What Does a Fractional CMO Do?

If you’ve spent time around startups or scaling businesses, you’ve probably heard the term fractional CMO, which signifies a shift in marketing leadership. Fractional CMO thrown around. But what exactly does a Fractional CMO do, and why might you need one?

As someone who has taken on the role of Fractional CMO for startups and midsize companies, I’ve found that this position usually comes into play when businesses are ready to scale but need expert guidance without the full-time CMO price tag. It’s not just about strategy; it’s about stepping in, getting hands-on, and helping a business grow in real time with the support of a marketing leader.

What is a Fractional CMO, Really?

A Fractional CMO is a part-time or project-based Chief Marketing Officer who brings the experience and leadership needed to build or scale marketing functions—but with flexibility, making it easier for businesses to hire a CMO when needed. Instead of hiring a full-time CMO, companies get the expertise they need for a fraction of the time and cost.

For me, this means working with startups that are pushing for growth but may not have all the right pieces in place yet. Sometimes my clients are stick in a no-growth situation, others, they are early in their growth journey and need someone that has a playbook and frameworks to not waste time nor money. My role is typically about bridging the gap between strategy and execution, ensuring marketing drives real, measurable results.

When Do You Need a Fractional CMO?

You might not always realize it, but there’s usually a clear signal that you need to become a fractional CMO to address your marketing challenges effectively. Often, it’s when you’re growing faster than your internal team can manage or you’ve hit a point where your marketing strategy feels disjointed and isn’t delivering.

I had one healthtech client who had a mix of software subscriptions and external agencies that weren’t pulling their weight, making it difficult to achieve effective marketing leadership. They were bleeding money on unnecessary tools and services that did nothing for their business goals. They literally were spending over $10k on useless outsourced tasks and software. My first step was cutting those unnecessary costs, which ended up saving them my entire monthly fee right out of the gate and going forward for the entire engagement. Everything is productized and handled with minimum internal resources. That kind of immediate impact made the rest of our engagement much smoother and more effective. Afterward, I redid their brand strategy to increase close rates and began outbound marketing campaigns to bring in leads.

If you’re facing challenges like these, a Fractional CMO can help you refocus and get back on track without wasting time or resources. 

What Do I Actually Do as a Fractional CMO?

Every engagement is a bit different, depending on the business’s needs. But here’s a breakdown of the core things I focus on:

• Marketing Strategy Development: I dive into what makes your business tick and develop a marketing strategy that not only makes sense but actually moves the needle. This often includes building a clear brand story, like the ones that fractional CMOs help develop. The Brand Mentor Story approach I developed in my book Transform Your Marketing, which is a simple framework to tell your business story correctly. It’s all about making your brand relatable and focusing the story on your customers.
• Team Leadership: As a Fractional CMO, I’m not just a consultant; I’m an experienced marketing professional dedicated to driving results. I lead your marketing team, help set priorities, and guide your in-house staff to ensure they’re executing the strategy. I keep the decision-making team small (typically 2-3 people), including founders and sales leaders, to keep things agile and aligned, which is essential for effective marketing leadership.
• Hands-On Execution: I don’t just write plans—I execute them. This can include running ad campaigns, overseeing affiliates, or building out your email outreach. For example, I’ve had success using both paid ads and affiliate programs to drive lead generation. In fact, ads and affiliates have been core channels for generating leads with one client.
• Simplifying the Message: Sometimes, the challenge is making things clearer, which is where a fractional chief marketing officer can excel. I worked as a marketing advisor for a company with a very confusing value proposition and an equally unclear website, which hindered their digital marketing efforts. They struggled to explain what they did in a way that resonated with their audience. Between tradeshows, we worked on their brand strategy and messaging. Almost overnight, the sales team saw an improvement because people engaged with the clearer messaging crafted by a skilled marketer.  That clearer messaging turned into higher conversions almost instantly—just another example of how simple, easy-to-understand stories can make all the difference in digital marketing, showcasing the importance of experienced marketing professionals.
• Cutting Costs and Streamlining: Part of being a good Fractional CMO is being scrappy. I’m not just about flashy strategies; I get creative about making an impact without overspending. I bring in low-cost vendors when necessary, and I’m not afraid to eliminate what’s not working. Not every company has endless cash to throw at problems, so being able to do more with less is key to success.

Why Fractional?

This model works for companies that need high-level marketing expertise but don’t want to commit to a full-time CMO just yet. It’s flexible, cost-effective, and ideal for businesses at a growth stage, particularly when they need fractional CMO services. Personally, I’ve worked with companies from Series A to Series C, and it’s a perfect time for a startup to save their burn rate but obtain the growth rate they need. I’ve also worked with larger SMBs on bringing in the best practices. It really depends on the company’s present goals at any given moment.

How Can You Get the Most Out of a Fractional CMO?

Here’s my advice if you’re considering hiring a Fractional CMO:

1. Be clear on goals to ensure that your marketing initiatives are effective and aligned with the vision of hiring a CMO. Whether it’s driving more leads, building a clearer brand story, or scaling your marketing efforts, knowing what you want to achieve upfront helps me hit the ground running with experienced marketing strategies.
2. Involve the Right People: Don’t overwhelm the process by having too many decision-makers. I’ve found that working with a tight-knit group of two or three leaders ensures faster progress and better alignment.
3. Expect Real Impact: A good Fractional CMO isn’t just there to advise—they’re there to do. I’m there to get in the trenches, execute strategies, and leave a lasting impact on your business as a marketing leader. I do have another offering that works for people who aren’t looking for execution work – a strategic marketing advisor, but that’s a story for another day.

Hiring a fractional CMO can be a game changer, especially when your business is at a crossroads and needs strong marketing executive guidance. Whether you need to fix a broken marketing strategy, lead a team, or cut costs to improve efficiency, a Fractional CMO like me can step in, get things done, and leave your business better than I found it.