Checklist: does your organization need a Fractional CMO?
Discover in just a few minutes whether your organization is ready for a Fractional CMO.
Checklist: does your organization need a Fractional CMO?
Your organization invests in marketing. Perhaps you already have a marketer, work with freelancers or agencies, and launch campaigns and organize events.
But who actually sets the direction? Who determines the priorities? And who is ultimately responsible for the results?
A Fractional CMO can be an attractive option if you need senior marketing leadership but do not require a full-time marketing director.
This checklist will help you discover in just a few minutes whether your organization is ready for a Fractional CMO.
TL;DR: Answer the 15 questions below with No, Partly or Yes. Award yourself 0, 1 or 2 points for each answer. The higher your score, the more likely it is that your organization does not necessarily need more marketing, but rather stronger strategic marketing leadership.
How does the Fractional CMO check work?
For each statement, indicate the extent to which it applies to your organization:
No = 0 points Partly = 1 point Yes = 2 points
Add up all your points at the end.
Strategy and direction
1. We do quite a lot of marketing, but lack a clear overarching marketing strategy.
☐ No – 0 ☐ Partly – 1 ☐ Yes – 2
2. It is not sufficiently clear which target groups, markets or propositions marketing should prioritize.
☐ No – 0 ☐ Partly – 1 ☐ Yes – 2
3. We find it difficult to link marketing activities directly to our commercial objectives.
☐ No – 0 ☐ Partly – 1 ☐ Yes – 2
Organization and responsibility
4. No one has ultimate responsibility for marketing at a senior level.
☐ No – 0 ☐ Partly – 1 ☐ Yes – 2
5. The CEO, managing director or commercial director currently manages marketing ‘on the side’.
☐ No – 0 ☐ Partly – 1 ☐ Yes – 2
6. We have marketers, freelancers and/or agencies, but lack someone who manages these parties from a single strategy.
☐ No – 0 ☐ Partly – 1 ☐ Yes – 2
Execution
7. We regularly start new marketing activities, but do not evaluate them enough.
☐ No – 0 ☐ Partly – 1 ☐ Yes – 2
8. Our marketing consists of many separate activities. We lack an overarching, coherent plan.
☐ No – 0 ☐ Partly – 1 ☐ Yes – 2
9. We have plenty of ideas, but struggle to set priorities and actually execute our plans.
☐ No – 0 ☐ Partly – 1 ☐ Yes – 2
Marketing & sales
10. Marketing and sales are not yet sufficiently aligned around the same target groups, propositions and commercial priorities.
☐ No – 0 ☐ Partly – 1 ☐ Yes – 2
11. Sales feels that marketing does not generate enough high-quality leads or provide sufficient commercial support.
☐ No – 0 ☐ Partly – 1 ☐ Yes – 2
12. We are unable to adequately demonstrate marketing’s contribution to pipeline, revenue or growth.
☐ No – 0 ☐ Partly – 1 ☐ Yes – 2
Seniority and growth
13. Our organization is growing or changing, and marketing needs to become more professional.
☐ No – 0 ☐ Partly – 1 ☐ Yes – 2
14. We need senior marketing expertise, but do not have enough work or budget for a full-time CMO.
☐ No – 0 ☐ Partly – 1 ☐ Yes – 2
15. We are not just looking for marketing advice, but for someone who takes responsibility for strategy, priorities and execution.
☐ No – 0 ☐ Partly – 1 ☐ Yes – 2
Your Fractional CMO score
Add up all your points.
Total score: … / 30
0–7 points: you probably do not need a Fractional CMO
Your marketing organization appears to have sufficient direction and leadership, or marketing is not yet complex enough to require senior CMO capacity.
Do you mainly need additional capacity? An in-house marketer, freelancer or specialist agency may be a better solution.
Fractional CMO, part-time CMO or interim CMO: what is the difference?
8–15 points: first identify the real problem
There are clear areas for improvement, but it is not yet obvious that a Fractional CMO is the best solution.
Identify the biggest bottleneck. Is the main issue a lack of execution capacity? Then you may simply need additional marketing support. Are strategy, prioritization and seniority lacking? Then a Fractional CMO becomes more relevant.
16–22 points: a Fractional CMO is seriously worth considering
Marketing is important to your organization, but there appear to be clear gaps in strategy, leadership, seniority or alignment with sales.
You probably do not simply need more marketing. You need someone who decides what you should and should not do, manages people and partners, and takes responsibility for the marketing direction.
A Fractional CMO can fulfil this role without requiring you to hire a full-time CMO straight away.
Why you do not need a marketing agency.
23–30 points: strong business case for a Fractional CMO
Your organization almost certainly needs stronger senior marketing leadership.
A lot is probably already happening, but strategy, execution, people, budget and commercial objectives are not sufficiently connected.
A Fractional CMO can act as the senior marketing leader alongside management and sales, while also ensuring that plans are actually executed.
The MiM approach to Fractional CMO
One final important check
A high score does not automatically mean that you should hire a Fractional CMO.
So ask yourself these three additional questions:
1. Is marketing important enough to our growth to justify senior-level attention?
2. Are we prepared to give someone genuine responsibility and authority?
3. Is there sufficient budget and execution capacity to implement the chosen strategy?
Three yeses and a score of 16 points or higher?
Then it is probably worth seriously considering a Fractional CMO.
How does a Fractional CMO work at Marketing is Mensenwerk?
With Co-Pilot, you do not just get someone who advises you. Our Fractional CMO shares ownership of strategy, priorities, execution and the marketing budget, and can play a structural role at management-team level.
Want to know what such an arrangement costs first?
What does a Fractional CMO cost? Costs, rates and alternatives.
Discuss your score?
Did you score 16 points or more? In a short introductory conversation, we can review your answers together. Not to automatically sell you a Fractional CMO, but to identify the real bottleneck in your marketing organization and determine which solution is the best fit.
Frequently asked questions
From what score do I need a Fractional CMO?
From 16 points onwards, there are clear signs that senior marketing leadership could add value. The score is not a scientific diagnosis, but a tool to help identify the bottlenecks in your marketing organization.
When is a Fractional CMO a better option than a marketing agency?
A marketing agency is particularly useful when you need expertise or execution capacity. A Fractional CMO becomes more relevant when strategy, prioritization, leadership and ultimate responsibility are lacking.
Do I need to already have a marketing team before hiring a Fractional CMO?
No. A Fractional CMO can also help determine what marketing capacity you need and what should be organized internally or externally. Ultimately, however, there must be sufficient capacity and budget to execute the chosen marketing strategy.
