How to Build a Marketing System That Supports Growth—Without Adding Chaos

Most marketing systems collapse under the weight of their own complexity. You’re juggling tactics that don’t connect, spending hours on tasks that fail to move the needle. What if your marketing system could drive steady pipeline growth without turning your business upside down? Let us help you build a demand generation system designed for real growth—clear, repeatable, and built around your business. Let’s talk.

Building a Scalable Marketing System

Creating a marketing system that supports growth without chaos is possible. It hinges on a few key components that every business should prioritize.

Key Components of Success

A scalable marketing system starts with clear brand messaging. This means knowing exactly who your ideal customer is and crafting messages that speak directly to them. Next, you need a content engine that consistently attracts and nurtures leads. This content should be tailored to each stage of the buyer’s journey, from awareness to decision. Finally, a commitment to measuring real results, like pipeline growth rather than vanity metrics, keeps your efforts aligned with business goals.

Avoiding Chaos in Growth

Growth can quickly turn into chaos without a solid plan. Small business owners often find themselves overwhelmed by marketing tasks that don’t align with their goals. To avoid this, focus on a demand generation system that integrates seamlessly into your business operations. This approach helps you track leads, not likes, ensuring that every action contributes to your growth. By keeping your system straightforward, you can prevent chaos from taking hold as your business scales.

Replacing Ad-Hoc Marketing

Ad-hoc marketing is reactive and often inefficient. Transitioning to a scalable marketing system means shifting from random acts to a structured marketing playbook. This playbook guides your efforts, ensuring that all tactics align with a clear strategy. By creating a consistent lead flow, you can replace uncertainty with confidence, knowing that your system is designed to support growth without adding chaos.

The DV8 Growth Blueprint Advantage

The DV8 Growth Blueprint provides the structure needed for sustained growth. Learn how this system can help you achieve consistent pipeline growth.

Creating Consistent Pipeline Growth

The DV8 Growth Blueprint is built around a repeatable process. This system focuses on building a marketing system that consistently attracts and nurtures leads. It emphasizes clarity in messaging and strategic execution, allowing you to turn prospects into customers efficiently. By adopting this blueprint, you ensure that your marketing efforts translate into tangible results, such as increased lead generation and pipeline growth.

Tailored Marketing Solutions Explained

Every business is unique, and so should your marketing approach be. The DV8 Growth Blueprint offers tailored marketing solutions that reflect your business’s distinct needs and goals. We work closely with you to understand your challenges and create a system that aligns with your vision. This personalized approach not only enhances your brand visibility but also ensures that your marketing efforts are directly tied to revenue growth.

Omni-Channel Marketing Benefits

In today’s digital age, an omni-channel marketing strategy is essential. This approach ensures your brand is present wherever your audience is, from social media to search engines. The DV8 Growth Blueprint incorporates SEO and SEM services, web design that converts, and video marketing to create a comprehensive strategy that maximizes your brand’s reach. By doing so, you can engage with your audience effectively and drive more conversions.

Engage with Confidence

Taking the next step in your marketing journey can feel daunting, but with the right support, you can do it with confidence.

Free Consult and Growth Quiz

To understand where your marketing efforts stand, consider taking advantage of a free consult or growth quiz. These tools offer insights into your current strategies and identify areas for improvement. It’s a low-pressure way to gain clarity and set your business on the path to consistent lead flow.

Your Path to Consistent Lead Flow

Building a marketing system that supports growth starts with understanding your current position. By engaging in a growth quiz or consult, you can pinpoint what’s working and what needs adjustment. This step is crucial for creating a scalable marketing system that consistently generates leads and supports your business objectives.

Partnering with an Atlanta Marketing Agency

Choosing the right partner can make all the difference. An Atlanta marketing agency like Cornerstone Media Group offers the expertise and experience needed to build a demand generation system that aligns with your goals. With over 30 years of experience, we understand the complexities of small business marketing and are committed to providing solutions that drive results.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a demand generation system?

A demand generation system is a marketing approach that focuses on creating awareness and interest in a company’s products or services. It integrates various strategies like content marketing, SEO, and social media to attract and nurture potential leads, ultimately converting them into customers.

How does the DV8 Growth Blueprint work?

