This service includes a comprehensive marketing due diligence checklist tailored for private equity firms and portfolio management teams. With support from a fractional CMO, PE investors can uncover hidden risks, spot underutilized channels, and build strategic marketing blueprints for accelerated growth post-close.
✅ 1. Brand Positioning and Differentiation
Does the company have a clear, compelling brand story?
Is their positioning relevant and differentiated from competitors?
Are their values, messaging, and visual identity consistent?
🔎 Red Flag: Brand appears outdated or generic across channels—signals low customer loyalty or weak awareness.
What is the cost per lead (CPL), customer acquisition cost (CAC), and customer lifetime value (LTV)?
Which channels (organic, paid, referral, outbound) are performing?
Is there attribution tracking in place across the funnel?
📉 Watch for: High CAC with unclear attribution, or overreliance on one channel (e.g., paid search or founder referrals).
✅ 3. Digital Infrastructure
Are website and CRM systems integrated with sales and marketing automation?
Is the site SEO optimized with measurable traffic trends?
Are analytics and KPIs monitored in real time?
⚠️ Gaps here often signal scale constraints post-acquisition.
✅ 4. Team & Capability Assessment
Is there an in-house marketing leader, or is execution fully outsourced?
Are current teams equipped to scale marketing with PE growth targets?
Is there leadership capable of building a long-term marketing strategy?
🤝 This is where a fractional CMO often delivers high ROI—bridging leadership without full-time overhead.
✅ 5. Competitor Landscape and Share of Voice
How does the brand rank in search, social, and market visibility?
Are they clearly outperforming—or lagging behind—key competitors?
Are there untapped customer segments or markets?
📊 Use tools like SEMrush, SimilarWeb, and social listening to map visibility.
✅ 6. Customer Sentiment & Retention
Are reviews, NPS scores, or customer surveys positive and actionable?
Is churn increasing, and why?
Are there referral or upsell programs in place?
💬 Customers can be your best marketing channel—or your loudest warning sign.
Buy the first hour of development of your Marketing Due Diligence review here. After our call, a detailed proposal will be sent with your specific needs scoped. Pricing is as low as $499 for start ups to over $10,000 for more complicated PE pre and post-acquisition fractional CMO support.
