Big-Brand Marketing, SMB Scale: Start with Strategy, Build on Trust and Measure What Matters

Small and medium businesses (SMBs) are facing a defining paradox in today’s digital marketplace. Access to powerful marketing technologies — from automation and CRM platforms to AI-driven analytics — has never been greater, yet cutting through the noise has never been harder. According to Salesforce’s Digital Marketing Guide for SMBs, even as these tools level the playing field, many smaller companies still “struggle to be seen” amid crowded digital channels. The result is a new kind of competition where visibility, not capability, determines who wins.

So, how can growing businesses apply big-brand marketing principles in a lean, strategic, and scalable way?

In this episode of Experts Talk, Jason Dyer, CMO and Partner at Chameleon Collective, joins host Ben Thomas to unpack how SMBs can move from reactive marketing tactics to intentional strategy. Drawing from his experience as a fractional CMO across industries, Dyer explains how smaller organizations can harness authenticity, smarter data, and content-driven storytelling to compete head-on with much larger rivals.

Top Takeaways 

• Strategy Before Spend – Too many SMBs jump into ads, websites, or AI tools without a foundational strategy. Success begins with clarifying who the business is targeting, why those audiences matter, and how the message aligns with their needs.

• The Buyer Owns the Journey – Much of the buying journey takes place digitally before a prospect ever speaks to sales. SMBs must map and understand this digital journey, identifying how and where customers engage long before direct contact.

• Authenticity Beats Perfection – Audiences trust people more than brands. User-generated content, testimonials, and even unpolished videos from real advocates drive engagement and credibility far more effectively than polished corporate messaging.

• Measure What Moves the Needle – Clicks and impressions are not the end goal. SMBs should focus on metrics tied to conversion and sales attribution, ensuring every marketing action connects to measurable business outcomes.

• Content Is the Great Equalizer – Creating consistent, authentic content—especially from leaders and experts within the organization—builds visibility and trust at low cost. AI can assist with ideation, but human insight remains essential for resonance and authenticity.

Jason Dyer is a seasoned marketing leader and Fractional CMO specializing in growth strategy for B2B SaaS and technology companies. With executive experience spanning global roles at Nokia and Google-acquired Quickoffice to founding and scaling ventures like TRUESPOT and RiptideOS, he’s known for translating complex marketing challenges into measurable growth. Through Chameleon Collective and his firm, Springloaded Strategies, Dyer partners with CEOs to align brand, strategy, and execution for sustainable business impact.

Article by Sonia Gossai