Growing a business requires more than just hard work and determination. It also requires the right strategy, resources, and guidance to ensure sustainable growth. That’s why many businesses turn to chief marketing officers (CMOs) for help. But CMOs require hefty salaries that may be out of reach for small and mid-sized companies –– which is where fractional CMO services come in.
Experienced marketing professionals can provide fractional CMO services to guide your business on its path toward growth without breaking the bank.
Let’s discuss why you should hire an outsourced CMO, how to find the best one for your business, and what they can do for you.
What Is a Fractional CMO?
Let’s start with the basics. A fractional CMO is a marketing professional who works with businesses for short-term, project-based assignments or on an ongoing basis as part of an interim team. These professionals have extensive experience in their field and can provide valuable insights and expertise to help businesses achieve their goals.
Unlike full-time CMOs, fractional CMOs are more affordable and have flexible contracts that work with your budget. They can provide various services, including market research, branding, digital marketing, business development strategy, and more.
Further, fractional CMOs are typically well-connected and have access to various resources, such as experienced professionals in related fields, that can help your business succeed. This allows them to provide more comprehensive services than many full-time CMOs.
Fractional CMO Services
Fractional CMOs can provide a wide range of services that can help your business grow. From market research and customer segmentation to branding and digital marketing, they can develop comprehensive strategies tailored to the needs of your business.
Here’s a complete list of services a fractional CMO can provide businesses. Buckle up — there’s a lot to cover here.
Market Research
Market research is the bread and butter of any CMO. Market research is essential for understanding the current market climate and developing strategies to help your business succeed.
A fractional CMO conducts comprehensive market research to identify customer segments, analyze competitors, and uncover trends that can be used to inform your marketing strategy.
They do this by leveraging a variety of tools and resources, such as:
- Surveys
- Interviews
- Focus groups
- Industry data
These tools provide invaluable insights into what customers want and how they interact with your brand.
Digital Marketing Strategy and Implementation
Beyond just market research, a fractional CMO also helps develop and implement an effective digital marketing strategy. This includes:
- Optimizing website design
- Creating content for social media channels
- Utilizing SEO tactics to drive more organic traffic
- Leveraging email marketing to reach your target audience
A fractional CMO provides guidance on all of these aspects of digital marketing and expert advice on the best practices for each channel. They can even work with you to create campaigns that generate leads and conversions for your business.
Brand Development and Positioning
Any business worth its salt should have a strong brand identity. A fractional CMO develops and positions your brand to ensure it resonates with customers and stands out from competitors. This includes:
- Creating a unique visual style
- Developing taglines and messaging
- Crafting stories that evoke emotion in your target audience
Using their expertise in branding, fractional CMOs help you create content for both online and offline channels that strengthens your brand and increases customer loyalty.
Content Creation, Distribution, and Management
If you need help creating content that will engage customers, a fractional CMO can be invaluable. They help you create bespoke content that answers customer questions and solves their problems while also getting your brand out in front of potential customers.
Fractional CMOs:
- Create a content strategy
- Develop ideas for content pieces
- Write copy
- Design visuals and videos
- Curate relevant content from other sources
- Identify the right channels to distribute content on
- Manage everything so you don’t have to worry about it yourself
They have the skills and expertise to ensure your content is up-to-date and effective.
Advertising Design and Execution
Designing ads that engage potential customers is an art form. With the right design, you can have an ad that captures attention and drives more conversions.
A fractional CMO helps design ads for various channels and platforms, such as:
- Print media
- Radio
- Television
- Digital mediums like Google Ads and social media networks
If you need help getting those campaigns off the ground, they can handle all aspects of execution from start to finish.
Social Media Analysis and Oversight
No modern marketing effort is complete without social media. A fractional CMO helps you analyze your current presence and fine-tune it to ensure maximum engagement. They stay on top of trends, algorithm changes, new features, and best practices so your brand remains competitive on the platforms that matter most.
Oversight includes:
- Monitoring and responding to customer comments
- Creating social media campaigns
- Managing influencers and ambassadors
- Optimizing posts for maximum reach
- Analyzing the performance of campaigns
Customer Service Strategies and Operations
This is a crucial area of marketing that many businesses overlook. Consider customer service an integral part of your marketing efforts, as it fosters customer loyalty and increases brand recognition.
A fractional CMO helps you set up the necessary infrastructure to deliver excellent customer service. This involves:
- Setting up a helpdesk system
- Implementing new processes and procedures
- Training staff on handling customer queries effectively
They also evaluate current strategies and implement changes where necessary to ensure customers have a positive experience with your business every time they interact with it.
