Case Study
Fractional CMO Case Study
A Lactation Consultant Startup
The Situation
A fast-growing lactation consulting group had something rare: a genuinely important service, a bold vision, and real momentum. After four years in business, they were expanding into major hospital systems and clinic locations across Texas — from Austin into Waco and Dallas/Fort Worth.
But growth has a way of creating its own problems. And they had a few.
What We Were Up Against
Rapid expansion, not enough staff. Scaling into hospital systems is exciting until you realize that IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) certification takes serious time — and certified consultants are in short supply. A big chunk of our marketing had to pivot toward recruiting, not just clients.
A perception problem. Lactation consultants were still being seen as a fringe “mothers’ helper” rather than a legitimate medical specialty. Their vision was bigger than that — they wanted IBCLCs recognized as a standard part of birth plans and mainstream medicine.
A website that wasn’t working. No SEO. Messaging that missed their actual audience. A domain authority of 9. An email list that had gone cold. Basically, a clean slate — which is either terrifying or exciting, depending on how you look at it. (I choose exciting.)
What We Did
We started where we always start: clarity. Who are we talking to, what do they actually need to hear, and where are they looking for answers?
From there, we built the foundation:
- Reframed the brand around “breastfeeding medicine” — a positioning shift that brought their services into the medical mainstream and gave them language their hospital partners respected
- Rebuilt their website messaging to speak directly to their 20- and 30-something clients in a voice that felt real and relatable
- SEO overhaul that raised their domain authority from 9 to 20
- Email list built from scratch using lead magnets and gated support groups — growing from 0 to 3,000 subscribers in one year
- Automated email sequences for class attendees with an 80% click-through rate (industry average is around 2-3%, for context)
- Weekly content marketing built around real questions new parents were already searching — driving consistent SEO traffic
- Instagram strategy with a dedicated social media hire and a content approach designed for new moms
The Results
- Email list: 0 → 3,000+ in 12 months
- Automated email CTR: 80% (yes, really)
- Birth and baby classes became profitable for the first time in 2024
- Domain authority: 9 → 23
- Geographic footprint expanded from Austin into two major Texas hospital systems and multiple clinic locations across Waco and DFW
- Lactation consulting repositioned as “breastfeeding medicine” — a framing now used across their hospital partnerships
The Takeaway
This one was a good reminder that marketing strategy isn’t always about finding customers. Sometimes it’s about finding the right staff, shifting a perception, or just getting the foundation solid enough to support the growth that’s already happening.
We didn’t have a giant budget. We had a smart plan, clear priorities, and a willingness to build one step at a time. That was enough.
Growing fast but marketing can’t keep up? That’s exactly what I do. Let’s talk about your business →