What is a Fractional CMO and How Can It Benefit Your Business?

A fractional Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) is an outsourced executive who performs the role of a CMO without your company having to commit to a full-time in-house leader. Learn more about what benefits hiring one could bring.

What is a Fractional CMO and How Can It Benefit Your Business?

This post was written by Michael Volkin, ranked as the best fractional CMO on Upwork.

A fractional CMO is a senior marketing executive hired part-time to provide executive-level leadership. They are responsible for leading the marketing strategy and overseeing the implementation and monitoring of the companies that hire them. An FCMO offers proven skills and capabilities along with repeatable marketing processes at a fraction of the cost of a full-time hire. The trend of fractional CMOs is gaining traction as businesses are finding success in this model to offer their marketing strategies.

A fractional CMO should be commensurate with those of a highly-trusted professional. At the strategic level, they can develop marketing plans, lead competitive intelligence initiatives, identify and manage progress towards KPIs; in essence, create a marketing machine that you can trust. A fractional CMO reports directly to the CEO and focuses on marketing plans, building relationships with partners, creating marketing processes, developing the sales portfolio, and more. Becoming a fractional CMO is as simple as “saving money and seeking part-time marketing contracts at the executive level.” They are the owner of your marketing function, that is, someone who can be the most senior marketing executive in a company, without needing you to bear a full-time cost.

As the chief executive responsible for their marketing efforts, they assume responsibilities such as influencer marketing, digital marketing, conversion rate optimization, SEO, payment methods, marketing automation, and account-based marketing. A fractional Chief Outsiders CMO not only strategizes or provides advice, but is also uniquely prepared to report to top management and is often asked to oversee execution and derive results from marketing initiatives. The fractional CMO is gaining ground as companies are succeeding in this model to lead their marketing strategy and marketing team. Chief Outsiders is responsible for ensuring that you hire a fractional CMO who has achieved excellence in marketing leadership, who has achieved proven results and who can align with your corporate culture. With this agreement, the fractional CMO will spend their time working with a few companies and, generally, not working on a project-by-project basis.

Working with a fractional CMO can bring an expert perspective to your marketing team and help companies address gaps in their marketing initiatives. A fractional CMO is a key part of your executive team, prepared with first-class experiences and knowledge that they use to adopt a holistic view of your business. Startups could consider hiring a fractional CMO to manage their fledgling marketing aspirations. A fractional chief marketing officer (CMO) is an outsourced marketing executive who performs the role of a CMO without your company having to commit to a full-time in-house marketing leader. Several organizations can benefit from hiring a fractional CMO agency.

What Are The Benefits Of Hiring A Fractional CMO?

Hiring a fractional CMO can bring many benefits to your business.

Firstly, they provide an expert perspective on your business’s current situation and how it can be improved. They can help you identify gaps in your current strategy and develop new strategies that will help you reach your goals faster. Additionally, they can help you create repeatable processes that will ensure consistent results over time. Another benefit of hiring a fractional CMO is that they are cost-effective compared to hiring a full-time employee. This means that you can get access to experienced professionals without having to commit to long-term contracts or high salaries.

Additionally, they are flexible and can work with you on short-term projects or long-term initiatives.

How To Evaluate If You Need A Fractional CMO?

If you’re considering hiring a fractional CMO for your business there are certain criteria you should evaluate first. Firstly, consider what kind of expertise you need from them – do you need someone who specializes in digital marketing or someone who has experience in traditional advertising? Secondly, consider how much time they will need to dedicate to your business – do you need someone who can work full-time or part-time? Finally, consider how much budget you have available for this role – do you need someone who can work within your budget? In conclusion, hiring a fractional CMO can be beneficial for businesses looking for an experienced professional without having to commit to long-term contracts or high salaries. They provide an expert perspective on your current situation and how it can be improved while also helping you create repeatable processes that will ensure consistent results over time.

Mike Volkin
Mike Volkin

Fractional CMO, author, speaker, and serial entrepreneur