Client Snapshot

Lucent Financial Planning is a boutique, high-trust financial planning firm based in Solihull, supporting high-net-worth clients across Birmingham, the Midlands, and beyond. With an enviable reputation for client service — reflected in consistently high ratings on VouchedFor, Unbiased, and Google — Lucent combines technical expertise with a refreshingly human and entertaining approach to financial advice.

The Marketing Challenge

Despite its strong reputation, Lucent operated without a dedicated marketing lead and marketing team. Day-to-day marketing was shared between advisers and external partners, with no centralised strategy. As part of a long-term plan to transition the business to employee ownership, Founder Steve Rowe sought a commercially-minded marketing leader who could build the foundations for future growth — without the overhead of a full-time team.

Lucent needed to:

• Refine its value proposition to attract higher-value clients
• Reposition the brand to express both functional outcomes and emotional resonance
• Rebuild its underperforming website
• Launch a structured content strategy rooted in storytelling and education
• Introduce lead magnets and nurture tools to convert interest into business

The Solution

Paul Mills was engaged as a retained Fractional CMO, working 3 days per month to lead strategic and operational transformation. The engagement began with strategic planning sessions, followed by a focused roadmap for marketing rebuild and team enablement. Most delivery was remote, with periodic on-site visits for workshops and team training.

Key initiatives included:

• Leading an RFP and agency selection for a complete website rebuild and brand refresh
• Developing a mobile-first, user-led website launched within 4 months
• Designing a new content strategy tailored to Lucent’s updated ICPs
• Upskilling internal staff on web maintenance and AI-powered content ideation
• Embedding reporting dashboards and KPIs to track marketing effectiveness
• Providing weekly 1:1 support to the Founder and input into major marketing investments

The Outcome

Over the first 12 months, Lucent has seen a strategic shift in its marketing maturity:

• Clearer brand identity and positioning aligned with long-term growth goals
• Improved search visibility, with Google and AI snippets now driving organic traffic
• Enhanced client communication and engagement through structured content
• Greater team capability and confidence in marketing execution
• Early signs of attracting higher-value clients without diluting the existing client experience
• Trusted strategic input on where to invest — and what to avoid — in marketing

Client Testimonial

"Paul has been instrumental in reshaping how we approach marketing at Lucent. His strategic clarity, attention to detail, and ability to deliver at pace have been exceptional. He’s embedded himself seamlessly into the team and quickly earned trust — not just from me, but from our wider staff and partners. The website and content strategy he led have already started delivering results, and I now feel far more confident in how we grow the business over the coming years."

Steve Rowe
Founder, Lucent Financial Planning

‍About VCMO

VCMO is a UK-based provider of fractional marketing services, supporting B2B SMEs—ranging from funded scale-ups to mid-tier and private equity-backed businesses—through key moments of growth and transformation. Its Chartered Fractional CMOs and SOSTAC® certified planners embed strategic marketing leadership into organisations navigating product launches, new market entry, acquisitions, and leadership gaps.