Analytics Tracking, Reporting, and Interpretation
No effective marketing effort is complete without measuring results. A fractional CMO tracks and analyzes your progress to determine what works and what doesn’t so that you can adjust your strategy accordingly. They also help you create regular reports on key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor your progress over time, such as:
- Website visits
- Conversions
- Customer engagement levels
Lead Generation Campaigns
Speaking of conversions, lead generation campaigns are essential for any business looking to grow. A fractional CMO creates strategies that generate qualified leads that can be funneled into sales pipelines and converted into paying customers. This includes:
- Developing creative campaigns
- Optimizing landing pages
- Analyzing data for insights
- Performing split tests to determine the most effective approach
CRM Configuration, Implementation, and Optimization
Marketing isn’t just all about capturing leads, though. It’s also about nurturing current customers and keeping them engaged with your brand.
A fractional CMO helps configure, implement, and optimize CRM software to ensure you are gathering the right customer data and leveraging it to create personalized experiences that will keep customers coming back for more.
Influencer Outreach
The influencer power is real, and there are many benefits to working with influencers to promote your brand.
A fractional CMO helps you:
- Identify the best influencers for your campaign objectives
- Create engaging content that resonates with their followers
- Develop a strategy for ongoing outreach.
They also can help manage relationships with influencers over time and track the results of campaigns.
Benefits of Outsourcing Your CMO
Of course, you can do all these things yourself or even hire a full-time CMO to do all the work. So, what makes hiring a fractional CMO a sound business decision?
Access to Top-tier Talent
CMOs have a knack for finding the best talent and connecting them with the right opportunities. Having a fractional CMO on your team gives you access to their network of experienced professionals, enabling you to get the best help for your marketing efforts without having to sift through hundreds of resumes.
Cost Savings
Hiring a full-time CMO demands a significant financial investment, such as:
- Salary
- Bonuses
- Healthcare
- Other benefits
With a fractional CMO, you get all the knowledge and expertise of a full-time CMO without the overhead costs.
They work on a project-by-project or hourly basis, so you only pay for what you need without committing to a long-term contract. This means you can control the costs while still getting top-tier marketing support.
Ability To Scale Up or Down Quickly
Whether you’re preparing for a big brand launch or dealing with a sudden dip in sales, a fractional CMO quickly steps in and provides the support you need.
Since they have experience across various industries, they can help you create campaigns tailored to your specific needs. When the project is complete, there’s no need to worry about layoffs or redundancies. This flexibility makes it possible to pivot your marketing campaign quickly if you need to.
Knowledge Base
No fractional CMO is a one-trick pony. They offer comprehensive marketing solutions to their clients, from creative campaigns and content creation to analytics tracking and reporting.
This means you get the benefit of their experience in multiple areas without investing in multiple positions or training someone for weeks before they can start working.
Flexibility
Fractional CMOs are often flexible when it comes to their work schedule. Multitasking and working after hours are their bread and butter, so you can be sure your project is in good hands even when things get busy.
You also don’t have to worry about teamwork and collaboration, as they quickly work with other members of your team or third-party contractors. As we said, they can even help you find the best people for the job.
Usability and Efficiency
When a fractional CMO manages a project, they look at the big picture and focus on delivering results. This means they prefer to use existing resources as much as possible and tweak them to be more efficient.
Their expertise in digital marketing also makes it easier for you to measure ROI. They can provide insight into each campaign’s performance and make recommendations so you don’t have to waste your money on ineffective strategies.
Increased ROI
Because of their experience, fractional CMOs often outperform full-time CMOs in terms of ROI.
This is because they quickly come up with innovative strategies that are tailored to the specific needs of your business. They understand how to maximize the effectiveness of each campaign so you get more bang for your buck.
Strategic Focus
It’s easy to get caught up in the details and forget about your big-picture goals. With a fractional CMO, you get someone focused on achieving your long-term objectives –– from increasing sales to building customer loyalty.
They can help define specific strategies tailored to meet those goals so you don’t have to waste time and resources chasing after them blindly.
Comprehensive Experience and Expertise
In terms of experience, fractional CMOs are often veteran marketing professionals, so they know what works. They have seen it all and done it all, so you can trust them to come up with solutions that help your business succeed.
Plus, since their services aren’t restricted to one industry, they can also bring fresh ideas from other industries. This means you get the benefit of a comprehensive knowledge range without hiring multiple specialists.
Accountability and Transparency
Since you’ll be working under terms of service, you can be sure that your fractional CMO takes responsibility for their actions. They’ll be held accountable for delivering the results you expect and won’t be able to hide behind technicalities or excuses.
They usually have a transparent pricing model, so you won’t be in the dark concerning what they’re doing and how much it costs. This makes it easier to plan your budget accordingly and get the most out of their services.
Finding the Best CMO on Demand
The benefits of hiring fractional CMO services are undeniable, especially for small businesses that are juggling competing priorities. But with so many options out there, how do you know which one is right for you?
Here are a few tips to help you find your best fractional CMO.
