The Role of the Fractional CMO is Gaining in Popularity

By Lynn Pearce

Today, fractional CMOs are especially crucial, as they bring a consultant’s strategic mindset, agency-level execution abilities, and act as a marketing mentor for the inhouse team, all while being responsible for delivering quantifiable outcomes for the company.

he fractional CMO is becoming increasingly popular, as more and more companies are recognizing the need for a strategic and experienced marketing leader, without the financial commitment of a full-time CMO, particularly for startup companies who require the expertise. In this role, the fractional CMO brings expertise and experience from multiple industries and compa - nies to provide a fresh perspective and help drive growth.

This interim solution works well, as the role is often expanded to include responsibility to onboard and build a high-performance marketing team needed for developing and executing marketing strategies, plans and programs, while keeping HR costs low. The fractional CMO, acting as an external consultant to the business, can also provide guidance and support to the existing HR team in developing and implementing marketing-specific training and development programs. They also provide guidance and support to the marketing team to help them develop their skills and reach their full potential.

Another extremely important task of the fractional CMO is to align the marketing strategies with the overall business goals and long-term objectives, working together with the senior management team. Once this has been achieved, the CMO then must ensure the marketing efforts are aligned with the operations of the business, understanding their needs, and implementing processes to optimize the marketing activities and provide reports and updates to the management team to help track progress to make informed decisions towards the business growth.

Ultimately, the fractional CMO’s goal is to develop and execute a marketing plan that leverages the strengths of both online and offline channels to drive growth for the company.

In the online environment, the fractional CMO utilizes their expertise in areas such as SEO, performance marketing, content, design, and UI/UX to maximize the impact of digital marketing efforts. They use data to inform their marketing decisions, ensuring that their efforts are targeted, effective, and efficient. They will use tools such as web analytics, customer feedback, and A/B testing to measure the success of their campaigns and optimize future efforts.

In the offline environment, the fractional CMO leverages their experience in direct marketing to drive results through targeted, personalized campaigns. They may develop and execute direct mail campaigns, telemarketing initiatives, radio advertising, video campaigns and other targeted marketing efforts to reach the company’s target audience and drive engagement, tracking key metrics such as ad engagement, conversion rates, and return on investment (ROI).

However, the specific channels a fractional CMO may offer will depend on a variety of factors, including the target audience, budget, and goals of the marketing plan. In their role as frac- tional CMO, they should be able to offer a variety of options to ensure that the company’s marketing efforts are comprehensive, effective, and tailored to the specific needs and goals of each campaign.

With their experience and expertise in both the online and offline marketing environments, a fractional CMO is wellequipped to drive growth and success for a company through the use of effective marketing strategies and tactics.

In addition, it is in their own interests for fractional CMOs to stay on top of industry trends and leverage these technologies to create a comprehensive marketing plan that drives growth and success for the business. For example, by incorporating AI, that can be used to track user behavior and provide real-time feedback, they can create more personalized and interactive experiences that respond to the user’s behavior, interests and preferences.

As a fractional CMO, it is also important to consider the benefits of incorporating gamification into a new or existing loyalty program into the marketing strategy, and to design a program that is tailored to the needs and goals of the business. Incorporating gamification into the loyalty program can help drive engagement and create a more interactive and fun experience for users. For example, companies can create gamified challenges that allow users to earn rewards for completing certain actions or achieving specific goals.

An interesting additional benefit of hiring a part-time CMO is their vast network of contacts, providing access to new opportunities, brand partnerships and industry insights. Brand partnerships allow companies to reach new audiences and tap into the customer base of another brand. By partnering with other brands, companies can leverage their marketing efforts and resources to reach new audiences and drive growth. Furthermore, brand partnerships can be used to create unique and innovative marketing campaigns that stand out from the competition. By combining the strengths and resources of two or more brands, companies can create memorable and impactful marketing experiences that engage customers and drive growth.

Overall, brand partnerships can be a valuable tool for driving growth and building brand awareness, and fractional CMOs can certainly make use of their partnerships and associations to include these brand partners into their marketing strategies, ensuring that they align with the company’s values and goals, and that the partnership is a good fit for both brands.

Given the benefits and growing popularity of the fractional CMO role, providing access to new opportunities, partnerships, and industry insights, I believe that the role has the potential for longevity and will continue to be a popular option for companies looking to drive growth and success through marketing.

The full yearly results for Sands China showed a $1.58 billion loss for 2022 with casino revenues dropping by 52.3% for the year to $947 million, showing a bigger loss than the entire revenue recorded.

Indeed there was not much joy for the parent company either Las Vegas Sands which showed an operating loss in Q4 of $166 million, this is despite showing an increase in revenues of 10% to $1.11 billion.

Net revenues for Sands China reflected the ongoing restrictions over the year due to COVID but the companies group CEO said that Sands was optimistic in Macau and believed it would be able to turn fortunes around. Sands said that