Is Your Small Business Ready for a Fractional CMO?
There comes a point in your business when you, as the owner, can no longer handle and manage everything yourself. But it can be hard to know what type of support you need or the right role to hire for. Marketing is often one of those areas that can be tricky to know what you need.
Do you need a strategy?
Do you need someone to execute the social media portion of that strategy?
Do you need someone to copywriter for your email marketing?
Do you need someone to analyze your marketing’s overall performance?
I like to think about marketing in 2 camps: There are marketers that are amazing at executing the strategy and there are marketers that are amazing at overseeing the overall strategy and making sure it’s all working together.
That’s always the first thing I ask business owners when they comes to me. Do you need someone to execute your existing strategy or do you need help making sure it’s working/continues to work?
If they answer the latter, then a Fractional CMO might be a great option for them. But that’s not the only factor to think about when identifying if a Fractional CMO is a good fit. Let’s explore the signs that indication your business is ready for this strategic move.
What is a Fractional CMO?
First things first, a Fractional CMO is a part-time, outsourced professional who brings top-tier marketing expertise to your business without the cost of a full-time executive. We provide strategic marketing leadership, expertise, and guidance to businesses that don’t yet have the budget or need for a full-time CMO. We can also step in to help with a specific initiative or project as well.
Essentially we help connect the dots of your marketing to keep it really strategic and produce better results so you can grow and scale more efficiently.
What are the Signs Your Business is Ready for a Fractional CMO?
A quick reminder that everyone’s business is different so the level and type of support you need will be different but I wanted to share a couple of signs that indicate that your business is ready for a Fractional CMO if that’s they type of support you’re considering bringing in for your business.
Your Current Marketing Team Needs Leadership
This is always the biggest reason I am hired as a Fractional CMO for small businesses. Either you are doing all of your own marketing and maybe have a virtual assistant helping or your have different marketing professionals making up your marketing team but no one is leading them. This means you probably aren’t sure if your marketing efforts are truly cohesive or even working because no one is really monitoring all of it for you.
While a Fractional CMO doesn’t necessarily do the marketing activities for you, we do monitor the overall performance and then guide your team any changes that need to be made, making them more effective in executing marketing campaigns. We can also help guide you with talent recruitment and retention by providing recommendations for different marketing talent you may need to meet your marketing goals.
You Want to Push Past a Plateau
You’ve done everything you know how to do with your marketing but you feel like you’re still leaving money on the table. A Fractional CMO can help you identify a path forward by auditing your existing marketing efforts as well as suggesting new lucrative marketing opportunities for business expansion.
Our main focus as Fractional CMOs is to create a comprehensive marketing strategy designed to meet your growth objectives. Everything is tailored specifically to your goals so we can push past the plateau you’re currently experiencing.
You Need a Fresh Perspective
Sometimes, you and your team are too close to the business to see marketing challenges and opportunities objectively. A Fractional CMO brings an outside perspective, offering fresh insights and innovative strategies to drive your marketing efforts in new directions. We can help you adapt to changing market conditions and stay ahead of the competition.
We play an objective role in your business and can often see things that you may have overlooked or noticed and didn’t know what to do with. We are trained to look at the entire picture so we can propel your business forward.
You Want to Stay Agile
Small businesses often need to be agile and flexible in their marketing efforts, quickly adjusting to market changes and customer preferences. A Fractional CMO can help you adapt and pivot when necessary, ensuring your marketing strategies remain effective. Our expertise can help you identify and seize opportunities while mitigating potential threats.
You Want Measurable Results
A Fractional CMO not only helps you set clear KPIs but we monitor and track the effectiveness of campaigns and then cross-reference those KPIs across the board to get a very clear picture of how your entire marketing strategy is working. Using this information, we help you and your team implement data-driven approaches, ensuring that your marketing strategies are optimized for the best possible ROI.
Overall, a Fractional CMO can be a valuable asset for small businesses looking to supercharge their marketing efforts without breaking the bank. If any of the signs above caught your attention, it’s probably a good indication that you’re either ready or almost ready to bring in a Fractional CMO. We’ll help you navigate the complexities of the modern marketing landscape, reach your growth goals, and maintain a competitive edge in your industry.
It might just be the strategic move you need to achieve to long-term success and sustainability for your business.
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Want help with your marketing?
My Strategy Intensives provide you with a complete brand and marketing strategy based on market research and analysis and your own business metrics.
The CMO Partnership is perfect if you need ongoing support whether that’s my team managing your marketing efforts or you need someone to lead your marketing team to success.
Not sure what you need but know you could use some support? Reach out and I’ll help guide you in the right direction (whether that’s working with me or not!)
