What is a fractional CMO? And does your Sheffield-based business need one?

A fractional CMO provides businesses with senior marketing expertise, without the cost or long-term commitment of employing a full-time, salaried marketing director.

They deliver strategic direction – everything from campaign management to co-ordinating specialist marketing activities and mentoring an in-house marketing team.

The key benefit provided by a factional CMO is the flexibility they provide. Businesses can access as much or as little strategic marketing expertise as they require, ensuring that their marketing efforts remain focused and consistent to deliver results on commercial goals.

‘Fractional CMO’ seems to be the buzzword in marketing at the moment, so the Rebus Creative team thought we would explain what the term stands for; what they do; and when your business may need one.

If you are unsure whether your marketing efforts are delivering the results you need, our friendly team is here to help. Contact us or book a Free Marketing Audit, and we can discuss how to take your marketing to the next level.

What is a fractional CMO?

CMO stands for ‘Chief Marketing Officer,’ a senior marketing executive on the leadership team on a part-time basis – typically 2-3 days per week.

The fractional element refers to buying their time on a part-time or project basis. They take ownership of the marketing function at a strategic level – managing marketing agencies, in-house teams, and budget.

In other words, a fractional CMO is a part-time, top level marketing director, but without the full-time salary, N.I, pension contributions, or long-term commitment on either side.

If you’re a manufacturing, engineering or environmental business in Sheffield that requires more effective marketing, but you just don’t have the budget to recruit a permanent marketing director, a fractional CMO may be the right answer for you.

What does a fractional CMO do?

The answer to this question depends on what your business needs.

They work at strategic and operational level, helping to bring everyone together, to ensure everyone is working towards the same goal.

You may need an experienced marketing professional to challenge your ideas, prioritise activities according to commercial goals, and streamline the marketing function of your business.

A strategic perspective can be especially valuable to technical businesses, or those requiring an in-depth understanding of specialist audiences, complex products, or long sales cycles.

The main thing to remember is that you are investing in experienced marketing leadership without the full-time commitment.

They can help you to address difficult questions facing your business:

• Who are our most valuable customers?
• What are we trying to achieve through our marketing activities?
• Are we clear on market positioning?
• Are our marketing efforts generating expected results?
• Which are the best marketing channels for us to invest our time and money in?
• What activities should our in-house marketing team or external agencies be focused on?
• Do we have gaps in our marketing strategy? If so, how can we address them?

Part of the leadership team

A fractional CMO has a seat at the table for board/leadership meetings, in which they present reports on marketing performance, make contributions to commercial decisions, and ensure that the marketing function performs as part of a wider business strategy.

Strategy and planning

• Decide the annual marketing strategy
• Define target audiences
• Determine market positioning
• Align marketing objectives to commercial goals
• Establish 90-day marketing plans detailing actions required

Budget

They manage the marketing budget, deciding allocation across channels, and analysing ROI in order to determine he areas where investment should be reduced or increased.

Aligning sales and marketing

The sales and marketing functions should operate under a single commercial structure, with shared targets and lead criteria.

A fractional CMO ensures these two functions are aligned, reporting sales and marketing performance to the board.

Internal and external management

They manage both internal and external marketing teams and activities, briefing agencies and holding them accountable for their results.

They ensure all marketing activities are coordinated and focused on meeting commercial goals within budget, reviewing ROI and adjusting activities accordingly.

Commercial goals

They are accountable for marketing ROI against commercial targets.

This includes tracking KPIs and reporting on success/timelines, as well as assessing costs – customer acquisition, marketing costs/revenue.

When might you need a fractional CMO?

Every type and size of business may require strategic marketing help at one time or another.

We will explain a few specific instances where your Sheffield-based business may need help:

• Your MD is spending valuable time making marketing decisions that they may not be qualified to make
• Your business needs marketing expertise, but doesn’t need a full-time director
• You are currently recruiting for a marketing director but need someone to fill the gap temporarily
• You have a good in-house marketing team, but they require strong leadership, support, and strategic direction
• Your business is growing quickly but your marketing function isn’t keeping pace with new markets, contracts, or a larger geographical area
• Has your business stopped growing and you think your current marketing activities are not efficient at producing the results you expect?
• You have pivoted into new products or services, and you need to hit the ground running or your leadership team lacks the expertise to develop a new marketing strategy quickly
• You’ve invested in marketing activities, but you aren’t sure what is working, what isn’t and which activities offer the best ROI

The benefits of engaging a fractional CMO

Of course, cost is the primary benefit. Your business is getting the expertise it needs, without the cost of a full-time marketing director.

But there could be other benefits, too.

A fractional CMO has gained experience from working in various business types, which means they can spot opportunities, gaps, problems, and provide solutions quickly, because they have encountered similar business challenges elsewhere.

You may only require marketing support around a new product launch or a specific contract/project, or even seasonally, so the flexibility offered by this type of contract is attractive.

Rebus Creative provides creative and digital marketing services from the creation of a strategic marketing plan to as much or as little design, digital and marketing support as your business requires.

For Sheffield-based manufacturing, engineering, or environmental businesses, why not combine the strategic marketing support of a fractional CMO with the services provided by the Rebus Creative team to ensure specialist implementation of a new marketing strategy.

Take a look at our client reviews and book your Free Marketing Audit today, to make sure your marketing activities maximise ROI and are aligned with your business objectives.