At some point every growing business hits the same wall: marketing matters, but nobody owns it. The owner is doing it at night, or a few vendors are doing pieces of it with no one connecting them. There are three common ways out.
Option 1: Hire a full-time marketer
Good for: businesses with steady budget and enough work to fill a full week, every week.
You get someone who knows your business inside out and is there every day. The catch is the cost and the gamble. A senior marketing leader is a big salary plus benefits, and a junior hire often needs the direction you were hoping they'd bring.
Option 2: Sign with an agency
Good for: businesses that know what they need done and want a team to do it.
Agencies bring specialists and can move fast. The catch is that an agency's job is the work you hired them for. They rarely tell you to spend less with them, and someone on your side still has to set direction and judge the results.
Option 3: Bring in a fractional marketing lead
Good for: small businesses that need someone in charge of marketing without the cost of a full-time executive.
A fractional lead works a set number of hours each month. They set the plan, choose and manage the vendors (including agencies), and report on results. You get senior judgment on a part-time budget. Executive-level fractional CMOs often charge $5,000 a month or more; a lighter fractional lead for a small business costs less.
How to choose
Ask yourself three questions:
- Is anyone setting direction right now? If not, you need a lead before you need more hands.
- Is there enough work for a full-time person? If it's 10 to 15 hours a week, full time is overkill.
- Do you already pay vendors? If yes, someone should be managing them for you.
If you answered no, no and yes, a fractional lead is likely the best fit.
How we do it
Our fractional marketing lead starts at $2,500 a month. It includes the plan, vendor and budget oversight, regular meetings and a monthly report. Not ready to commit? Start with a marketing audit to see where things stand. New to the idea? Read what a fractional CMO is.