What Is a Fractional CMO?

Especially in moments when your business is doing quite well, your needs might sometimes not scale uniformly. Even though you might not be ready for multi-six figure commitments, a specialized marketing service could help solder on in such times. This is where fraction chief marketing officers (CMOs) come in – they fulfill the role of marketing executives while working on a part-time basis.

If you’re into part-time marketing jobs, you could be asking yourself questions like, what is fractional CMO? In this presentation, you will get insights about the benefits of being one and how you can execute your CMO responsibilities. Read on

What Does a Fractional CMO Do?

As you might already have an existing in-house team, a fractional chief marketing officer should come in to lead that team. From the fractional CMO definition, we can see that this is a part-time role of streamlining the marketing team’s day-to-day activities. Your team might also need help and guidance on how to achieve the company’s goals and objectives.

For those needing to revamp their current digital outlets like social media, CMOs can be quite helpful. Especially if your digital presence isn’t cohesive across all channels. Now, in a world where first impression means almost everything, you cannot afford to turn a blind eye to consistent branding. Actually, just recently, in early 2023, Redblink found that companies that offered their customers consistent experiences across different channels witnessed a 23% increase in revenue.

A business that does not think about how to retain and attract new customers is on its path to destruction. Fractional CMOs can help such businesses discover new opportunities that can drive business growth and stimulate sales. You will be able, together with your team, to better understand your target audience and even communicate value to them effectively with the expertise of such officers.

There are more functions a fractional CMO can play, including:

• Managing content marketing
• Recruiting new staff in the marketing department
• Supervising marketing technology incorporations
• Designing and optimizing email and social campaigns
• Keeping track of marketing performance

What Shouldn’t You Expect from a Fraction CMO

Sometimes, businesses tend to confuse fractional CMO services and marketing agencies. Therefore, getting a clear understanding of the fractional CMO meaning can help you distinguish between what to expect and what not to expect from these professionals. For instance, fractional CMOs are not responsible for publishing content, even though they might help design a comprehensive advertising strategy. They only deal with the bigger picture of your marketing efforts and not really the individual posts.

You don’t want to waste your money by paying executive hourly rates while someone from the marketing team could handle the task. Remember, the primary role of fractional CMOs is to offer guidance and design campaigns. Outsourcing an executive to create and post content can be quite expensive. These marketing officers should only offer marketing ideas that your team can easily align with and implement.

It’s noteworthy to mention that when considering hiring a fractional CMO, you should focus on their track record as well. They should be able not only to manage growth but also to lead a company through a similar phase to the one your business is in. So, these marketing officers should be able to:

• Manage day-to-day operations of the marketing team
• Lead and earn the trust of your team and other stakeholders
• Deliver ROI so that your investment is worth the while.

How Do You Know You Need a Fractional CMO

As you’ve already seen, you don’t have to worry about employing a full-time CMO, especially if your business isn’t in a position. Full-time CMO is an executive role and can really be expensive. In the US alone, Salary.com estimated that such a role could earn anywhere between $314,949 and $428,202 per year. So, if your business is not at a level that can handle such roles, you may then think of fractional CMOs.

Again, apart from lacking the capacity to sustain a full-time CMO, your marketing team can sometimes be overwhelmed. If they’re, for instance, missing deadlines and opportunities, fractional marketing officers can help offer them guidance. The fractional CMO will provide a standard for how and when things are done, ensuring that your team is more focused.

You might also need a fresh set of eyes if your marketing strategies have kept on failing. And by the way, those strategies might fail not because they really aren’t right – they might just need a little direction. Fractional CMOs might bring in an outside angle that might fix the cracks in your approach. Plus, if your company has been stagnating because of failing strategies, then it’s time to involve a marketing executive.

So, as you can see, fractional CMOs are something that every business should think about. As these roles are often part-time, they always ensure you don’t have to worry about financial commitments that will strain your pocket. Companies that adopt this strategy in their marketing efforts will likely reap enormous benefits that drive business growth and success.

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