That's the million-dollar question. A million dollars that you might be losing right now by not working with the right leader. Here are why Series A and B companies should hire a fractional CMO today.
1. Save time and money by skipping the hiring
In your wildest dreams, you'd love to hire a marketing leader that is very good at building your brand, hiring a team, and managing your performance teams. You spend a lot of time interviewing candidates but they all leave you with an "I wish they had more" feeling.
I hate to break it to you, but, there are very few marketing talents who can do it all. These people are in high demand and they can choose where they work. Some are willing to do the heavy lifting work but some are not...because they don't have to. These people are not short of options and opportunities.
Hiring a fractional CMO who is experienced in branding and growth, saves you time and money. They've done it before and they can do it again. The only concession you have to make is time. I've seen many CEOs being stuck trying to hire a unicorn - it's better to have an expert CMO for a fraction of their time than somebody who's only good at 50% of their job.
2. Try tomorrow without too long of a commitment
The beauty of working with fractional CMOs is that they are contractors. If they have time for you, they can start tomorrow. I've seen many CEOs debating if they need a brand-oriented leader or a growth-oriented leader or a little bit of this and that - not knowing what direction to take. Why don't you try tomorrow with someone who's very good at branding and see for yourself? If it doesn't work out, you can always change. Hiring a fractional CMO is flexible. It's not like hiring the wrong person and having to stay with this leader for a while. Try and see for yourself - you can always start on a 3mo contract.
3. Boost your internal talents and your team morale
Your team is probably in need of a leader. You have internal talents but they are in need of a clear direction. You could always promote an internal candidate. Most of the time, these candidates still have a lot to learn and mistakes can be made. It's always a risk - and, success is not guaranteed.
Working with a fractional CMO can be a great solution to coach your team and boost your internal talents, leaving them the authority and the freedom to operate but with more expertise. Team satisfaction and team happiness have always increased after I joined marketing organizations as their fractional CMO. It feels good to be driven by an expert and it's also nice to be coached by someone who understands your work and cares about you.
4. Buy expertise and increase your visibility
While it's not guaranteed that everything will work as you dreamed of, you're still reducing considerably the risks of failing by hiring someone who has done it all before. Fractional CMOs have been CMOs in the past, they have been to board meetings, they have hired a team and they have track records. They can accelerate branding projects, recommend people to the company, and increase the visibility of your organization - what you won't have with a more junior marketing leader. So, you're buying expertise but also credibility and a deep network.
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