So You Want to Be a Fractional CMO? Here's What I Wish I Knew Before I Started

Fractional Work Is on the Rise—But It’s Not as Simple as It Looks

Fractional leadership is exploding right now. Since 2020, it's grown by 57%—and for good reason. Whether you’re craving more freedom, flexibility, or the ability to build a business on your terms, the appeal of becoming a fractional CMO or consultant is undeniable.

But I’ll be honest: when I first went out on my own, I was overwhelmed by the unknowns. How do you price your work? How do you find the right clients? What kind of structure sets you up for success—without burning out or recreating a full-time job disguised as consulting?

In this post, I’m pulling back the curtain on everything I’ve learned from building a thriving fractional practice over the past year. Whether you’re just testing the waters or fully committed to the leap, here’s what you need to know.

1. Choose the Right Work Structure for Your Energy and Goals

There are three main ways to work as a fractional CMO or consultant:

Project-Based Work

Clients bring you in to solve a specific challenge—like conducting a 360-degree marketing assessment or building a 12-month go-to-market strategy. There’s a clear beginning, end, and deliverable. You hand over your recommendations, and the client runs with them.

I love this structure. I’ve done 10+ strategic assessments and know exactly how long they take, what to deliver, and how to price them. It’s great for:

• Repeatable services with clear scope
• Limited accountability for implementation
• High-margin, time-bound work

Tip: If you're building your own marketing planning framework, check out this blog to structure your deliverables like a pro.

Fractional Leadership (Retainer-Based)

This is what most people think of when they hear “fractional CMO.” You’re embedded in the business—leading strategy, managing teams, owning KPIs—but on a part-time basis. Think: 10–20 hours/week per client.

You need at least 10 hours a week to really make an impact. Anything less? You're better off positioning it as advisory support.

What to watch for:

• Be cautious of short-term retainers (30–60 days). It’s hard to move the needle.
• Secure early wins in the first 30–60 days to build momentum and client confidence.
• Use CMO-CFO alignment to show strategic impact beyond marketing.

Advisory-Based Work

Perfect for clients who just want access to your brain without a ton of execution. You might support 4–5 hours/week, offer strategic guidance, join leadership calls, or provide coaching.

This model is:

• Great for high-leverage insights
• Low-prep and flexible
• Prone to context-switching fatigue

Lesson learned: I found it draining to juggle too many advisory-only clients. Set a minimum engagement threshold (mine’s now 5 hours/week). Otherwise, you’ll feel like you’re working full-time for peanuts.

If you’re considering coaching or personal brand building, this conversation on C-suite influence is a great companion read.

2. How to Set Your Fractional CMO Pricing (Without Selling Yourself Short)

Most people undercharge—myself included, in the beginning.

Use this baseline formula:

Annual salary ÷ 1,000 = baseline hourly rate

• $150K salary = $150/hour
• $250K salary = $250/hour

Why this works: It accounts for benefits, PTO, taxes, instability, and the business development time you’ll now need to maintain.

You can increase or discount based on:

• Length of engagement
• Retainer size
• Scope of responsibility (strategy vs. execution)

I also use tiered pricing for different services. Strategy and team leadership? Premium rate. Content execution? Lower. You can either:

• Use a blended rate
• Break out your rates per activity

Want to hear how I coach others on this? This post on growing a marketing career into leadership walks through similar steps.

3. Don’t Plan to Bill 40 Hours/Week (Seriously)

This one shocked me. I thought I needed to bill 40 hours/week to hit my income goals. But what I didn’t plan for was how much time it takes to run the business:

• Networking and BD
• Client onboarding
• Proposals, contracts, invoicing
• Your own marketing and brand building

Plan to bill 20–30 hours/week and use the rest to build a sustainable engine. Otherwise, you’ll burn out fast.

And if you’re still working full-time? That’s okay. Fractional can be a bridge. This post explores where marketing roles are headed and why flexible paths are here to stay.

4. Build Contracts That Protect You (and Your Peace of Mind)

This is critical. A few non-negotiables:

• Get paid upfront. Don’t wait to invoice after work is complete.
• Set cancellation terms. I require 30 days notice to terminate.
• Split project payments. I usually do 50% upfront, 50% at delivery (or milestones).
• Bill in 15-minute increments. