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fractional marketing

If you&#8217;re a small or medium-sized business (SMB) seeking growth, you understand the importance of marketing. However, marketing can be costly, especially when it comes to hiring a full-time marketing team. This is where fractional marketing services come into play.



Fractional marketing services offer a cost-effective solution to obtain the marketing expertise you require without committing to a full-time team. By hiring a fractional marketing professional, you can work together on a part-time or project basis, allowing you to access the assistance you need without a long-term contract or high salary.



Various types of fractional marketing services are available, enabling you to find the perfect fit for your business. Some common examples include:



<ol>
<li>Fractional CMO: A fractional CMO offers strategic guidance and leadership for your marketing efforts.</li>



<li>Fractional SEO: A fractional SEO specialist can help improve your website&#8217;s search engine ranking.</li>



<li>Fractional content marketing: Engage a fractional content marketer to create and distribute high-quality content that attracts and captivates your target audience.</li>



<li>Fractional social media marketing: Collaborate with a fractional social media marketer to build and expand your social media following.</li>
</ol>



If you&#8217;re searching for a cost-effective method to grow your business, fractional marketing services could be the ideal solution for you. Get in touch with a fractional marketing firm today to explore how they can assist you in achieving your business goals.



Aside from the aforementioned benefits, fractional marketing services also provide valuable assistance to SMBs in the growth stage by:



<ol>
<li>Access to expertise: Fractional marketing professionals possess extensive experience in the field, enabling them to share their expertise with you and your team. This guidance can help you avoid costly mistakes and enhance your marketing results.</li>



<li>Scalability: As your business grows, you may need to scale your marketing efforts up or down. Fractional marketing services offer flexibility and adaptability, allowing you to adjust quickly and efficiently.</li>



<li>Time optimization: Hiring a fractional marketing professional frees up your time to focus on other crucial aspects of your business. This increased productivity and efficiency can contribute to your overall success.</li>
</ol>



If you&#8217;re an SMB in the growth stage, fractional marketing services can prove to be a valuable asset. Reach out to our fractional marketing team today to learn more about how we can help you accomplish your business goals.

Fractional Marketing Services: A Cost-Effective Way to Grow Your Business

The fractional CMO role has become a fast-growing solution for brands that need an immediate impact and a low-risk hire who can take care of the same tasks that a full-time chief marketing officer would, but on a part-time schedule. 



Often the fractional CMO is focused on hiring the marketing team, and getting the right people in the proper seat for campaign creation. The fractional CMO often becomes the communicator between the product and sales team to the marketing department. 



Ultimately a fractional CMO is in charge of building out marketing funnels and helping foster the brand&#8217;s story across all campaigns to create the biggest impact on brand awareness, customer consideration, and sales generation.



Fractional CMOs often have diverse experience across many industries, consumer types, products, and services, and have an incredible ability to focus on increased conversions and sales.



Let&#8217;s dive into why B2C and Local Businesses often consider hiring a fractional CMO.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-do-b2c-businesses-need-a-fractional-cmo">Do B2C Businesses need a fractional CMO?</h2>



B2C brands can benefit greatly from a fractional CMO role. Depending on your business funding round or cash flows, a fractional CMO is much more cost-effective than hiring a full-time CMO.



The role of a CMO can cost a company <a href="https://imprint-digital.tempurl.host/blog/fractional-cmo/how-much-does-a-fractional-cmo-cost-a-business/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">upwards of $300,000</a>. This is why many brands choose to specifically hire a fractional CMO. It is a FRACTION of the cost! 



Many times businesses get stuck in the startup or growth mode of their business. Either their sales funnel dries up, marketing is misaligned with their goals, or the business do not have the capability to sustain the growth that got it from the early stage to the next stage of growth.



Below is a visual framework from the Harvard Business Review (HBR) on the <a href="https://hbr.org/1983/05/the-five-stages-of-small-business-growth#:~:text=While%20useful%20in%20many%20respects%2C%20these%20frameworks%20are%20inappropriate%20for%20small%20businesses%20on%20at%20least%20three%20counts." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stages of business growth</a>.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://sbx-dev.imprint-digital.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Growth-Phase-of-businesses-565x628.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-4751"/></figure>



Most businesses get stuck in either stage 2 or 3. This is where the company needs growth through direction (Stage 2) or growth through delegation (Stage 3).



This is precisely when a B2C brand should hire a fractional CMO. The delegation of certain roles or components of the company control can be very hard for entrepreneurs. This is frankly what inhibits many brands from growing and scaling.



But how do B2C brands know who to hire?



When it comes to growing through these stages, trust must be formed. Finding a partner to fill the roles you have managed takes a tremendous amount of work and investment. B2C brands may simply need a part-time fractional CMO to help navigate this growth and establish the campaigns, funnels, processes, and team members that will get the company to the next stage.



This is why fractional CMO services are so VERY popular. Rather than a massive commitment upfront, your brand can bring on a team member who has the experience and expertise at a fractional cost. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-do-local-businesses-ever-have-a-fractional-cmo">Do Local Businesses ever have a Fractional CMO</h2>



When a local business brings on a CMO, it often has to negotiate compensation in the form of salary and equity. Below is a quick breakdown of equity and why you may or may not want to give up equity in your business.



<ul>
<li>Salary &#8211; is a fixed payment expressed as an annual sum of payments made by an employer</li>



<li>Equity &#8211; represents a shareholders stake in a company.</li>
</ul>



When hiring a CMO full-time, a CEO or business owner often pays a salary and equity to the new CMO. At an early stage of a company, the CMO is incentivized to do one of three things.



<ol>
<li>A Large Salary and zero equity</li>



<li>A blend of salary and equity</li>



<li>A low salary, and a large sum of equity</li>
</ol>



We all should know what salary is because our first jobs typically have a salary base to it. The equity piece is what has the possibility to have a massive upside. 



Fractional CMO&#8217;s do not get equity ownership of your business



The absolute beauty of a fractional CMO for a local business owner is not having to give up equity in the business. (It is also nice not to have increased costs of healthcare or the cost of headhunting the right employee)



The fractional CMO role enables you to keep equity ownership in your business while bringing on the top talent in the marketing world. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-takeaway">The takeaway</h2>



Business owners have some incredible optionality when it comes to growing and scaling their businesses. They simply need to ask themselves if they are happy in the stage of business they are in, and do they want to sustain or grow from that foundation. 



The fractional CMO role and service empower entrepreneurs and CEOs to more easily foster a team and culture that enables growth to the more mature and later stages of the company. 



At Imprint Digital our <a href="https://imprint-digital.tempurl.host/fractional-cmo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fractional CMO</a> service helps brands do exactly this. Reach out today for a complimentary consult and learn how we can make a mark and help your brand grow.

Do B2C and Local Businesses need the functions of a Fractional CMO?

How many hours does a Fractional CMO work?

Every organization has a unique set of challenges that it must intentionally and intelligently approach to reach the next phase of growth. With all of the buzzwords within the internet marketing and marketing space as a whole, it can be daunting to know what exactly you should do. 



In this post, I am going to simplify and break down when you should consider a Digital Marketing Manager and when you should consider Fractional CMO Services. 



Your business may have different goals and needs, and this piece is by no means a defacto source of truth, but it will give you a general framework to walk away with and some ideas of how you may approach solving problems in your marketing department and digital strategy for your brand. Let&#8217;s dive in.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Early Stage and Growth Stage of Business</h2>



Fractional CMO has an illustrious ring to it compared to Digital Marketing Manager. It is easy to be drawn in by a name, but what you get truly matters. For young early-stage businesses, many times you simply need to generate consistent lead flow, visibility, and growth in terms of cash flows. 



Foundational things like positive reviews, organic ranking, and social media presence are great ways to establish yourself. These are the type of things that a Digital Marketing Manager can help you execute and deliver over time. 



Becoming a cash flow-generating business with a positive balance sheet is a foundational piece to every business&#8217;s well-being and success. This is why having a Digital Marketing Manager is a great strategy for early-stage brands.



Established brands that are in the growth phase and have reached product market fit, or have an established lead generation strategy and sales process could benefit from a <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://imprint-digital.tempurl.host/fractional-cmo/" target="_blank">Fractional CMO service</a>. 



Fractional CMO Services bring along a deeper knowledge base and experience deriving a brand&#8217;s company charter, telling the brand&#8217;s story, establishing a brand&#8217;s voice, and being the guiding light and strategist for a broader marketing department.



A Fractional CMO can get their hands dirty and manage ads, content, and social, but often serves as the conduit of a broader strategy to a team of experts bringing all players together.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">A CMO, or Chief Marketing Officer, is a senior-level marketing executive who can provide strategic direction and leadership for your marketing efforts. At Imprint Digital, we can help you find the right CMO for your business. We’ll work with you to understand your needs and objectives, and then match you with a CMO who can help you achieve your goals. Learn ways a Fractional CMO <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://imprint-digital.tempurl.host/blog/fractional-cmo/5-key-areas-where-cmos-can-make-a-difference/" target="_blank">can make an impact</a>.<cite>Alex Wells, Imprint Digital Co-Founder/CEO</cite></blockquote>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Fractional CMO as your C Level Leader</h2>



One aspect many young businesses do not need is a C Level Leader. Growth stage companies that have a middle management or leadership team would be more equipped for a Fractional CMO. Early stage companies often are a mix of founders, some key leading players and the sales and support roles. 



Once a brand reaches multiple departments or teams it can become a necessary time to bring in a Fractional CMO. Leadership on the marketing side of the business can help craft sales messaging, support nurturing through email marketing, and broader alignment across the company in brand, voice, messaging, and more. 



Fractional C Level leadership through a Fractional CMO is often highly desirable because hiring is a costly endeavor. Fractional CMO Services can give your brand the expertise and experience you need without the hiring costs, healthcare costs, or bonuses that often come with hiring a full-time role. Your company gets the part-time talent and strategy, without the exorbitant costs of bringing on a team member full-time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Imprint Digital, Your Fractional CMO Team</h2>



At Imprint, we have a comprehensive and talented group of Fractional CMOs and Digital Marketers who can assist with your brand&#8217;s marketing strategy and growth. Reach out below and we can learn more and discover if we are a great fit for helping take your brand to its next level of growth.

Fractional CMO Services or Digital Marketing Manager?

There are many things in life that are challenging to backtrack on. One common bad decision for businesses is to stop marketing and then lose the lead flow, which can lead to unsustainable sales. Our nation&#8217;s leadership is choosing to change the definition of what a recession is as we enter what is historically known as a recession!



We can all standby quietly to see how this pans out for us, but it doesn&#8217;t really sit well to know we are ignoring the facts about what is going on economically. 



So as small business owners, what do we do?



What resources do we have at our disposal to sustain business and put food on the table?



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">HANKE’S BELIEVE IT OT NOT! Secretary Yellen said “a common definition of recession is 2 negative quarters of GDP growth.” Less than a minute later she said “even if we have 2 quarters of negative GDP growth that&#39;s not a recession”<a href="https://t.co/16SUbyqd9H">https://t.co/16SUbyqd9H</a>&mdash; Steve Hanke (@steve_hanke) <a href="https://twitter.com/steve_hanke/status/1551611485905948675?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 25, 2022</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Getting frugal</h2>



If you are anything like me, you are a frugal, rational decision maker who wants to make the most intelligent decision that will help get my family through any upcoming turmoil, unexpected or not.



I have managed my own eCommerce stores, eBay stores, lawn care companies, and more since the age of 11. Even though I was in high school during the 08 collapses, I could still feel the pain for my lawn care business and wish I had made better decision making for my lead flow and marketing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The best marketing decision in 2022</h2>



As brands are speeding up layoffs and slowing down hiring, we are at a common crossroads&#8230; What to do with the marketing budget and marketing roles? 



This is where <a href="https://imprint-digital.tempurl.host/fractional-cmo/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fractional CMO</a> services come into play. One common gut reaction for businesses is to drastically cut back on marketing. Luckily we live in a digitally native world and now have incredible offerings like a Fractional CMO which can give brands part-time executive leadership and execution on the marketing side of the fence without the heavy burden of price or commitment.



Hiring a team of high-quality and talented marketers, designers, developers, and content writers (along with other roles, even simply part-time) can cost anywhere from 110-400k yearly.



Fractional marketing services absolutely disrupt the classic model of how marketing is done. No longer do you need to deal with the headaches of hiring, training, sick employees, or juggling the quality of multiple departments. 



Fractional CMO services extend an executive professional and team to small businesses that are in need.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">You can&#8217;t backtrack bad decisions quickly enough</h2>



As a business owner of 24 years, I have seen the pains that SMBs and growth stage companies go through during economic contractions or downtimes of growth in America.



The smartest decision is to stay frugal and to NOT QUIT on what sustains a business. 



If you are at this tough crossroads of decision-making on what to do for your business. Give us a call. We are happy to help and walk through what options and solutions we can provide at a fair price point that helps deliver your business.



Those who are relentless are those who succeed.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" src="https://sbx-dev.imprint-digital.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/rocky-crawl.gif" alt="" class="wp-image-4299"/><figcaption>Those who are relentless are those who succeed.</figcaption></figure>



Give us a shout. We are here to help. Be blessed.

Effectively Cutting Costs on Marketing with a Fractional CMO

Fractional CMOs are part-time marketing leaders who can step into an organization from anywhere from 5-15 hours a week and immediately impact results. Fractional CMOs bring powerful insights to brands at a small fraction of the cost compared to hiring a full-time CMO.



One of the most common questions is, when is the proper time to bring in a Fractional CMO? 



Budget Constraints



Most small to medium brands have to operate efficiently with a limited or intentionally allocated budget. This is a great time to bring in a Fractional CMO. Not all brands have the luxury of bringing on a full-time marketing executive or Chief Marketing Officer. Instead having a part-time fractional CMO can allow brands to make the most of their budgets while having a leadership-oriented executive on the team to help craft marketing strategy and guide the team on the best marketing decisions.



