeing the Big Picture

A marketing generalist can see how different tactics contribute to the overall strategy and how various channels impact each other.

This holistic view is something specialists often lack.

For example, a PPC specialist may focus purely on improving click-through rates, while a generalist can see how those clicks feed into the overall customer journey, aligning landing page optimizations, content strategy, and SEO to improve the customer acquisition cost (CAC).

At YML, where I helped scale the company to over 600 employees, my generalist approach allowed me to manage multiple moving parts—lead generation, content marketing, landing page optimization—all working in tandem to fuel their growth.

Common Misconceptions About Generalists

"Jack of All Trades, Master of None"

One of the biggest misconceptions about generalists is that they aren’t as skilled as specialists in any particular area.

The truth is, generalists excel in strategy and leadership because they can connect the dots between different channels, aligning them for maximum impact.

A generalist marketer isn't just good at many things—they are uniquely positioned to drive growth by focusing on what works across the board.

"Specialists Are Better for Fast Growth"

While specialists are great at optimizing specific tactics, they often lack the broader vision needed to guide a company through fast-paced growth.

A generalist, like a Fractional CMO, can provide the strategic oversight needed to ensure every aspect of the marketing machine is running smoothly and efficiently.

How a Generalist Adds Long-Term Value

Scalability: 

As companies grow, the role of a generalist becomes even more valuable. They can build scalable systems that allow the marketing function to grow without constantly needing to hire new specialists.

Testing and Optimization:

Generalists excel at testing across multiple channels. Instead of focusing on one tactic, they can experiment broadly, identify quick wins, and then scale successful strategies.

In Conclusion

Fast-growing companies require agile, cross-functional decision-making.

A marketing generalist, like a Fractional CMO, brings flexibility, speed, and strategic oversight that specialized teams can't offer.

By hiring a generalist, CEOs can ensure that every dollar spent on marketing contributes to both short-term wins and long-term growth.

If you’re a CEO looking for a marketing leader who can bring agility and strategic insight to your business, let’s talk about how I can help drive your company’s growth as your Fractional CMO.