The Best Kept Secret in Business: A Fractional CMO

Written By Amanda Gianelloni

You have goals to grow your business, but you need someone you can trust in marketing to boost visibility, acquire customers, maximize lifetime value, and drive profitable growth. Easier said than done, right?

Businesses entering or currently in a growth stage often face challenges finding the right person for the right price. In a world where there is an endless quantity of marketers, what you need is a Chief Marketing Officer to lead and execute your marketing strategy. Many mid-sized and small businesses face challenges in affording a full-time CMO salary, and they often need more flexibility to navigate their current growth stage effectively.

Enter a Fractional CMO.

A Fractional Chief Marketing Officer serves as the executive leader for your marketing strategy and oversees your marketing department. “Fractional” means this role is not a full-time position. A Fractional CMO operates on a part-time basis and can work for your business a few hours or days a week. “CMO” represents a Chief Marketing Officer which is the most advanced strategic leadership role in the Marketing field. A Fractional CMO provides any company access to affordable top-tier marketing leadership.

A Fractional CMO is ideal for businesses that need high-level marketing leadership, but not in a full-time capacity. This role has gained massive popularity over the years because it provides businesses with access to high-level expertise, essential for driving growth and achieving marketing goals efficiently and effectively.


What Does a Fractional CMO Do For Your Business?

The versatility and flexibility of a Fractional CMO can provide tailored solutions and responsibilities for your business, but overall I have listed the primary responsibilities of a Fractional CMO:

  • Formulate and execute short-term and long-term marketing strategy.

  • Determine and dedicate efforts to the most effective marketing strategies for your business, whether it's paid ads, organic content marketing, podcasts, etc.

  • Address and swiftly resolve any current and future marketing challenges.

  • Lead and drive performance of your marketing team to achieve the organizational goals.

  • Recruit new talent and expand your team to ensure long-term growth and success.

  • Collaborate with agencies, leveraging their expertise.


Is a Fractional CMO the Right Fit For Your Business?

There are several instances where a Fractional CMO makes perfect sense to add to your business, whether it is short-term or long-term. Here are the main situations I see a Fractional CMO being a great fit your organization:

  • You are looking to invest in a new marketing function

  • You have an existing team and/or need to build a team that needs executive-level guidance and leadership

  • You are interested in getting a outside perspective on your marketing strategy and tactics

  • You want to get started on important go-to-market strategies and need more time to find the right person to take the full-time marketing leadership role.

  • You do not have time or money to look for a full-time CMO

  • You are spending a ton of your time on marketing-related tasks rather than other essential business tasks.

There are many more instances where hiring a Fractional CMO makes sense which highlights one of the primary benefits of a Fractional CMO: Flexibility. Eliminating the commitment or cost of a full-time CMO, a Fractional CMO provides the best of both worlds with the flexibility and agility you need to achieve your business goals.

What Makes a Good Fractional CMO?

If you have determined that a Fractional CMO would be a great addition to your business, now you are probably wondering how to identify the Fractional CMO that would be the best fit. A good Fractional CMO is an experienced marketing professional with a proven track record with high-growth companies, including having led a company through the growth stage that your business is in or is working towards. Also, having a Fractional CMO that exemplifies a high level of excellence professionally and personally, and has built the teams that align with your growth goals.

If you are ready to grow faster and add a Fractional CMO to your team, drop your contact information here and let’s go grow!

Amanda Gianelloni