The DV8 Growth Blueprint is a proprietary system designed to provide businesses with a structured approach to marketing. It includes clear messaging, a content strategy, and lead nurturing processes that are tailored to each client’s unique needs, ensuring consistent pipeline growth.

Why is omni-channel marketing important?

Omni-channel marketing ensures that your brand maintains a consistent presence across all channels where your audience engages, from social media to search engines. This approach maximizes your reach and improves engagement, helping to drive more conversions and build stronger customer relationships.

How can a growth quiz help my business?

A growth quiz provides a quick assessment of your current marketing efforts, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement. It helps you understand where you stand and what steps you can take to enhance your marketing strategy, setting you up for consistent lead flow and growth.

What should I look for in a marketing agency?

When choosing a marketing agency, consider their experience, expertise, and ability to provide tailored solutions. Look for a partner who understands your business’s unique needs and offers a comprehensive range of services to support your growth objectives.

Is your marketing effective? Take our FREE Marketing Quiz to see how your current marketing efforts are doing right now

Ready for the Next Stage? Why Tailored Marketing Beats Templates Every Time

by Mark Treager Uncategorized

Most small business marketing feels like a one-size-fits-all suit: it never quite fits right, and it restricts your growth. When you’re ready to move beyond that, tailored marketing makes every dollar count by fitting your unique business needs. Let’s talk about how a custom marketing strategy, built around a proven demand generation system, gets your brand pulling qualified leads without relying on you. Ready to see how this works?

Why Tailored Marketing Prevails

Every business is unique, and so should its marketing strategy be. While templates offer a quick fix, they often fail to capture the essence of what sets your business apart. Let’s dive into why a custom approach is the game-changer.

The Limits of Templates

Templates promise ease, but they often fall short on impact. They may help you launch quickly, but they rarely resonate with your specific audience. When everyone has the same template, how will your brand stand out? Templates don’t account for your unique selling points, leading to messages that feel generic and miss the mark. They might save time upfront, but they can cost you in missed opportunities and unengaged prospects.

Custom Strategies for Growth

Now, picture a strategy that’s crafted just for you. A custom marketing strategy considers your goals, audience, and brand story. It doesn’t just fill in the blanks; it builds a narrative that speaks directly to your customers. Imagine knowing exactly where to focus your efforts, without wasting time on channels that don’t work for you. Custom strategies align with your business journey, supporting sustainable growth by leveraging unique insights and data-driven tactics.

Engaging Your Unique Audience

When you understand your audience, engagement becomes effortless. Custom strategies go beyond demographics, diving into behaviors and preferences. Imagine knowing your audience’s pain points and addressing them directly through targeted messaging. This isn’t about shouting into the void; it’s about starting conversations that matter. By connecting with your audience on a deeper level, you build trust and loyalty that templates just can’t match.

Building a Demand Generation System

Harnessing the power of a demand generation system means you’re not just reaching out—you’re pulling in qualified leads. Let’s explore how this approach transforms your marketing into a well-oiled machine.

What is a Growth Blueprint?

A Growth Blueprint outlines the steps to make your marketing system robust and effective. It’s your roadmap to consistent lead generation. This step-by-step plan is tailored to your business, ensuring that every action you take leads to measurable results. Instead of sporadic efforts, you have a cohesive plan that guides your marketing activities and keeps your brand top of mind with potential customers.

Essentials of a Custom Marketing Strategy

At the heart of a successful marketing system is a custom strategy tailored to fit your needs. This strategy isn’t just about tactics; it’s about creating a cohesive message that resonates across all channels. From defining your brand message to selecting the right platforms, each element is designed to work together. With a clear strategy, you can focus on what truly matters: building relationships and driving growth.

Capturing Qualified Leads

Qualified leads are the lifeblood of your business. With a solid demand generation system, you don’t chase leads—they come to you. By understanding your audience and crafting targeted campaigns, you attract prospects who are ready to engage. This means less time spent on cold calls and more time closing deals. A well-executed system ensures you’re always in front of the right people at the right time.

The DV8 Advantage

What sets DV8 apart is our commitment to owner-independent marketing solutions. We help you build a system that runs smoothly, even without constant oversight from you.

Owner-Independent Marketing Solutions

Imagine a marketing system that works even when you’re not there. With DV8, you’re not tied to every campaign decision. We create systems that empower your team to act independently, keeping your marketing efforts consistent and effective, without relying on you as the engine. This means you can focus on growing your business, knowing that your marketing is in good hands.

