A fractional CMO leads any and all marketing-related initiatives for a company. A fractional CMO can be an on-demand resource or hired for a particular project.
The purpose of a fractional CMO is to be the marketing resource to a company when the budget and headcount don't allow for a full-time marketing resource.
It can be a part-time solo role where this person takes on a leadership role to create the strategy and lead marketing efforts through to implementation.
Another option is to hire a CMO as a full-time, temporary resource while you're looking for a replacement or until you're ready to hire an executive level marketing leader.
The variations vary depending on the need of the company. The most important thing to keep in mind is the broad-based and on-demand perspective around best practices in message consistency, customer acquisition, customer journey alignment, sales pipeline development and marketing execution.
Marketing activities led by a fractional CMO can be as limited or extensive as a company needs. As with any CMO or CXO role, this person is likely to collaborate with other team leaders who oversee sales, customer service, customer experience, operations, product development, accounting and any other team that interacts with the customer touch points.
Your fractional CMO can be a temp to hire or just a temporary, contract role. This person will provide leadership in various areas whether it's strategic or tactical.
Projects of this marketing leader may include:
Market research - research and provide insights into industry happenings, trends and opportunities while also providing insight into other markets that might be of interest
Competitive analysis - in-depth review of top 2-3 competitors to identify key strengths, weaknesses, potential gaps and biggest opportunity for growth
Internal team and process review - interview internal team to understand processes, communications and uncover gaps that are holding your company back or unveil revenue opportunities
Digital presence review - conduct an audit of your digital real estate from website to social media and provide action items that you can implement immediately
Persona development - create ideal customer segments to identify with emotional triggers and uncover specific needs to a group
Customer journey mapping - identify customer touch points, review level of engagement at each point and determine what gaps need to be filled or corrected
Content strategy - Once digital audit is complete, create a 3-month content strategy that aligns with your goals
Marketing collateral - consistent messaging and branding with call to action appropriate for an in-person event, speaking opportunity or industry conference
Team liaison - collaborator conversationalist who can simplify the complex and communicate to various teams in their language
This marketing leader becomes an extension of your brand and your team. They are also a resource for helping you reach your goals and taking ownership of the outcomes.
This resource is available to you. Will you be using it?
Check out What is a Fractional CMO here.
Here are 10 reasons to hire a Fractional CMO
Vicki O'Neill is a fractional CMO in Ohio with over 20 years of marketing leadership experience. She's the founder of KenKay Marketing, a marketing solutions company founded in 2011. Vicki hosts Connect the Dots a marketing and sales educational podcast for entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes. She recently launched a new podcast with her Gen Z daughters, The Power of 3X, to help individuals who want to learn about the youngest generation. You will find Vicki on most social media platforms but you'll find her mostly on LinkedIn and Twitter.