How ReputationDefender Reversed Its Trajectory with a Go-to-Market Overhaul

When Chad became Managing Director of ReputationDefender, the company was at a critical inflection point. Once a category pioneer, it was now caught in a race it couldn’t win—competing in mass-market B2C channels where pricing had sunk and differentiation was scarce.

The company’s high-touch, high-price offerings couldn’t (and shouldn’t) compete on volume. Something had to change.

“We needed to rethink our market positioning, clearly define our target audience, refine our distribution strategy, and sharpen our overall product offering."

Split go-to-market strategy

ReputationDefender had two distinct solutions—privacy and reputation—but their go-to-market strategy was split between audiences with fundamentally different needs and expectations. It was like trying to serve two destinations with one map—neither one getting there.

To make matters more complex, there was pressure to fold one offering into the parent company, potentially dissolving a critical differentiator. Chad needed a partner who could challenge the status quo—and help execute a bold new vision.

From Noise to Niche

Swell Marketing Advisors came on board as a fractional CMO, but the role quickly expanded. What started as a leadership gap-fill became a full go-to-market transformation.

Together, we:

• Mapped market dynamics and emerging buyer behavior

• Researched upmarket competitors and defined a new target persona

• Aligned solutions, pricing, and messaging to the needs of high-trust, high-visibility individuals

• Shifted away from broad B2C channels and activated more targeted ones

• Equipped the sales team with new messaging, playbooks, and tools

• Improved marketing operations to enable faster execution and more accurate data

The company didn’t try to win on price—it built around differentiated value. Positioning, messaging, and persona focus created the alignment the business needed to grow again.

"When we engaged Swell Marketing Advisors, ReputationDefender was at a critical turning point. We needed to rethink our market positioning, clearly define our target audience, refine our distribution strategy, and sharpen our overall product offering. Celeste quickly brought clarity and focus to our strategic direction and helped align our teams for rapid execution. Although initially brought on as a fractional CMO, she swiftly became an essential strategic advisor across our entire business."

A New Path Forward

Within two quarters, ReputationDefender posted back-to-back double-digit growth—proof that the strategy was not just working, but resonating with the right audience.

Most importantly, the company changed its trajectory—by narrowing its focus, modernizing its solutions, and meeting a more sophisticated buyer where they are.

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