Jennifer Kelly’s Post

Kathleen Lucente gets right to the point in this article about Fractional CMOs… “The idea behind a fractional CMO is aiming for a natural exit date and leaving the company in better shape than when they started. It allows companies to have senior expertise when they need it most, without having to commit to a full-time employee at this level or suffer from having an inexperienced substitute steering the ship.” Situations when a company might consider hiring a fractional CMO or a fractional CMO service: ☑️ Limited Budget: with CMO salaries starting at the $200k point depending on the industry, a Fractional CMO can be a viable alternative for many growing companies. ☑️ Short Term Project: Once the project is complete, their involvement can be scaled down or discontinued. ☑️ Interim leadership: When a company’s CMO position is vacant, a fractional CMO can step in as an interim leader.  ☑️ Strategic guidance: Some companies may have an internal marketing team but lack strategic direction.  ☑️ Augmenting existing team: In situations where the internal marketing team lacks certain skills or experience, a fractional CMO can complement the team by filling in the gaps.  ☑️ Scalability and flexibility: Fractional CMOs can be engaged on a part-time basis, allowing companies to adjust their marketing leadership based on changing needs.

Kathleen Lucente gets right to the point in this article about Fractional CMOs… “The idea behind a fractional CMO is aiming for a natural exit date and leaving the company in better shape than when they started. It allows companies to have senior expertise when they need it most, without having to commit to a full-time employee at this level or suffer from having an inexperienced substitute steering the ship.” Situations when a company might consider hiring a fractional CMO or a fractional CMO service: ☑️ Limited Budget: with CMO salaries starting at the $200k point depending on the industry, a Fractional CMO can be a viable alternative for many growing companies. ☑️ Short Term Project: Once the project is complete, their involvement can be scaled down or discontinued. ☑️ Interim leadership: When a company’s CMO position is vacant, a fractional CMO can step in as an interim leader.  ☑️ Strategic guidance: Some companies may have an internal marketing team but lack strategic direction.  ☑️ Augmenting existing team: In situations where the internal marketing team lacks certain skills or experience, a fractional CMO can complement the team by filling in the gaps.  ☑️ Scalability and flexibility: Fractional CMOs can be engaged on a part-time basis, allowing companies to adjust their marketing leadership based on changing needs.

Kathleen Lucente gets right to the point in this article about Fractional CMOs… “The idea behind a fractional CMO is aiming for a natural exit date and leaving the company in better shape than when they started. It allows companies to have senior expertise when they need it most, without having to commit to a full-time employee at this level or suffer from having an inexperienced substitute steering the ship.” Situations when a company might consider hiring a fractional CMO or a fractional CMO service: ☑️ Limited Budget: with CMO salaries starting at the $200k point depending on the industry, a Fractional CMO can be a viable alternative for many growing companies. ☑️ Short Term Project: Once the project is complete, their involvement can be scaled down or discontinued. ☑️ Interim leadership: When a company’s CMO position is vacant, a fractional CMO can step in as an interim leader.  ☑️ Strategic guidance: Some companies may have an internal marketing team but lack strategic direction.  ☑️ Augmenting existing team: In situations where the internal marketing team lacks certain skills or experience, a fractional CMO can complement the team by filling in the gaps.  ☑️ Scalability and flexibility: Fractional CMOs can be engaged on a part-time basis, allowing companies to adjust their marketing leadership based on changing needs.

Professional services organisations are starting to embrace the Fractional Marketing Leadership model. Is your company onboard? It's not just SaaS and Tech companies embracing the advantage of Fractional CMOs... Financial services organisations are succumbing to the allure of: ➨ Accessing CMO expertise to drive growth ➨ Delaying the P&L cost of hiring a permanent CMO ➨ Flexible access to CMO expertise when the business needs it Two of my clients - Yellowtail Financial Planning and Lucent Financial Planning - are seeing an immediate step-change in their marketing efforts. And more professional services organisations are speaking to me to discover the benefits of hiring a fractional CMO in lieu of going down the traditional route of hiring a senior executive. The fractional leadership model is a real thing and it is here to stay. And any business can take advantage. If you would like to find out more, I have published 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐌𝐎. If you would like a copy, simply reply 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 in the comments below. ♻️Share this post if you find it useful ___________________________ 🙋I’m Paul, CEO & Founder of VCMO. If you’re looking to hire a Fractional CMO, here's what to do⬇️ 🔔 Click my bell to see me in your feed 💬 Tell me what you think in the comments 📩 DM me for more info 🌐 Visit 𝐰𝐰𝐰.𝐯𝐜𝐦𝐨.𝐮𝐤 ___________________________   #FractionalLeadership #FractionalCMO #BusinessGrowth

