# What a fractional CMO does, and when a business needs one Source: https://www.highimpactmarketing.com.au/insights/what-does-a-fractional-cmo-do Business: High Impact Marketing (High Impact Marketing Pty Ltd, ABN 98 703 592 563), Brisbane, Australia. Serving clients Australia wide and worldwide. Leadership 29 October 2026 # The fractional CMO. A fractional CMO is a senior marketing leader who works part time inside your business for an agreed number of hours, taking ownership of marketing strategy, budget, priorities and the people and suppliers who deliver the work. A business usually needs one when marketing has become important enough to need senior leadership, but not yet big enough to justify a full time executive salary. It is common at the growth stage, before a major launch, when a founder is still running marketing alone, or between permanent hires. By Claudia High Impact Marketing, Brisbane ## What a fractional CMO actually does The role covers the same ground as a full time chief marketing officer, in fewer hours. That usually means setting the marketing strategy and tying it to commercial goals; deciding where the budget goes and where it does not; choosing and directing the people and suppliers who do the work; making sure brand, campaigns, content, search and events all say the same thing; and deciding what success looks like and how it will be measured. Some fractional CMOs advise and direct only. Others, ourselves included, also do a large share of the hands on work, which suits smaller businesses that need the strategy and the delivery from the same place. ## How it differs from other options **From a full time CMO.** Same level of experience, a fraction of the hours, and none of the overheads of an executive salary. The trade off is availability: a fractional leader works across a set number of hours rather than every day. **From a marketing coordinator.** A coordinator carries out a plan. A fractional CMO writes the plan, sets the priorities and owns the outcome. **From a project consultant.** A project consultant solves one defined problem and leaves. A fractional CMO stays, usually on a term of several months or more, and is accountable for marketing as a whole. ## Signs your business is ready for one You are spending real money on marketing but nobody senior is deciding where it goes. The founder or managing director is still making every marketing call. Several suppliers are working on your brand and none of them are talking to each other. A launch, rebrand, expansion or busy season is coming and needs a plan. Your current marketer is capable but needs direction and someone experienced to learn from. Or you know you will need a full time marketing leader eventually, but not yet. If two or three of those sound familiar, a fractional arrangement is worth exploring. ## What the first months usually look like The first month is about learning. A good fractional leader spends it understanding how the business makes money, who the customers are, what has been tried before and what the current suppliers and channels are doing. By the end of it there should be a clear set of priorities that everyone in the business understands. From the second month the work shifts to doing. Budget is redirected towards what matters most, the brand is tightened, campaigns and content start moving on a steady rhythm, and the first results begin to show. Months three to six are where the compounding appears, as each piece of work builds on the last. ## When it is not the right fit If the business mainly needs extra hands for daily posting or admin, a coordinator or a smaller block of hours will serve it better. If marketing is already large enough to keep a senior leader busy every day, a permanent executive is the natural next step. A good fractional leader will tell you honestly which of these you are. Our guide to [choosing between a consultant and an in house hire](https://www.highimpactmarketing.com.au/insights/marketing-consultant-or-in-house-hire) covers that decision in more detail. ## How to make it work Agree the commercial goals at the start, so every marketing decision can be tested against them. Give access to the numbers, the channels and the people. Nominate someone internal as the day to day contact. Set a horizon of at least six months, because the first month is discovery and setup and the compounding shows from months three to six. And agree how the hours will be used, while leaving room for them to go wherever they are worth the most each month. ## How we work at this level Our retainers sit close to a fractional marketing leadership role with the delivery attached. On the larger tiers, Core at 28 hours a month and Impact at 40, we act as your marketing department: strategy, campaigns, social, content, search, AI and events, led and largely delivered by us, working as part of your team. Every retainer runs on a six month term. We work with businesses in [Brisbane](https://www.highimpactmarketing.com.au/marketing-brisbane), on the [Gold Coast](https://www.highimpactmarketing.com.au/marketing-gold-coast), the [Sunshine Coast](https://www.highimpactmarketing.com.au/marketing-sunshine-coast) and right across Australia. See [the packages](https://www.highimpactmarketing.com.au/packages) or [book a discovery call](https://www.highimpactmarketing.com.au/contact). Related services: [Brand Strategy](https://www.highimpactmarketing.com.au/services/brand-strategy), [Campaign Creation](https://www.highimpactmarketing.com.au/services/campaign-creation), [AI and Automation](https://www.highimpactmarketing.com.au/services/ai-and-automation). Questions Quick answers What does fractional CMO mean? A chief marketing officer who works part time for your business for an agreed number of hours, rather than as a full time employee. They provide senior marketing leadership without the cost of a full time executive. How many hours does a fractional CMO work? It depends on the business. Arrangements are commonly built around a set number of hours each month. Our larger retainer tiers are 28 and 40 hours a month. Is a fractional CMO worth it for a small business? Often, when marketing spend is significant and nobody senior is directing it. A fractional leader brings strategy and focus for far less than an executive salary. Does a fractional CMO do the marketing work or just direct it? Both models exist. Some only advise and direct. We do both, setting the strategy and delivering a large share of the work, which suits businesses without a large internal team. Keep reading [ PricingWhat a marketing consultant costs in Australia in 2027How marketing consultants in Australia charge in 2027: hourly, by project or on a monthly retainer, what moves the price, and how to compare quotes properly.](https://www.highimpactmarketing.com.au/insights/marketing-consultant-cost-australia) [ HiringMarketing consultant or in house hire: how to decideHow to decide between hiring a marketer and engaging a marketing consultant: the volume of work, the skills needed, the real cost of a hire and the middle paths.](https://www.highimpactmarketing.com.au/insights/marketing-consultant-or-in-house-hire) Working with businesses in [Brisbane](https://www.highimpactmarketing.com.au/marketing-brisbane), on the [Gold Coast](https://www.highimpactmarketing.com.au/marketing-gold-coast), the [Sunshine Coast](https://www.highimpactmarketing.com.au/marketing-sunshine-coast) and [right across Australia](https://www.highimpactmarketing.com.au/industries). 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