I get this question a lot, so thought I’d clarify for those of you looking for senior-level marketing assistance to grow your organization.
A fractional CMO is basically a Chief Marketing Officer who works with your organization as a consultant to provide executive-level management of your marketing strategy and implementation. Usually, this position reports directly to the CEO and works collaboratively with the VP of Sales to develop campaigns/programs to drive growth quickly. It’s typically a part-time position (40 hours a month), tasked with producing full-time results.
The great thing about fractional CMOs is that they go beyond consulting to become a part of the team, but not so far as being an employee. They have specific deliverables to produce over a given period of time, and they are in and out relatively quickly — usually within a year or two depending on your needs.
Many growing companies need someone who can help them move some of the most critical marketing activities across the line. But bringing someone on full-time is a big expense and risk. Often, these full-time senior executives don’t work out due to factors such as:
- Poor cultural fit
- Misaligned strategies
- Basic personality incompatibility
In addition, the time and money it takes to hire an experienced C-suite marketing executive may not be equal to the amount of marketing work needed for the organization. Even in cases where a full-time CMO is the right way to go, the right person can take up to a year working with a placement firm to find.
The role of the CMO is to lead the overall marketing of an organization. He or she is also responsible for marketing strategy and implementation to appropriately identify and manage goals, challenges and messaging related to products and services, sales and marketing alignment, brand marketing and resources, and many other sales and marketing operational responsibilities. Ultimately, the CMO is responsible for integrated marketing programs that drive leads into the hands of Sales Representatives to close the deal. It’s an ultimate juggling act and requires a senior marketing mind to keep the wheels turning in the right direction to produce a significant return on investment.
Fractional CMOs are ultimately flexible, and experienced marketing firms offering a full team of CMOs and marketing implementation services provides a centralized, outsourced marketing department to cover every aspect of your business needs which equals thousands of hours and dollars saved in both time and money.
During these uncertain times, companies that are unable to quickly adapt to the ever-changing business environment will not make it. The old saying “adapt or die” has never been more relevant. The modern CMO is responsible for ensuring the complete evolution of your business and ensuring you stay relevant to drive results as cultural shifts take place across many industries.
Progressive companies looking to grow, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, are not wasting time and resources managing something they are not experts in. Instead, they are leveraging a process-driven fractional Chief Marketing Officer whose only goal is to produce results at a fraction of the cost of hiring a full-time, C-suite executive. Part time investment with full-time results, growing faster without the overhead. Smart.
