Marketing efforts are one of the most important ways to increase your business and find new customers. But marketing takes time, energy, and a heavy dose of thought. It often requires a level of experience and knowledge that, as a business owner, you may not have.

To solve this issue, many owners and managers hire a Chief Marketing Officer, or “CMO.” Bringing focused experience, a CMO can drastically improve your marketing and increase sales, revenue, and profit.

But can you afford a full-time, in-house CMO? Do you really need one for 40 hours a week? Do you even have an office for them to occupy?

A fractional CMO may provide the solution.

Fractional CMOs are simply temporary consultants who assist, on a part-time, temporary, flexible basis, with your marketing efforts. Fractional CMOs act like contractors, not full-time, permanent additions to your staff.

Fractional CMOs usually work with multiple businesses at one time. Like a contractor serving multiple clients (which is literally what they are), they may be actively working with a restaurant, a technology startup, and a construction company in a single month, week, or day.

Unlike full-time CMOs, a fractional CMO, as the name suggests, gives you a fraction of their time for a fraction of the cost.

When we discuss the benefits of a fractional CMO, we should clarify an important point: we are focusing on the benefits of a fractional CMO compared to a full-time CMO. CMOs in general (both fractional and in-house CMOs) bring many benefits, but these are the benefits of skipping a full-timer and going with a fractional CMO…

Professional Help, a Fraction of the Price

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “advertising, promotions, and marketing managers” earn a median annual salary of $141,490. The top 10% earn over $208,000 annually. The point is clear: skilled marketing professionals earn a tremendous salary. Can you afford to pay for an elite marketing expert?

With a fractional CMO, you can get the benefits of an in-house marketing professional at a fraction of the price. Contract pricing will vary, but you’re basically guaranteed that working with a fractional CMO, even for the entire year, is far more affordable.

You Are Not Committed to One CMO

Not only can you save a significant amount, you don’t have to commit long-term to one marketing professional. Sometimes even a top-quality CMO is not the right fit for your business. For whatever reason, their approach to marketing may simply not fit your brand and your company.

Parting ways with a full-time CMO can be costly and time-consuming. It may include severance packages and other stipulations that drain your resources. But with a fractional CMO, if things are not working out you can shake hands, thank them for their efforts, and move on. As an added bonus, if you cut ties with a fractional CMO, you (likely) haven’t lost as much cash as you would have paid to a full-time employee.

No Stagnation in Effort, Thinking

Imagine having the same CMO for, say, ten years. On it’s face, there’s certainly nothing wrong with this, but if you want new, fresh, reinvigorated ideas, a fractional CMO is a good choice. This is because CMOs, just like the rest of us, are human. No matter what our profession, we often fall into comfortable routines and patterns. What worked in the past, we often do today and, until it results in obvious failure, will continue to do in the future.

But when you bring in a fractional CMO, they take a fresh look at your marketing, helping to keep your efforts reinvigorated, creative, and original.

Diverse Experience with Multiple Industries and Businesses

Fractional CMOs work with many different industries. Although some specialize in certain areas of the market, they typically have a diverse range of experience. This experience can help them craft the right approach for your industry, business, desired customer, or specific niche.

Flexible Use

You may need a CMO to help with consistent marketing plans throughout the year. Or you may need a CMO to spur sales during your most profitable season. Or you may need a CMO to generate buzz for a product launch. No matter what your specific needs, a fractional CMO can deliver the flexible support you need.

If you need marketing support but aren’t sure about hiring a full-time CMO, perhaps a fractional CMO would be perfect.

Contact our staff today to learn more about our dedicated marketing services, including project management, web design, blog writing, and more.