Conversion-Focused Web Design

Your website is often the first impression customers have of your business. A conversion-focused design ensures that this impression is a lasting one. We prioritize user experience, creating websites that guide visitors naturally towards making a purchase or inquiry. This is not just about aesthetics; it’s about functionality and results. With the right design, your website becomes a powerful tool for converting visitors into customers.

Video Marketing for Trust and Engagement

Video marketing is one of the most engaging forms of content. It allows you to tell your story in a compelling way. At DV8, we use video to build trust and deepen engagement with your audience. Through well-crafted videos, you can convey your brand’s personality, showcase products, and address customer needs directly. This fosters a sense of connection and confidence, making your brand memorable and trustworthy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main advantage of a custom marketing strategy over a template?

A custom marketing strategy is tailored to your business needs, audience, and goals, providing a more effective and resonant message compared to one-size-fits-all templates.

How does a demand generation system benefit small businesses?

It creates a structured approach to attracting qualified leads, ensuring that your efforts result in consistent growth and engagement with the right audience.

Why is owner-independent marketing important?

It allows your marketing to operate effectively without constant oversight, freeing up your time to focus on other business areas while maintaining consistent brand messaging.

What role does web design play in conversion?

Effective web design enhances user experience, guiding visitors towards taking action and thus increasing the likelihood of conversions from your site.

How does video marketing build trust?

Videos allow you to authentically showcase your brand, products, and values, which helps in creating a personal connection with your audience, fostering trust and engagement.

Is your marketing effective? Take our FREE Marketing Quiz to see how your current marketing efforts are doing right now

Digital Marketing Manager Jobs: Hire Now or Build a Demand Engine First?

by Mark Treager Uncategorized

Most business owners face a tough question: should you hire a digital marketing manager now or build a demand engine first? The real costs, role scope, and timing behind “digital marketing manager jobs” often get overlooked. We’ll show how the DV8 Growth Blueprint powers your first marketing hire—or keeps leads flowing until you’re ready to add talent. Let’s talk about what makes sense for your business growth right now.

In today’s competitive landscape, understanding when to initiate digital marketing lead generation is crucial for SMBs aiming to scale effectively. Alternatively, employing a strategic demand generation system can streamline your approach, ensuring consistent lead flow. For those leveraging LinkedIn, it’s time to shift from simply posting to pulling demand, optimizing your outreach and engagement efforts.

Hiring vs. Building a Demand Engine

To grow your business, you need the right marketing strategy. But should you hire a manager or build a demand engine first? Let’s explore both options.

Pros and Cons of Hiring a Manager

When you hire a digital marketing manager, you bring strategic insight directly into your team. This person can offer fresh ideas and manage daily operations. But there are downsides too. Digital marketing manager salaries can be high, potentially straining your budget. Additionally, not every business immediately needs a full-time manager. Consider if your current team could handle some tasks themselves first. Hiring might be tempting, but weighing these pros and cons can help you make the right decision.

Building a Demand Generation System First

Creating a demand generation system offers a scalable solution. This system captures leads consistently without needing a large team. By focusing on what works, you can tailor marketing efforts to your specific audience, reducing inefficiencies. Over time, such a system can manage lead generation, freeing up resources for other growth areas. This approach is cost-effective, especially for small to mid-sized businesses. While a demand engine requires initial setup, the long-term benefits make it worthwhile.

Timing and Costs: What to Consider

Timing and cost play crucial roles in your decision. Hiring a manager immediately demands salary commitment and onboarding time. However, setting up a demand engine requires investment in the right tools and expertise. Before deciding, assess your current needs and budget constraints. If your business thrives on immediate expert input, hiring might be necessary. Alternatively, building a demand system could be right if you aim to create a marketing process that grows alongside your business.

The DV8 Growth Blueprint Advantage

Now that we’ve explored your options, let’s dive into how the DV8 Growth Blueprint can help streamline these decisions.

Streamlining Your First Marketing Hire

The DV8 Growth Blueprint can make your first marketing hire more efficient. This program lays a solid groundwork with clear structures and goals, ensuring any new hire can hit the ground running. By defining roles and expectations upfront, you eliminate guesswork, making it easier for your new manager to integrate. This structured approach saves time and sets your team up for success.

