What is a Fractional CMO?

Is a Fractional CMO right for my AEC firm?

If you've spent much time on LinkedIn lately, you may have noticed a rise in various “Fractional C-Suite” positions amongst your AEC peers, especially the Fractional Chief Marketing Officer (CMO).

And it’s not new to LinkedIn… according to Google Trends, the phrase “Fractional CMO” has nearly doubled in interest over the past two years.

What is a “fractional” leader?

As the name implies, a fractional position is typically a part-time role. These workers are typically 1099 contractors, not traditional W2 employees. Your firm may contract with individuals directly, with their LLC (providing a layer of protection for the contractor), or a company representing a virtual bullpen of fractional professionals of various skills.

Fractional professionals often choose to contract with more than one company, allowing them to choose which companies they wish to help, and how many hours they offer to each of them.

Because fractional positions are often remote roles, a fractional professional can deliver from anywhere in the world.

But why would someone in a senior leadership role, seemingly at the top of their career, opt for a fractional role?

SHRM, the Society for Human Resources Management, found that fractional leaders are often “high-performing employees, exceptional at what they do, who wanted to build and have an impact. They wanted more flexibility in how and when they worked, and they wanted more agency in what they worked on.”

So in other words, they can deliver their very best work in a more concentrated fashion while enjoying more flexibility and freedom in the ways they deliver that work.

Why are Fractional CMOs on the rise in AEC?

Of course, prior to 2020, very few AEC firms employed remote workers at all—let alone, part-time, remote positions for senior leaders.

There are of course many different fractional leadership positions today—CEO, COO, CFO, CTO, etc. But I’d offer, none are trending as quickly in AEC as the Fractional CMO. There are several reasons for this.

While many AEC firms have historically designated owners, principals, and partners in other “chief” roles, few firms employ a full-time CMO.

And although these firms have gone without the highest level of marketing leadership, most firms employ marketers—from departments of one to multi-office marketing teams.

Since most firms have been operating without a CMO altogether, the addition of a Fractional CMO isn’t “taking away” a full-time position, it’s a new role, augmenting an existing department.

Why hire a Fractional CMO?

Especially for small to mid-sized firms, employing a Fractional CMO offers firms the opportunity to benefit from a senior marketer’s wisdom and experience, by investing only a fraction of their would-be salary. Not to mention the cost savings related to healthcare, technology, and taxes.

Although their effective hourly rate is likely higher than a full-time employee, engaging a Fractional CMO is often far more efficient. Think of how much time a typical leader may spend doing administrative tasks each month, such as processing emails or sitting in meetings. With a Fractional CMO, you’ll continue to benefit from their wisdom and their best work, while only paying for a fraction of their time.

Speaking of time, the average tenure of a CMO is only something like 18-24 months, but you can determine to keep your Fractional CMO on for as long (or short) as you like. You may choose to leverage your Fractional CMO for the duration of a major growth period, or shorter-term initiatives like implementing a new CRM, traversing a merger or acquisition, or successfully navigating a rebrand.

What are the downsides?

The most obvious downside to a Fractional CMO is the fact that they won’t be around for everything that happens in your firm, and in many cases, they may seldom step foot inside your offices.

This could be especially problematic if your CMO is assigned duties placing them into the public eye, such as media spokesperson, on-screen talent, or business development leader.

And if your firm has recently lost its full-time VP of marketing or Chief Marketing Officer, it may be a shock to the system to only have part-time access to its new senior marketing leader.

What kinds of firms will benefit most from a Fractional CMO?

AEC firms that already employ marketing professionals, yet have no real in-house marketing leader, are prime candidates to consider help from a Fractional CMO.

These are often talented team players who have a great, hands-on understanding of how this firm works, and how to make them look their best.

In fact, many such teams have long lists of what the firm should do differently, and which areas of marketing—from branding to websites, and proposals to communications—are most lacking within the firm.

The challenge is that these teams are often staffed with non-senior marketers. As such, they may be challenged to determine which marketing to-dos should be deemed their priority, and what to focus on after the first priority is achieved.

Side note: while your firm may have a technical principal (like an architect or engineer) who leads marketing because they’re interested in business development or who understands the importance of your firm’s brand, I’d offer in this context: unless they had additional training in marketing, this particular principal isn’t a true “marketing leader.”

Should you just say no to Fractional?

With all of the benefits, a Fractional CMO isn’t right for every firm.

Mega-firms are the most likely AEC firms to already employ a true senior marketing leader (if not several layers of marketing leadership). In this case, a Fractional CMO would only make sense as a cost-cutting measure, or additional project support.

And if your firm would prefer the cultural benefits of a full-time CMO walking the halls each day, this is also probably not a fit.

How to find the right fit.

Like all marketing positions, the CMO seat isn’t exactly a one-size-fits-all role. Marketers naturally have different experiences, backgrounds, and specializations. As you search for the right Fractional CMO, you should seek candidates who pair that role with the right experience.

Many AEC marketing departments are focused on RFP responses and winning the right kinds of work—as many should. However, is this the area in which you need assistance from a Fractional CMO? If your team already has a handle on proposals, perhaps your firm needs more help in areas of content marketing, social media, or brand positioning.

Determining your most acute marketing needs in advance of hiring fractional support will set you up for the greatest success.

While it’s not a fit for everyone, the rise of the Fractional CMO offers many AEC firms the opportunity to benefit from a CMO at a fraction of the investment.

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Josh Miles is the founder of Bold Brand LLC, where he serves as a seasoned brand strategist and fractional CMO for AEC and tech firms.