If you’re wondering what a fractional CMO actually does, and whether one could be right for your business, you’re not alone. It’s a question we hear often, especially from business leaders facing critical moments of growth or change. In this blog, we talk to Ian Grundy, one of The Marketing Centre’s experienced fractional CMOs, for an insider’s look at what the “Fractional CMO” title really means – and what they should be able to do for your business.
First of all, let’s get started by defining what a fractional CMO is:
A fractional CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) is an outsourced senior marketing leader who works with your business part-time, offering essential high-level strategic guidance without all the commitment or cost of a full-time CMO. But the benefits go far beyond budget efficiency: you get focused leadership, clearer direction, and someone who’s fully accountable for making your marketing work.
Did you know that the title “fractional CMO” is becoming increasingly common, but is not always used accurately? Some freelancers offer tactical marketing support under this label, but real fractional CMOs take on true strategic leadership responsibilities.
Have a look at our previous blog that explains the difference between a fractional CMO and a freelancer here.
Every business hits so-called “inflection points”; these are particular moments in time where your marketing strategy can become the make-or-break factor to achieve the next level. And of course, to take that next big step up, senior leadership with expertise in marketing is required: a resource that might not always be available in-house.
Here are some common scenarios where an interim CMO can provide the right kind of support at the right time:
“We work with a lot of companies that have done very well getting to a certain sales range, let's say for example £10 million in revenue a year, and they've done that because they've got a really good product or service. But getting to the next level, of say £20 million, can be very hard.
“We are often approached by these types of companies who have reached that stage and are asking, ‘where do we go from here?’ They’re overwhelmed by all the different possibilities of how they might get to that next level. At The Marketing Centre, we help them make sense of it and map out a clear growth path.”
Fractional Marketing Director, The Marketing Centre
“I am sometimes astounded at the amount of budget that's allocated to marketing without a clear strategy, without it being linked to the overall business objectives,” says Ian. He believes that in most instances, marketing should support sales, but many times he finds marketing departments are not linked properly to sales and are instead going off on their own tangents.
“Often we hear clients say, ‘We have to do this because it’s what we’ve always done’. But if it’s not working, why continue? As fractional CMOs, we come in without bias, look at the data with fresh eyes, and help clients focus on what delivers real value,” he adds.
The role of a fractional CMO is broad, but always strategic. A good fractional CMO combines leadership, planning, and performance accountability. Here’s what some of their core responsibilities might typically look like:
“We start out by building a comprehensive marketing strategy. Often a client says they have one, but it’s not tied to business goals. That’s essential. Then we look at messaging, audience targeting, delivery channels, and team capability. We oversee it all, but also help coach the team to deliver it,” explains Ian.
Each of these responsibilities, carried out properly, brings about real business impact. Setting realistic KPIs and measuring against them regularly means your marketing team always knows what they’re aiming for. Another key element in the fractional CMO’s wheelhouse is choosing the right marketing tech stack, such as CRMs or analytics tools to support better decisions and stronger performance.
Ian is a great believer in the benefits of fractional CMOs mentoring a junior team during the marketing team transition period. This can transform them into a high-performing unit without having to replace them.
Marketing is now such a broad discipline that has undergone a huge amount of change in the digital age and now includes many different specialisms. This is why Ian believes that fractional CMOs must have a “lifelong learning” mindset in order to be effective.
“As a fractional CMO, you need to have certain skills and attributes, and to me the most important one is that you have to be a learner. You have to have a hunger for information, to keep your finger on the pulse of what’s happening, and keep learning and discovering all the time,” says Ian. “Marketing communications is changing rapidly because of technology, and even more so in the past two or three years because of emerging AI technologies. As a senior marketing leader, you have to be on top of that.”
According to Ian, finding the balance between strategy and execution is a fine line that has to be perfected by a fractional CMO, who will have to focus their limited time on the strategy aspects and entrust the rest of the marketing team to carry out most of the execution.
When searching for a fractional CMO, you should look for someone who has:
At The Marketing Centre, our team of over 100 proven fractional CMOs includes marketing leaders who have held senior leadership roles in a wide range of sectors. The team also collaborates closely, sharing insights, tools, and problem-solving experience, to ensure that clients benefit from a huge range of expertise.
“We do view each other as our own department. If I need help on something specific relating to HubSpot for example, I’ll put the question out to our group and get tailored suggestions and support from marketing directors who have that expertise,” says Ian.
Hiring a fractional CMO isn’t always the right fit for everyone. If you don’t have a team in place to deliver on strategy, or aren’t ready to act on expert advice, it might not be the right time for your business.
But if you’re stuck, unsure what to do next, or want to invest in marketing that actually drives results, a fractional CMO could be the solution.
“Often the leadership team knows something’s not working, but they’re not sure what. Or they’ve tried to fix it and failed. A fractional CMO brings instant clarity and direction. We take the pressure off and put a plan in place that works,” says Ian.
Whether you’re planning a major growth push or trying to stop the bleeding, having an experienced marketing leader by your side – even if it’s for one day a week – can change everything.
If you think your business could benefit from senior marketing leadership without the full-time price tag, our team is here to help. We offer a free Marketing 360 workshop to assess your strengths and gaps, and identify where we can add the most value.
Contact us today to learn more.