The answers to all of the questions you have about what they are, how they help, and when to hire them.

I work with a lot of businesses that need strategic marketing guidance but that cannot afford to bring on a full-time marketing executive. Enter the Fractional CMO.

A Fractional CMO is a senior marketing leader who works for your business for a few hours per week or month. This gives you the benefit of strategic marketing thinking for a fraction of the price of a full-time hire. 

If this sounds like something your business could benefit from, read on. Here is what you need to know when thinking about hiring a Fractional CMO.

What do Fractional CMOs do?

Fractional CMOs set and own your marketing strategy. They help with the big picture (how will marketing help us reach our goals?) as well as with the brushstrokes (how might we make the most of our upcoming event?). 

The day-to-day work is wide-ranging and depends on your business’s needs. The Fractional CMO might…

• Guide your team on the marketing strategy implementation

• Lead go-to-market testing efforts

• Develop customer personas and user journeys

• Assess your marketing technology stack, identify gaps, and lead the implementation of new technology

• Manage 3rd-party vendors such as ad agencies

Who are Fractional CMOs?

Fractional CMOs are marketing experts with leadership experience. They understand the full breadth of considerations when marketing an organization. An experienced Fractional CMO will have led a range of businesses through marketing challenges, and will use that experience to better serve your business.

While Fractional CMOs can lead an overarching marketing function, many have areas of specialization. Some might specialize in a type of company (eg, venture-backed D2C) or an industry (eg, healthcare). Still others might have particular experience in an area of marketing that could bolster your team’s capabilities (eg, email marketing).

How do Fractional CMOs work?

Fractional CMOs report to the CEO and often attend leadership team meetings. The more they understand the overall business, the more they will be able to help. Fractional CMOs have the same enthusiasm, dedication, and commitment to your business as a full-time employee.

Fractional CMOs typically work on a weekly or monthly retainer. You might start your search knowing how many hours you’ll need them for (or can afford), or you can talk with them about how many hours they recommend. 

What should you look for in a Fractional CMO?

If you are thinking about engaging a Fractional CMO, start by defining where you think you need their support. It could be broad (“I need someone to take full ownership of my marketing”) or it could be narrow (“My website conversion rate is dropping and I don’t know why”).

Reach out to your network for recommendations. In doing so, be specific about the type of experience you’re looking for: 

• Do you want a marketing generalist or an expert in a marketing specialty such as email? 

• Is it important for candidates to be veterans of your industry?

• Do they need to have worked with businesses of a similar size as yours?

When you interview candidates, ask them about comparable experiences and suggested directions for how they might approach your business’s marketing. 

Ready to grow your business?

A Fractional CMO can be the perfect way to accelerate your business’s growth while staying within your budget. If you have any questions about Fractional CMOs, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Here are two ways I can help you:

1. Serve as your business’s Fractional CMO.

2. Analyze and optimize your marketing strategy.

   Interested? Send me a note.