TL;DR A proper fractional CMO onboarding process should produce useful output in 2 weeks, not 2 months. Long onboarding is expensive and unnecessary at $5K–$12K/month. Before day one: They should already have access to GA4, ad platforms, CRM, vendor list, revenue…
Hire A Fractional CMO: A Step-by-Step Guide
TL;DR Most fractional CMO hires fail because scope and success were never clearly defined upfront, not because the person was wrong. Finding candidates: Referrals first, then fractional networks (Toptal, Chief Outsiders, Foxtown Marketing), LinkedIn outreach, and agency recommendations. Two interviews is…
Fractional CMO vs. Fractional VP of Marketing: Is There a Difference?
TL;DR The titles “fractional CMO” vs. “fractional VP of Marketing” are mostly interchangeable, especially at companies under $20M where one person does both jobs anyway. CMO implies C-suite strategy and board-level involvement; VP of Marketing implies more hands-on execution and less…
5 Signs Your Company Needs a Fractional CMO (Not More Ads)
TL;DR Most businesses’ instinct to spend more on marketing when it’s not working is wrong. The real issue is usually leadership and strategy, not budget. 5 signs you need a fractional CMO, not more spend: You can’t connect marketing spend to…
Fractional CMO for B2B Companies
TL;DR B2B marketing involves longer sales cycles, more decision-makers, and higher stakes per deal than B2C Your fractional CMO for B2B companies must have hands-on B2B experience, not just transferable skills from consumer marketing This guide covers how to evaluate candidates,…
What Does a Fractional CMO Do In The First 90 Days?
TL;DR: What does a fractional CMO do in the first 90 days? You’ll see some results, but you also need to be patient. Days 1 to 30 are diagnosis. Days 31 to 60 are strategy and early execution. Days 61 to…
How Much Does A Fractional CMO Cost? (Real Numbers)
TL;DR: “How much does a fractional CMO cost?” is a seemingly simple question, but the answer is not always straighforward. Fractional CMO pricing typically runs $3,000 to $15,000 per month depending on company size, hours required, and scope of work. At…
Fractional CMO vs. Marketing Agency: Which One?
TL;DR: The fractional CMO vs. marketing agency question is common and the answer is nuanced. A marketing agency executes tasks. A fractional CMO owns strategy, manages vendors (including agencies), and is accountable to your revenue. They are not competing products. If…
5 Fractional CMO Mistakes To Avoid When Hiring
Hiring a fractional CMO should be straightforward. You need senior marketing leadership, you can’t afford or don’t need a full-time executive, so you bring in someone fractional. Simple, right? Not quite. I’ve seen companies make the same mistakes over and over…
Fractional CMO For Hire: Why Us?
TL;DR: Fractional CMO for hire pricing models typically cost $5K-$15K/month for 2-4 days of work, delivering strategic leadership without full-time overhead Best suited for B2B companies doing $5-50M in revenue who need marketing strategy but can’t justify a $250K+ full-time CMO…