Being able to act fast and make timely, well-informed decisions can be the difference between a successful project and a failed one. When it comes to making marketing decisions, expert guidance is essential.
This is where a fractional marketing consultant comes in to assist with planning and making strategic decisions that will drive results to boost your company’s growth. You may wonder, “what exactly does a fractional marketing consultant do?” In this article, we will provide answers to this question and others about fractional marketing consulting.
What is a Fractional Marketing Consultant?
The term “marketing consultant” may sound familiar, especially if the world of business and marketing is commonplace for you. But what does the word “fractional” have to do with it? What is fractional marketing? And how is a fractional marketing consultant different from a typical marketing consultant?
With the increase in popularity of fractional marketing by many businesses worldwide, marketing professionals have branched out under different niches in a bid to fulfil the marketing objectives of various industries. Fractional marketing consultants are professionals that work in the marketing industry to provide valuable insights about a company’s marketing strategies to help promote their goods or services more effectively.
When it comes to marketing, your business may be in need of specialised guidance on next steps or actions to take. This is what fractional marketing consulting is all about. It is traditionally done on a part-time basis and you do not necessarily need to access a marketing consultant full-time.
The Roles of a Fractional Marketing Consultant
In general terms, a fractional marketing consultant is like a guide that can help bring a company or business out of a tight spot. If you have marketing challenges, you can call on a fractional consultant to help you work on a path forward.
If you are wondering what a fractional marketing consultant could do for your business, let us look at some of the roles they play in their official capacity. A fractional marketing consultant helps to:
- Analyse a company’s needs, strengths, and challenges as this helps to come up with an effective strategy for growth.
- Conduct market research to identify market trends, opportunities, and understand and segment your target audience.
- Develop an operative marketing strategy or campaign that targets potential customers and leverages on the company’s strengths.
- Recommend effective methods or tools that can aid the success of an upcoming campaign. This includes digital marketing tools like social media and content creation, search engine optimisation, and many others.
- Cooperate with other experts within the company to develop a working strategy.
- Monitor campaign performance and the results using analytical tools and tracking KPIs to help make data-driven actions or decisions.
- Provide results to stakeholders and suggest improvements and further plans for growth.
Fractional Marketing Consultant Vs. Fractional Marketing CMO
A fractional Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) is an important role in the world of business marketing. While the role of this officer overlaps with that of a fractional chief marketing officer consultant, they can be quite different.
As a business owner, it is essential to recognise the differences between these officers so you know who to hire for what purpose. Let’s discuss a few differences between the roles of the fractional CMO and that of a marketing consultant.
| Fractional Marketing Consultant | Fractional CMO |
| Focuses specifically on the challenge or problem at hand. The consultant does not take on operational responsibility. | Combines problem-solving with leadership. The CMO takes up a more executive position within the company. |
| Offers advice and solutions but does not participate in the implementation. | The CMO is fully involved in implementing the recommended actions. |
| Works more independently than in collaboration with other departments or teams. Does not fully integrate with the company. | A fractional CMO is well integrated into a company’s system and works closely with other departments and the entire team. |
| Their work is more project-based. | Serves as a representative of the company. |
| Performance is assessed based on the success or results of the project. | Performance is assessed based on the company’s overall results. |
In essence, while both the fractional CMO and marketing consultant work part-time or on a contract basis, they function in different capacities. The fractional CMO takes an executive, leadership approach to planning and strategising for a business while a marketing consultant offers advice based on experience and level of expertise without being involved in the implementation phase.
Importance of a Fractional Marketing Consultant to Your Business
If you are looking to improve your business growth and operations, then you should not overlook the importance of having a fractional marketing consultant on the books, especially if you have financial constraints or leadership challenges.
Cost Benefits
As a small business owner, it’s not unusual to have a limited budget. This may sometimes lead to cutting corners to achieve your brand objectives. However, hiring a fractional marketing consultant can help to take this financial burden off your plate by providing expert marketing solutions at a lower cost than hiring a full-time marketing consultant.
Resource Allocation
Aside from budget, other resources can become more available for other projects if you outsource your marketing to fractional consultants. For example, rather than having your entire marketing team brainstorming on a campaign to promote your services, you can have them working on other projects within their scope while your part-time consultant handles the campaign.
Improved Efficiency
Another benefit that a fractional consultant offers your business is faster results. Because a fractional marketing consultant has more experience in handling marketing strategies, they can easily pick up your project and start immediately. This is quicker and more efficient than going through a training process with an in-house marketing consultant.
Access to Resources & Specialised Skills
It can be quite challenging to keep apprised of evolving trends, especially with digital marketing. Every day, there are new platforms, algorithms and methods to promote your products and services. A fractional digital marketing consultant can help to bring you up-to-date with recent trends, knowledge, and expertise when it comes to digital marketing.
Smooth Hiring Process
The hiring process in your company is another way that a fractional marketing consultant can be involved. You can invite a fractional chief marketing officer consultant to help vet your team before hiring them. Also, if you are looking for someone to fill up a full-time position as a marketing consultant, you can start by hiring them as a fractional marketing consultant and then determine if you want to have them on your team full-time.
Bottom Line: Fractional Marketing Consultants for Business Sucess
A fractional marketing consultant helps guide your marketing plans to ensure they are result-driven and goal-oriented. This happens at an affordable rate when compared to having a full-time marketing consultant in your firm. While they are not as integrated into your company’s system as a fractional CMO, they still help to accelerate your company’s growth through effective marketing.
If you are looking for an expert solution to your company’s marketing problems at an affordable cost, you should look at hiring a fractional marketing consultant. Simply start by checking out fractional marketing consultant agencies who are experienced in your desired channels and verticals.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a fractional chief marketing officer consultant?
A fractional Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) consultant is a role for professional marketing specialists that provides strategic marketing plans to achieve industry growth and improve sales. Any business that needs expert solutions to marketing problems through effective leadership can request help through the fractional CMO consultant.
Why hire a fractional marketing consultant?
Hiring a fractional marketing consultant can be a smart choice for many businesses who need to resolve their marketing challenges while saving on costs. Fractional marketing specialists do not cost as much as a full-time marketing employee, but you get the same level of quality at a lower cost. Many businesses may require fresh insights or a new set of eyes for a project or strategy, and having an outsider come in can help to solve these concerns.
Is a fractional CMO consultant the same as a freelancer?
It is easy to confuse a fractional CMO consultant with a freelancer, as they both work on a contractual basis as opposed to full-time employment. However, the scope and nature of their work varies. A fractional CMO consultant oversees the entire input into developing a marketing strategy. A freelancer, on the other hand, only works on specific projects within the marketing scope.