The chief marketing officer, or CMO, is the leader of the marketing team in any company. He or she is responsible for effectively organizing and distributing marketing content and campaigns. Usually, a CMO has a team of marketing professionals working beneath them to delegate these responsibilities to. While the CMO role is common in large corporations, for small and mid-sized businesses it’s not always feasible. This is where the concept of a fractional CMO comes in.
As the name suggests, a fractional CMO is a partial or part-time CMO. You’re hiring the services of a CMO without the long-term commitment to a full-time paycheck and benefits. Fractional CMOs come in the form of a third-party marketing company, which specializes in achieving the goals you wish to reach. So, what exactly does a fractional CMO do?
Digital Marketing Management
The introduction of the internet to the marketing industry has been huge. With billions of consumers browsing the web every day, it makes sense that so many companies have begun focusing on digital marketing above more traditional avenues of advertising. Digital marketing encapsulates a wide assortment of content design and distribution, including:
Social Media Marketing: From Facebook and Instagram to Pinterest and LinkedIn, social media is a huge factor in the online marketing world. According to research, approximately 3.2 billion people use social media as of 2019. That’s 3.2 billion possible consumers interacting on an assortment of digital platforms. Your fractional CMO helps manage these platforms, creating and posting content, reacting and interacting with followers, and a variety of other tasks which are required to keep your social media presence relevant and active.
Web Design: Your website says a lot about your brand. In fact, 94% of online first impressions are related to web design. This includes the visual aesthetics of your landing page, but also the performance of your site. Some of the things to bring to the attention of your fractional CMO are:
- Loading times
- Link stability
- Mobile optimization
- Graphics
When a website isn’t functional it sends the message that your brand might not be functional either. It’s the job of a fractional CMO to make sure those assumptions are never made.
E-mail Marketing: Whether manual or automated, the e-mail is a classic part of digital marketing and it’s still relevant today. E-mail marketing includes several forms of communication, such as:
- Invitations
- Exclusive promotions
- Follow-ups
- Abandoned cart messages
- Newsletters
- More
CMOs work with the digital marketing team to create and manage e-mail distribution lists, e-mail content, and synch it with your CRM software. Your fractional CMO can also monitor consumer responses to your e-mails through the analytics received back through the CRM dashboard.
Online Forms: Ever visit a website and fill in a form to receive a free consultation, or to create an account online? These online forms were designed and implemented by a marketing professional. A fractional CMO manages a team that will create and install any forms your brand requires.
Mobile App Creation: Mobile apps are becoming more prevalent as mobile technology takes the place of desktop computers. As of 2018, more than 50% of all websites visited globally took place on a mobile device. Offering customers a mobile app to order services or products is a great way to stand apart from competitors. This is another digital marketing service your fractional CMO can provide.
Video Creation and Distribution: Video content is in huge demand right now. YouTube has more than 1-billion users to interact with. For a company looking to increase brand recognition, traffic, and ROI, taking advantage of the current video buzz is crucial to your success. Many fractional CMOs have content management teams or would be willing to work with your content management team in the organization of video creation and distribution.
Task Delegation Both Internally and Externally
The initial idea of a fractional CMO might have you envisioning a third-party marketing manager with their own team to delegate to. While many fractional CMOs do have marketing professionals working under them, you’re not limited to their team. A fractional CMO is becoming an honorary member of your brand. They will learn everything they need to know about your company and how you want to be perceived by your public. They will then work closely with your team to supply the results you’re looking for.
If you have marketing professionals but no management to oversee and maintain campaigns, a fractional CMO will take the reins. A fractional CMO can delegate to an internal member of your team, an external member of their own team, or even a third-party contractor.
The Benefit of a Fractional CMO
A fractional CMO removes the responsibility of marketing from your shoulders at an affordable rate. This provides peace of mind that your brand is being represented well and gives you more time to manage the company as a whole.