Solving Marketing Problems



Businesses who want a new pair of eyes to assess their present marketing strategy and plans and are facing a particular difficulty can also benefit from hiring a fractional CMO. Teams might sometimes benefit from having a fresh strategist take on the company&#8217;s marketing objectives by bringing to light previously unnoticed aspects. A fractional CMO has a wide range of experiences from working with numerous clients in numerous industries, which can be useful when trying to solve problems, identify issue areas, or find insights and trends.



New Markets, Niches, or GTM (Go to Marketing Strategy)



Possibilities for expansion arise at pivotal times in a company&#8217;s history. Bringing in a temporary CMO might assist provide marketing the extra boost it needs to seize opportunities fast when the current team is not fully suited to do so. The fact that fractional CMOs frequently work on many projects at once exposes them to the newest marketing trends, tools, and platforms, which they can use to benefit their whole portfolio.



Fractional CMOs bring an incredible amount of experience, insights, and industry perspective and typically see more problems and positive outcomes than a CMO who has worked one role for 5-10 years. With broader CMO experience and background, these diverse insights can be valuable for your brand.



Bridging the Gap between Leadership



Sometimes when a marketing leader abruptly leaves a company, there is a challenge in finding the long-term desirable CMO. This common challenge makes hiring a Fractional CMO a no-brainer. Rather than leaving the marketing team high and dry without leadership and guidance, a Fractional CMO can fill the role over a few weeks or monthly until the right fit for the long term CMO role is hired. 



The Takeaway



Fractional CMOs has grown in popularity rapidly over the pandemic, and while most companies need long-term marketing leadership, the Fractional CMO is an incredible fit for many brands. Gaining access to brilliant marketing talent and leadership at a fraction of the cost is a great way to maximize limited resources and get you to the next phase of growth.



If our Fractional CMO service could be of help, reach out, we would love to share how we may be able to help in your unique situation.

When your brand should hire a Fractional CMO

A fractional marketing team focuses on the areas of your organization where assistance is needed. Depending on the needs of the company, they can serve as a whole marketing department or concentrate on just a few areas, such as site development, creative, GTM (go to market), social strategy, paid, content, and more.



These fractional teams&#8217; job is to close any holes in your company&#8217;s operations. Imagine having a qualified team of professionals at your disposal, but just needing to pay for particular tasks or hours completed. This means that you may have a whole marketing team at your disposal for a &#8220;fraction&#8221; of the price of hiring someone full- or even part-time.



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Why hire a fractional team?</h1>



Fractional Marketing teams do a great job at coming into fill] the gaps in the areas that your current marketing team can not take care of. Many organizations have a key player who is strong in one area. Maybe paid, social, or content. When you enable a fractional marketing team to take over the other pieces of the strategy, you can build a stronger more holistic marketing strategy that elevates your brand.



Fractional teams cost far less than a full-time team and often can bring more value because the fractional marketing team is built from industry experts who have years of experience across many business types and problems that need to be solved.&nbsp;



You can improve overall business performance by using a fractional workforce wherever your department is having difficulty. Need someone with social content experience? Or perhaps all you&#8217;re doing is seeking for a team to curate some content for your site. If you need a fractional marketing team, you can hire them and only pay for the time they spend on the tasks they are assigned. This saves the organization money and rewards the fractional team for their specific talents.



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">When do you need a fractional marketing team?</h1>



Many organizations have someone who leads the marketing department, but rarely have dedicated experts in key seats that meet the specific area of the growth the organization needs at different phases of business growth.&nbsp;



Does your brand have one person focused fully on content creation, or social media? Or are you lacking the key marketing leader who needs to steer the ship and sit next to executive team members to help guide decision-making from the branding, story, and marketing execution side?



If marketing tactics are developed on the spot without expertise or investigation, they typically won&#8217;t be successful. You won&#8217;t receive the engagement you seek if your team is continually pulling things together at the last minute or is more reactive than proactive. It also doesn&#8217;t assist when several people are working on the marketing strategy without a single leader in charge or assigning the necessary tasks to them.



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Key Benefits of Fractional Marketing Teams</h1>



Fractional Marketing teams have incredible insights, industry experience, and a capability to bring value rapidly to nearly any business. Onboarding new employees can be a headache. When it comes to fractional teams, you have zero onboarding and training costs compared to legacy hires, and your new fractional marketing team members can jump directly into strategy and marketing for the brand.



Nearly every business can improve its marketing department with a fractional marketer. Fill the gaps of where your business is lacking and start to make a positive impact and move into the areas where you need to grow. If you could use help with a fractional marketing team, or a key leadership player as a <a href="https://imprint-digital.tempurl.host/fractional-cmo/">Fractional CMO</a>, reach out. We would be happy to help!

fractional marketing