Fractional CMO for B2B SaaS
Experienced marketing leadership for B2B SaaS companies not ready to hire a full-time CMO. Strategy, team building, execution — without the $400K salary.
Most SaaS founders over-hire CMOs too early or under-hire marketing managers who can't operate strategically. A fractional CMO bridges the gap: senior marketing leadership for 10–20 hours a week, at a fraction of the cost. We bring the strategy, team building, and execution discipline while you keep runway.
Ideal for
When this service is right for you.
What you get
Scope of the engagement.
How we work
Our phased approach.
- 1Diagnostic: 30-day deep dive into your marketing function, team, tech, pipeline
- 2Strategy: 90-day plan with measurable objectives
- 3Execution: ongoing leadership + team coaching + vendor management
- 4Transition: hand off to full-time CMO when ready (typically 12–18 months)
FAQ
Questions about Fractional CMO.
How much does a fractional CMO cost?
Custom by scope and hours. Typical engagements run 10–20 hours/week with monthly retainer pricing. Total cost is 25–40% of a full-time CMO salary — designed for companies not ready to commit to a full-time hire.
How is fractional CMO different from hiring a VP Marketing?
A fractional CMO brings senior strategic experience from multiple companies; a VP Marketing is typically one level of experience below and operates primarily as a manager. Fractional CMOs are best for strategic inflection points; VP Marketing hires are best when you need execution horsepower.
Do you replace our marketing team or supplement it?
Supplement and lead. Your team executes; we provide strategic direction, hiring guidance, and coaching. We don't replace the team — we make them more effective and help you hire the right people at the right time.
Can a fractional CMO work with our existing agencies?
Yes. One of the most common tasks: auditing existing agency performance, renegotiating scope, and sometimes replacing underperforming vendors. We're vendor-agnostic; we optimize for your outcomes.
How do I know if we need a fractional CMO vs full-time?
If you're under $3M ARR, fractional almost always wins on ROI. Between $3M–$10M, it depends on how mature your team is. Over $10M, full-time CMO typically makes sense. We do a free diagnostic conversation to help you think through it honestly.
Ready to talk about fractional cmo?
Tell us about your company and goals. We'll share a proposed scope for fractional cmo — or honestly tell you if you should work with someone else.
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