What to expect from a fractional CMO (ft. Toni!)

Fractional roles are on the rise across all disciplines, but there’s still some mystery around what a fractional CMO actually does. If you’re considering one for your business, it’s worth knowing what they bring to the table—and what they don’t.

?? What makes fractional CMOs different?

Startups and scale-ups are bringing in fractional CMOs to drive their marketing without committing to a full-time hire. It’s a smart way to get senior expertise and fresh strategic thinking, without the overhead of a permanent exec. But to get the most from them, you need a clear sense of their role and where their impact lies.

?? What You Can Expect From A Fractional CMO

Strategic expertise and clear direction

A fractional CMO will get straight to work aligning marketing with your business goals. They’re not here to tick boxes or churn out campaigns—they’re focused on making sure marketing fuels growth in a meaningful way. They bring experience from different growth stages, helping you sidestep common mistakes and move forward with confidence.

Brand positioning and standing out in the market

Fractional CMOs specialise in sharpening your brand’s positioning—whether that means refining your messaging, defining your unique space, or giving your brand a much-needed refresh. They’ll often start with a brand audit or competitive analysis (we call it ‘fresh eyes’) to get to the heart of what makes you different. This isn’t just about looking good; it’s about being memorable and cutting through the noise.

Quick wins and long-term strategy

The best fractional CMOs strike a balance between immediate impact and long-term results. Quick wins might include fixing ad spend inefficiencies, improving conversion rates, or tightening up your website. Meanwhile, the bigger strategic work—like refining your brand story or market positioning—lays the foundation for sustainable growth. Within a few months, you should see both tangible improvements and progress towards broader business goals.

Access to a high-calibre network

One of the biggest advantages of a fractional CMO? They bring a network of trusted experts—whether it’s PR pros, media contacts, or content creators—helping you tap into quality resources without the usual hiring headaches.

?? What Not To Expect

Round-the-clock availability

A fractional CMO isn’t a full-time exec. They work with multiple clients, so while they’re deeply invested in your business, they’re not on call 24/7. The key to making it work? Clear communication and structured check-ins.

Hands-on execution of everything

While a fractional CMO sets the strategy, they’re not there to execute every task. They’ll steer the direction and delegate where needed—whether that’s to your internal team or external specialists. If you need social media posts written or emails sent, they’ll guide the strategy, but someone else will need to handle the day-to-day.

Instant results

Marketing takes time. A fractional CMO will make an impact quickly, but expecting overnight transformation isn’t realistic. Look for consistent, strategic progress rather than short-term fixes.

?? A day in the life of a CMO: seeing Toni Vicars in action

One of our featured fractional CMOs, Toni, has just started with a new client through our platform—so what better time to spotlight what her work actually looks like?

With experience at Microsoft, Apple, and multiple startups, Toni has spent over 15 years refining how marketing drives growth. A typical day in her world? A mix of strategic thinking, hands-on problem-solving, and making sure marketing actually delivers on business goals.

?? Strategic leadership

Toni starts her day with an insurtech founder, reshaping their market positioning and go-to-market strategy. They’re deep into conversations about company vision, product-market fit, and defining their North Star.

?? Hands-on problem-solving

Later, she jumps into rebuilding a website on Squarespace to support urgent funding discussions. As she puts it: "Sometimes there’s no time or budget to bring in extra hands—you just have to be agile and get it done."

?? Deep industry insight

Next up: a value proposition workshop for a sustainable energy company. This follows weeks of research—industry deep dives, stakeholder interviews, and figuring out the gap between what the company thinks it’s selling and what customers actually want.

?? Data-driven decision making

Toni then shifts to customer segmentation work, helping a client move beyond surface-level personas to a sharper, insight-led approach. This ensures marketing efforts land with the right people.

?? Mentoring the team

Her day wraps up with coaching sessions for junior marketers, giving them a stronger grasp of the bigger strategic picture. Right now, she’s guiding an in-house team on shifting their social media approach from scattergun posts to something more aligned with brand positioning.What makes Toni stand out? Her commitment to the businesses she works with: "What I love about being fractional is that my clients matter to me. I’m not a consultant dropping in and out—I’m there to make a real impact at a critical time."

?? Are you thinking about bringing in a fractional CMO?

If Toni’s approach sounds like what your business needs, let’s talk. We match startups and scale-ups with top-tier fractional marketing leaders—get in touch to find out how one could drive real growth for you.

Speak soon,

Lucy