Frequently Asked Questions

Lori Berson is the founder and principal of BersonDeanStevens. She has 27+ years of marketing and creative leadership experience, has taught advertising and marketing at UCLA and Art Center College of Design, and is the co-author of Ready-Made Marketing. She has led marketing for companies including Anthem, Charles Schwab, Dole, Paramount, Disney, and Warner Bros. Lori serves as a fractional CMO and CCO for BDS clients.

BDS is headquartered in Westlake Village, California (Los Angeles area) and works with clients across the United States.

A fractional CCO (Chief Creative Officer) provides senior creative leadership on a flexible basis, overseeing brand identity, creative direction, and the quality of all marketing output. BDS founder Lori Berson serves as both a fractional CMO and a fractional CCO for clients.

A fractional CMO (Chief Marketing Officer), CRO (Chief Revenue Officer), CDO (Chief Digital Officer), or CCO (Chief Creative Officer) provides senior-level marketing or creative leadership on a part-time basis.

This model allows companies to access experienced strategic leadership without the cost and long-term commitment of a full-time executive. It is commonly used during growth phases, transition periods, or when internal marketing teams need high-level guidance but not a 40-hour role.

Fractional CMO engagements work for growth-stage companies building or rebuilding a marketing function, mid-market businesses that need senior marketing leadership but aren’t ready for a full-time hire, companies in transition (new product launch, rebrand, fundraising, or M&A), and organizations with internal marketing teams that need senior strategic direction.

A full-time CMO typically costs $200,000–$400,000+ per year in salary and benefits, plus recruiting costs and ramp-up time. A fractional CMO gives you that same level of strategic expertise on the days and hours you actually need it, at a fraction of the cost.

AI readiness assessment, AI-powered content strategy and production workflows, marketing automation setup and optimization, CRM integration and lead nurturing, technology selection and onboarding, and ongoing optimization and reporting.

Traditional agencies often focus on creative production or media placement.

A strategic firm begins with business goals. Revenue targets, growth priorities, customer segments, and competitive dynamics shape the plan. Creative development and channel execution follow that strategy.

Measurement is continuous and tied to business performance, not just impressions or clicks.

Both. The strategic foundation remains consistent: clear positioning, disciplined execution, and measurable outcomes.

Execution differs based on:

• Buying cycle length.

• Number of decision-makers.

• Sales complexity.

• Customer behavior.

B2B environments often require longer nurturing cycles and multi-stakeholder messaging. B2C environments typically emphasize speed, emotional engagement, and conversion efficiency.

We’ve worked across financial services, professional services, healthcare, technology, and consumer brands.

That breadth is intentional. While every industry has its nuances, the fundamentals of positioning, demand generation, and conversion strategy remain consistent.

Our advantage is perspective. We bring insights from multiple markets, which helps us see opportunities others may miss. Instead of being limited by one industry playbook, we apply proven principles and adapt them to your specific competitive landscape.

Internal teams are important. They know the product, the culture, and the day-to-day realities of the business.

What many companies lack is senior strategic leadership and deep, cross-channel expertise. Hiring that level of talent full-time is expensive and often unnecessary.

An external partner brings an objective perspective, broader experience across industries, and specialized skills that would be difficult to replicate in-house. You gain strategic depth and execution capacity without adding permanent overhead.

Yes. Strategy without execution does not create results. Execution without strategy leads to wasted budget.

We define the direction, then we build and implement the programs that move you toward it.

A fractional CMO (Chief Marketing Officer), CRO (Chief Revenue Officer), CDO (Chief Digital Officer), or CCO (Chief Creative Officer) provides senior-level marketing or creative leadership on a part-time basis.

This model allows companies to access experienced strategic leadership without the cost and long-term commitment of a full-time executive. It is commonly used during growth phases, transition periods, or when internal marketing teams need high-level guidance but not a 40-hour role.

Yes. We adapt to your structure.

Engagement models may include:

• Leading the marketing function.

• Supporting internal leadership.

• Augmenting specific skill gaps.

The goal is not to replace your team. It is to strengthen it and ensure everyone is aligned around clear priorities and measurable outcomes.

Yes. AI tools can improve efficiency, enhance personalization, accelerate research, and strengthen analytics.

However, AI does not replace strategic judgment, brand positioning, or creative leadership. It functions as a support tool within a defined strategy.

A focused strategic roadmap typically takes several weeks.

More complex organizations may require additional time for stakeholder alignment, data analysis, and internal coordination.

We balance thoroughness with momentum. The goal is clarity, not delay.

Effective collaboration includes:

• Defined roles and responsibilities.

• Established communication cadence.

• Transparent reporting structure.

• Executive-level decision checkpoints.

You know who is responsible for what, when updates happen, and how progress is measured.

Our objective is seamless integration with your leadership and operational teams.

It depends on the scope. The appropriate level of involvement is determined at the outset.

For strategic alignment and decision-making, leadership involvement is essential.

For execution-heavy initiatives, we can carry most of the workload while keeping you informed and aligned at key checkpoints.

Reporting cadence typically includes:

• Monthly performance reviews.

• Quarterly strategic assessments.

More frequent reporting may be appropriate for high-velocity or performance-driven campaigns.

The cadence depends on the complexity and speed of the initiative.

Marketing performance is iterative.

When results do not meet expectations, adjustments may include:

• Messaging refinement.

• Targeting changes.

• Channel reallocation.

• Budget optimization.

• Conversion path improvements.

The focus is continuous improvement, not defending initial assumptions.

Budgets vary based on objectives, competitive landscape, and channel mix.

A serious growth initiative requires sufficient investment in both strategy and execution. Underfunded programs rarely generate meaningful returns.

We help you align spend with realistic outcomes.

Marketing investment is evaluated based on its contribution to:

• Qualified lead generation.

• Sales pipeline growth.

• Customer acquisition.

• Revenue impact.

Marketing should be accountable to measurable business outcomes.

Yes, with prioritization.

When budgets are constrained, we focus on the highest-impact initiatives first and avoid spreading limited resources too thin.

Concentration drives results. Fragmentation reduces them.

Yes. We approach websites as growth platforms, not just digital brochures. That includes strategy, user experience, content architecture, messaging, and development.

We align automation with the customer journey.

This may include:

• Lead nurturing workflows.

• Trigger-based communications.

• CRM integration.

• Behavioral segmentation.

The objective is improved efficiency and higher conversion rates.

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We assess your current technology stack and identify gaps or inefficiencies.

Then we integrate tools to ensure accurate tracking, clean reporting, and alignment between marketing and sales.

Technology is integrated to support growth, not add complexity.

We assess your current stack and integrate tools to ensure accurate tracking, reporting, and alignment with sales.

Yes. Confidentiality agreements are standard practice, and we treat client information with discretion and care.

Yes. Audits typically evaluate:

• Strategy and positioning.

• Messaging clarity.

• Channel effectiveness.

• Technology configuration.

• Performance metrics.

The goal is to identify gaps, inefficiencies, and opportunities for measurable improvement.

Yes. We can train internal teams on systems, strategy, messaging, and execution frameworks to strengthen internal capability where needed.