What is a fractional CMO – and do you need one?

Not every business needs a full-time CMO.
 

But most need someone who can bring clarity, commercial thinking, and a proper plan.

That’s where a fractional CMO (FCMO) comes in.
 

You get senior marketing leadership – the kind that drives growth, aligns teams, and fixes what’s broken – without the £150k+ salary commitment.

It’s part-time support with full-impact thinking.

So, what does a fractional CMO actually do?

• They don’t just advise. They lead.
  They partner with founders and boards to make marketing more effective, more focused, and more accountable.

A good one will:

• Build a marketing plan aligned to business goals
• Coach and guide your team – or build it from scratch
• Fix what’s underperforming (from messaging to media spend)
• Align sales, product, and marketing so everyone’s pulling in the same direction
• Focus on performance – not just pretty campaigns
• Measure what matters (and help you stop chasing vanity metrics)

They bring the confidence of experience – without the ego or internal politics.

Why hire a fractional CMO?

Because you need senior marketing firepower – but you don’t want to over-hire, overpay, or waste time.

Fractional CMOs bring:

• Commercial clarity – no fluff, no fluffers, just what drives growth
• Strategic oversight – proper plans, built on insight and data
• Speed – quick wins that build momentum
• Scalability – they design for now and what’s next
• Credibility – they’ve done this before, and it shows

You get exactly what you need – and none of what you don’t.

What type of business are they for?

Fractional CMOs are ideal for:

• Start-ups who need expertise but can’t afford full-time
• Scaling businesses where growth has outpaced structure
• SMEs ready to professionalise their marketing
• Founder-led teams juggling too many hats and needing commercial focus

If marketing feels like it’s happening to you, rather than for you – it’s time to bring in help.

The first 30 days: what to expect

You won’t get a shiny new strategy in week one – and that’s a good thing. First, we need to see what we’re working with.

Expect:

• Discovery and diagnostics – reviewing your plans, tools, team, performance, and messaging
• Quick wins – identifying and fixing easy-to-spot issues that are slowing you down
• An action plan – prioritised steps to get your marketing aligned and set up for growth

This phase is about building foundations – not rushing to fix things with guesswork.

What impact can a fractional CMO have?

They focus on the work that moves the needle.
 

You’ll see:

• Campaigns that convert
• Teams with clarity
• Spend that delivers ROI
• Messaging that lands
• Metrics that actually tell you something useful

They turn your marketing from a cost centre into a driver of commercial value.

And no – they’re not “just consultants”

They don’t just talk. They do.

A fractional CMO will:

• Embed in your team
• Lead the work
• Execute on strategy
• Coach your people
• Own the outcomes

They show up, get stuck in, and leave your marketing in a better place than they found it.

Signs you might need one

✅ You’re spending money on marketing, but not seeing results
✅ Your team has no senior lead or clear direction
✅ You’re preparing to grow or launch something new
✅ You know you need help – but a full-time hire is out of reach

So, is an FCMO right for you?

If your business needs stronger marketing but doesn’t need a full-time CMO, this is your sweet spot.

A fractional CMO gives you the thinking, leadership, and commercial rigour – with none of the long-term overhead.

Want to know if it’s a fit?
Let’s talk. Pink Umbrella gives you flexible, experienced, and results-led marketing leadership - designed around your business, not someone else's playbook.