Check this out Reader-

I just got off a call with an AI startup founder who spent six months and $50,000 with a "growth marketing expert" who kept asking the engineering team to "simplify" their computer vision platform.

The result? Marketing that sounded like every other "AI-powered solution" out there, and zero qualified leads from their target market of manufacturing engineers.

Sound familiar?

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Here's what I've learned after working with everyone from Fortune 100 deep tech companies to early-stage AI startups: the biggest mistake isn't picking the wrong marketing strategy, it's picking the wrong type of marketing leader.

Most fractional CMOs fall into predictable categories:

• Brand builders who make things look pretty but can't explain your tech
• Growth hackers who optimize everything except the stuff that matters to technical buyers
• Strategy consultants who give you beautiful frameworks but zero execution

But here's the thing your competitors probably don't know: there's actually a fifth option that most AI startups never consider.

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I just published a detailed breakdown of all five types of fractional CMOs for AI startups, including the specific questions to ask during interviews and the red flags that'll save you months of frustration.
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​Read the full guide here: Best Fractional CMO Companies for AI Startups →​

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The guide includes:

✓ A decision framework based on your sales cycle and product complexity

✓ Real examples of where each approach works (and where it fails)

✓ Interview questions that reveal whether they actually understand technical products

✓ The hidden costs of getting this decision wrong

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Worth a read if you're tired of marketing that sounds like it was written by someone who's never seen a neural network.

New Podcast Alert

AI is everywhere, but what does meaningful adoption actually look like in marketing? I joined TAMR CEO, Anthony Deighton, on the Data Masters podcast to unpack how organizations can use AI strategically to drive results. I outline practical examples and a maturity model for AI in marketing, helping teams align tech with business outcomes. I break down where AI delivers the most value, from low-risk productivity tools to fully automated, cross-functional workflows... and I offer guidance on the metrics that matter, how to tackle data fragmentation and why upskilling is critical for growth. Watch the conversation here on YouTube.

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Hit reply and let me know what you think of it after you're done?
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Talk soon,

Lillian Pierson

Growth Partner & Fractional CMO

P.S. If you're currently working with a marketing person who keeps asking you to "dumb down" your technology... that's probably not the right fit. Technical buyers are smart, your marketing should be too.

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