Operating as Your Fractional Team

Consider the DV8 Growth Blueprint as an extension of your team. Acting as a fractional marketing team, it fills gaps while your business grows. This model provides strategic guidance without the overhead of full-time staff. You gain access to seasoned experts who align with your business goals, ensuring progress without immediate hiring pressures.

Measuring Success with Marketing KPIs

Tracking success is key to any marketing effort. The DV8 Growth Blueprint emphasizes monitoring marketing KPIs—helping you understand what’s working and where to pivot. By focusing on metrics like lead conversion and engagement rates, you gain insights into your strategy’s effectiveness. This data-driven approach ensures you make informed decisions, optimizing your marketing efforts for better results.

Making the Right Decision for Your Business

With all the insights provided, you can make an informed choice for your business’s marketing future.

Comparing In-House vs. Agency Marketing

There are clear differences between in-house and agency marketing. While an in-house team offers direct control, agencies bring diverse expertise and resources. Consider your business size, budget, and marketing needs to find the best fit. Agencies can provide comprehensive solutions without full-time commitments, making them ideal for smaller businesses.

Crafting Your 30-60-90 Plan Marketing

A well-defined 30-60-90 plan marketing strategy sets clear milestones for the first three months of any marketing initiative. This plan provides a roadmap, ensuring alignment and accountability. By setting realistic goals, you can track progress and adapt as needed, ensuring your marketing efforts remain effective and focused.

Book a Free Demand Audit Today

Feeling uncertain? Booking a free demand audit can clarify your next steps. Discover where your marketing stands and how it can improve. This audit uncovers opportunities, offering tailored recommendations to enhance your strategy. The longer you wait, the more potential growth you might miss. Let us help you make informed marketing decisions today.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a digital marketing manager do?

A digital marketing manager creates and implements marketing strategies, oversees campaigns, and analyzes performance metrics. They ensure your brand reaches the right audience effectively.

How do I decide between hiring a manager and building a demand engine?

Consider your budget, current marketing needs, and long-term goals. If you need immediate expertise, hire a manager. For scalable lead generation, a demand engine might be more beneficial.

What is a demand generation system?

It’s a strategy focused on creating consistent, high-quality leads. This system uses tools and processes to attract, engage, and convert prospects into customers.

How can a 30-60-90 plan benefit my marketing efforts?

A 30-60-90 plan outlines clear objectives for the first three months, ensuring your marketing efforts are structured and focused. It helps in tracking progress and making necessary adjustments.

Why choose the DV8 Growth Blueprint?

The DV8 Growth Blueprint offers a comprehensive, tailored marketing system designed to scale with your business. It’s created to attract leads consistently, without overwhelming your resources.

Is your marketing effective? Take our FREE Marketing Quiz to see how your current marketing efforts are doing right now

Lead Generation, Defined: What It Really Means for Small Businesses

by Mark Treager Uncategorized

Most small businesses think lead generation means collecting as many contacts as possible. That’s only part of the picture. What really matters is turning genuine interest into a steady stream of qualified leads who can grow your pipeline. In this post, we’ll clear up what lead generation really means, how it differs from demand generation, and why quality beats quantity every time. Let us help you build a marketing system that works for your business—let’s talk about how the DV8 Growth Blueprint can make that happen.

To truly grasp the essence of digital marketing lead generation, it’s vital to move beyond just accumulating contacts. The focus should be on fostering a consistent influx of qualified leads. Our approach at Cornerstone Media Group is to replace guesswork with strategic action. Explore how our marketing flowchart can ignite growth and drive results for your business.

Let’s face it, posting aimlessly doesn’t cut it anymore. Engage with platforms like LinkedIn wisely by learning to pull demand effectively. It’s time to elevate your inbound lead engine and transform your approach to small business lead generation. Let us help you build a system that resonates with your target audience.

Understanding Lead Generation

Lead generation is not just about gathering contacts. It’s creating a steady stream of qualified leads for your business. Let’s explore what this truly means.

Lead Generation Meaning Explained

Lead generation involves attracting potential customers and nurturing them into making purchasing decisions. It’s more than just capturing contact information; it’s about creating interest and converting that into action. By focusing on quality over quantity, you ensure that the leads you attract are genuinely interested in your services or products. This approach not only increases your chances of conversion but also builds a more loyal customer base.