Budget
The first thing to do is ask yourself how much you can afford to spend on a fractional CMO.
Be realistic when it comes to setting your budget. If you’re looking for someone to help you with a big project, you’ll need to invest more money. But if all you need is some advice on specific strategies or campaigns, then look for an affordable option that won’t break the bank.
Fractional CMOs come in a spectrum of prices, so shop around to find someone who fits your wallet.
Industry Experience and Expertise
You’re still paying for quality when you hire a fractional CMO, so it’s crucial to find someone with a host of client and success experience.
Don’t just look for experience, however. You also want someone well-versed in the latest digital marketing tactics, such as social media management, SEO, and content creation. You want to ensure you’re getting the most bang for your buck.
Brand and Marketing Strategy Development
Good CMOs understand that the success of a campaign or strategy depends on its underlying foundation. This is why it’s crucial to find someone who can develop a comprehensive brand and marketing plan to ensure you meet your goals.
Look for someone who understands how to integrate all of your marketing efforts and ensure everything works together toward achieving common objectives.
Technical Skills and Platform Knowledge
While CMOs are primarily responsible for developing marketing strategies, they also need to be able to execute them. Look for someone familiar with the latest technology and platforms so they can quickly get their hands on any tools and resources you might need.
Sure, they might have a team of specialists to help them, but they still need to be able to direct the project efficiently. Therefore, their technical knowledge should be up to par.
Team Management Abilities
It’s also essential to find someone who can manage a team of specialists. After all, they are the ones you’ll be working with daily, so you want them to lead your project and ensure everyone is doing their job.
This requires not just technical skills but also communication and people skills. Look for a CMO who can motivate others, assign tasks, communicate clearly and effectively, handle difficult conversations when needed, and more.
Project Management Ability
Teams will be working on projects, and your fractional CMO is at the helm of it all. You want someone who efficiently manages projects from start to finish, ensuring everyone is on track and deadlines are met.
Look for someone who has proven success in project management and can show you a portfolio of their work. They should also demonstrate proficiency in project-management platforms so they can quickly shift between tasks and ensure everything is running smoothly.
Creativity in Problem-solving
Let’s admit it — marketing can be tricky. It’s not always straightforward, and there will be times when you have to get creative to make progress. Your fractional CMO should know how to think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions — even if it means doing something completely different and unexpected.
This is especially important for businesses that want to stand out from the competition. A good CMO should be able to take risks, experiment, and develop new ideas tailored specifically to your brand.
Understanding of Analytics and Data-driven Decisions
Fractional CMO services couldn’t be refined without the help of analytics. After all, you want to make sure your strategies have a positive impact and can track their progress over time.
This is why it’s crucial to find someone who understands data, analytics tools, and metrics. A CMO on demand should be able to analyze the results, draw meaningful insights from them, and adjust their strategies accordingly.
It’s also vital for them to present these conclusions in an easy-to-understand format that decision-makers (like you!) can quickly digest so they know what actions they need to take next.
Flagstone: A Small Digital Marketing Agency That’s Doing It Right
Looking for the perfect boutique CMO digital marketing agency for your business? Look no further than Flagstone. We offer high-quality fractional CMO services that help our clients make smarter decisions, increase their ROI, and create long-lasting value.
We want to make marketing right for everyone, so we tailor our services to fit the needs of each one of our clients. Here’s what you’ll get when you work with Flagstone.
Comprehensive Services for a Fraction of the Price
Remember the services we outlined earlier? We offer all of them… and more. We understand you’re working on a budget, so we strive to give you the most bang for your buck.
Our team connects with tried-and-tested professionals who have worked with businesses across different industries — from startups to established Fortune 500 companies. We know what it takes to make a project successful, and you’ll get the same level of care and quality with Flagstone.
Marketing Pros at Your Disposal
We’ve been here for decades and know digital marketing inside out. Our boutique digital marketing agency has the latest tools, strategies, and processes to help you make informed decisions.
We can help you with:
- Custom web content
- Mobile marketing
- Social media management
- SEO consulting
- … and so much more!
Don’t worry about having to figure out the best way forward. We can help you bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be.
No Long-term Commitment Required
True to fractional CMO fashion, you don’t have to sign up for a long-term contract with us. You can hire us on an as-needed basis, which is great if you’re only looking for help with one project or need temporary CMO services until your permanent hire starts.
Top-notch Fractional CMO Services From Flagstone
We get it. Hiring a fractional CMO seems like a tough decision. After all, you want someone who understands your business and can flawlessly do their job.
Lucky for you, Flagstone is here to help. We’re pros at every service outlined above — plus a few more — so you don’t have to worry about not having the right CMO on demand for your project. From helping you with your digital marketing strategies to providing analytics and data-driven insights, we can do it all.
Get in touch and let’s get started!