A growing number of companies are opting to engage Fractional or Interim Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) rather than hiring full-time. This strategic shift enables more nimble marketing leadership, expansion on demand, and big agency capabilities without the costs. The fractional CMO and CMO agency model allows brands, especially startups and small businesses, to finally get the senior-level marketing talent they require at a cost-efficient rate. Specialized CMOs can oversee strategy, high-impact initiatives, and team leadership. Benefits like: 🎯 Relevant industry experience 🎯 Objective assessment to identify optimization areas 🎯 Executive mentorship that also builds internal capabilities 🎯 Scaling marketing teams and strategies on demand Together this drives outsized growth, opportunity seizing, and executive team augmentation for crucial business phases. The rise of Fractional CMOs and CMO agencies proves that finally adopting marketing leadership allows promising brands to maximize their potential. #outsourcedmarketing #outsourcedcmo #cmo #fractionalcmo #chiefmarketingofficer

💡 Why Cost Efficiency Matters in Marketing Leadership 💡 In today's economy, every dollar counts. As CEOs and executives, we're always looking for ways to optimize our budgets without compromising on quality. That's where I, as your Fractional CMO, come in. Hiring a full-time Chief Marketing Officer is a significant investment—not just in salary, but in benefits and the time it takes to onboard and integrate them into your team. But what if you could access the same level of expertise and strategic leadership without the full-time cost? That's the beauty of a Fractional CMO. You get seasoned marketing leadership that's focused on your specific needs, without the overhead. It's about being smart with your resources—bringing in top-tier talent when and where you need it most, and ensuring that every marketing dollar is working hard for your business. This approach allows you to stay nimble, adjusting to market changes and business demands without being tied to a full-time commitment. It's a win-win: strategic leadership that's cost-effective and flexible. Let's face it, efficiency is key and a Fractional CMO like me, might just be the strategic advantage you've been looking for. #FractionalCMO #MarketingLeadership #CostEfficiency

Everyone's a fractional CMO these days, right? Marketing leadership roles can be confusing - what sets a CMO, director, and manager apart? Let's break it down: 🔹 **CMO** - Focuses on the big picture, shaping company-wide marketing strategy, and connecting marketing with business goals for long-term success. Can broadly speak about non-marketing specific issues facing the business at the executive level. (This last point is key!) 🔹 **Marketing Director** - Acts as the bridge between strategy and execution, turning big ideas into actionable plans, leading teams, and driving campaigns aligned with the broader strategy. 🔹 **Marketing Manager** - The executors on the ground, owning projects, optimizing performance, and working with teams to deliver tangible results. 🎯 Pro tip: Watch out for title inflation! Clear role definitions are crucial to avoid mismatched expectations and potential hiring issues in the future. Understanding these distinctions is key to aligning responsibilities with business needs, whether you’re structuring a marketing team or navigating leadership roles. #marketing #CMO #marketingdirector #marketingmanager #leadership #titleinflation #marketingstrategy #teamwork #hiring

This is such an important discussion. Having sat in multiple seats around the executive table - as CEO, CMO, and COO - I've seen this dynamic from all angles. The question shouldn't just be "Is the CMO performing?" but rather "Have we created an environment where marketing leadership can succeed?" In my experience, marketing success is deeply interconnected with the entire company. While marketing leaders must own their outcomes, sustainable success requires: 1. Clear alignment between product-market fit and marketing strategy 2. Strong collaboration between marketing, sales, and product teams 3. Realistic expectations from leadership and board 4. Well-defined success metrics beyond immediate revenue 5. CMO's proactive involvement in day-to-day operations across departments Too often, CMOs are expected to be magicians who can drive growth regardless of product readiness or company maturity. The most successful outcomes I've seen were with CEOs who understood marketing's role in the broader business strategy - as a long-term investment, not just a short-term growth phase. #valuecreation #CMO #marketingleadership