What is Lead Generation Really?

Lead generation is the process of identifying and cultivating potential customers for your business’s products or services. It involves creating opportunities to engage with prospects who have shown interest. The key is to nurture these leads through personalized communication, ensuring they feel valued and understood. By doing so, you increase the likelihood of turning interest into actual sales, ultimately supporting your pipeline growth and business objectives.

Lead Quality vs Quantity

When it comes to lead generation, quality trumps quantity. While gathering a large number of leads might seem beneficial, it’s the quality of those leads that truly impacts your bottom line. High-quality leads are more likely to convert into paying customers because they have a genuine interest in what you offer. By focusing on lead quality, you not only optimize your marketing efforts but also enhance customer satisfaction and retention.

Lead Generation vs Demand Generation

Understanding the difference between lead generation and demand generation is crucial. While they may seem similar, they serve distinct purposes in your marketing strategy.

Distinguishing the Two

Lead generation and demand generation often get confused, but they have different goals. Lead generation is about capturing contact information and nurturing potential customers, while demand generation focuses on creating awareness and interest in your brand. By combining these strategies, you can build a robust marketing system that not only attracts potential customers but also prepares them for conversion.

Building a Demand Generation System

A successful demand generation system starts with understanding your audience and creating content that resonates with them. This involves crafting messages that speak directly to their needs and challenges. By doing so, you establish your brand as an authority in your industry, which builds trust and interest. This system is designed to work seamlessly, creating a continuous flow of interest and engagement from potential customers.

Why Quality Beats Volume

When it comes to generating leads, quality should always be the priority. High-quality leads are more engaged and more likely to convert. By focusing on quality, you can reduce the time and resources spent on chasing unqualified leads. This approach ensures your marketing efforts are more efficient and effective, ultimately leading to increased revenue and business growth.

DV8 Growth Blueprint: Your Path to Success

The DV8 Growth Blueprint is your roadmap to creating a sustainable and scalable marketing system that drives results. Here’s how it works.

Cornerstone Media Group’s Unique Approach

At Cornerstone Media Group, we believe in a personalized approach to marketing. Our DV8 Growth Blueprint is designed to align with your business’s unique needs and goals. By focusing on tailored strategies, we ensure your marketing efforts are not only effective but also sustainable. We integrate into your business operations, providing a seamless partnership that fosters growth and success.

Building a Scalable Marketing System

Our approach involves creating a marketing system that you own. This system is built to scale with your business, meaning you won’t have to start from scratch every time you grow. The DV8 Growth Blueprint provides a clear path, combining brand strategy, content creation, and demand generation to create a powerful engine that drives continuous results. It’s about building a system that works for you, not against you.

Book Your Free Consult Today

Now that you understand the power of a tailored marketing system, it’s time to take the next step. Transform your marketing efforts with our DV8 Growth Blueprint and unlock the potential for growth and success. Book your free consultation with Cornerstone Media Group today and start building a marketing system that delivers consistent, scalable results for your business.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is lead generation?

Lead generation is the process of attracting and converting potential customers into leads by creating interest in your products or services. It focuses on nurturing these leads to eventually make a purchase.

How does demand generation differ from lead generation?

Demand generation aims to build awareness and interest in your brand, while lead generation focuses on capturing contact information and nurturing potential customers. Both strategies work together to drive business growth.

Why is lead quality more important than quantity?

Focusing on lead quality ensures that your marketing efforts target individuals genuinely interested in your products or services. This results in higher conversion rates, better customer relationships, and increased revenue.

How can Cornerstone Media Group help my business?

Cornerstone Media Group offers a personalized approach to marketing through the DV8 Growth Blueprint. We build a scalable marketing system tailored to your business, ensuring sustainable growth and success.

What is the DV8 Growth Blueprint?

The DV8 Growth Blueprint is a comprehensive marketing system designed by Cornerstone Media Group. It integrates brand strategy, content creation, and demand generation to create a powerful engine that drives consistent results for your business.

