5 Things to Look for in a Fractional CMO

When I act as a fractional CMO for a SMB in need of marketing help, I can see the impact of my work fairly quickly, within a few months. That’s not to say that I flip the switch and the revenue starts rolling in . . . that’s a perception that I dispel among the other C-Suite members on day one.

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The reason I can see results is that I know what to look for, and how to set things up to show those metrics and to highlight those results. The use of data to make a case for decisions is a key skill a good CMO would have mastered before they hung out a shingle.

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There are several general traits that companies should look for in a candidate if they’re contemplating hiring a Fractional CMO to help them grow.

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They are:

Empathy – relatively high EQ is a trait every leader should have, they make great managers and motivators of people, primarily because they’ve mastered active listening, and understand what their team is facing and how they feel about it. The Bonus for the company and what leads to their success, is that the high EQ allows them to put themselves in customers’ shoes, understand their pain points and preferences on an emotional level, and can structure the positioning, messaging and outreach mechanics to resonate with that audience more effectively.

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Curiosity – Good marketers are always wondering “what would happen if we did it this way?” and setting up a test to find out. This constant need to look under the hood gives them the edge over those just maintaining the status quo, which gives more horsepower to the company’s marketing efforts.

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Focus – The average SMB marketing program has over 45 different “facets” or moving parts all going at the same time, and it’s easy to get swamped trying to keep the details straight and keep them all running effectively. Fortunately, technology comes to the rescue in the form of dashboards and project management software, but it still has to be set up correctly and used constantly to provide value, and that consistency alone requires a tremendous goal orientation and focus.

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Example-based leadership style – If this person is going to interact regularly with other C-Suiters, they’ve got to be leaders themselves, and that style most often comes in the form of leadership by example – they are prompt, punctual, organized, goal oriented, driven by data, positive and confident in their abilities – what they want the team to be IN AGGREGATE, not all the individuals separately.

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Egoless Collaboration – Real marketers are the true drivers of corporate revenue when all is said and done, and they own the P/L like no other position in the company. But getting buy-in, cooperation, assistance and encouragement from other key players in the company is a key skill, and doing it selflessly without seeking validation or credit makes everything go much more smoothly.

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If you find a candidate with three of these, that’s a great start, if you get four, take them to heart. If you find all five, it’s a homerun, pay them whatever they want.

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Hiring a Fractional CMO allows you to access top talent, senior people who have seen it all, for a small percentage of the typical cost, with no loss of productivity or results. Now that’s smart saving.

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For more on Fractional CMO benefits, and how to hire me to do the job, message me and we can get started on your growth plan.