Is your marketing effective? Take our FREE Marketing Quiz to see how your current marketing efforts are doing right now

Company Leads, On Repeat: Build a Demand Engine That Doesn’t Depend on You

by Mark Treager Uncategorized

Most small businesses hit the same wall: leads come in fits and starts, never steady enough to count on. You’ve tried social posts, paid ads, and email blasts, but the real challenge is turning those tactics into a system that pulls qualified company leads consistently. What if your marketing worked like clockwork, freeing you from the daily grind and delivering steady growth? Let us help you build a demand generation system designed just for your business—one that runs itself and grows with you.

For many, the key lies in finding the Best Lead Generation Tools that truly drive demand. Imagine turning your marketing efforts into a seamless process that delivers reliable results. Our approach focuses on creating a Demand Engine that ensures a constant flow of qualified leads, eliminating the inconsistency.

You want to build a system that not only captures interest but converts it. That’s where our expertise in crafting Landing Pages that truly convert comes into play. By optimizing each step of the buyer’s journey, we ensure every interaction leads to potential growth.

Build a Consistent Lead Flow

Rethink Your Marketing Strategy

Are your marketing efforts feeling scattered? It’s time to change that. Instead of chasing after every new trend, focus on building a system that consistently brings in qualified leads. By shifting your mindset from tactics to strategy, you lay the groundwork for a reliable lead flow that doesn’t require constant hands-on management.

The Power of a Demand Engine

Imagine if your marketing worked like clockwork. A demand generation system can transform your business by creating a steady stream of leads. It’s about building an engine that does the heavy lifting for you. This system blends SEO and SEM, content marketing, and more to pull in leads seamlessly.

Tailor-Made for Your Business

Every business has unique needs. A custom marketing system ensures your strategy aligns with your specific goals and market dynamics. By focusing on what sets your business apart, you create a demand engine that reflects your brand’s strengths and resonates with your target audience.

Components of a Demand Generation System

Crafting Clear Brand Messaging

Your message is the foundation of your marketing. It needs to speak directly to your ideal customer. A strong brand messaging strategy clearly communicates who you are and why you’re the best choice. This clarity turns confusion into understanding and, ultimately, action.

Leveraging SEO and SEM

Getting found online is crucial. By leveraging SEO and SEM strategies, your business can appear in front of the right people at the right time. It’s not just about visibility — it’s about attracting those who are most likely to convert into loyal customers.

Websites That Convert and Engage

Your website should do more than look good. It needs to engage visitors and guide them toward taking action. By designing websites that convert, you ensure that every visitor interaction contributes to your lead generation goals. A well-optimized site is a powerful tool in your demand generation arsenal.

Take Action: Boost Your Growth

Free Demand Checkup Offer

Don’t let another day pass with a marketing strategy that isn’t working. We offer a free demand checkup to identify opportunities for growth. This is your chance to see where improvements can be made to enhance your lead flow.

Explore the DV8 Growth Blueprint

The DV8 Growth Blueprint is your pathway to consistent leads. This comprehensive system addresses every aspect of demand generation, from messaging to execution. It’s designed to adapt and grow with your business, ensuring long-term success.

Your Path to Consistent Company Leads

Ready to transform your lead generation strategy? Embrace a system that puts your business on the path to predictable growth. By committing to a demand generation system tailored to your needs, you set the stage for a future filled with opportunity and expansion.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I improve my lead generation strategy?

Start by evaluating your current approach and pinpointing areas that lack consistency. Implement a demand generation system that integrates clear messaging, SEO, and a website designed to convert visitors into leads.

What is the importance of SEO in lead generation?

SEO ensures that your business gets found by potential customers searching for your services or products. It’s a critical component of a strong lead generation strategy, driving targeted traffic to your site.

Why should I consider a custom marketing system?

A custom marketing system is tailored to your business’s unique needs and goals. It reflects your brand’s identity and targets your specific audience, resulting in more effective lead generation and growth.

What makes a website effective in generating leads?

An effective website is one that engages visitors and guides them toward taking action, whether it’s signing up for a newsletter or making a purchase. It should be optimized for both user experience and conversion.

How does the DV8 Growth Blueprint help my business?

The DV8 Growth Blueprint is a comprehensive demand generation system designed to provide consistent lead flow. It addresses all aspects of marketing, from messaging to execution, and adapts to your business as it grows.

Is your marketing effective? Take our FREE Marketing Quiz to see how your current marketing efforts are doing right now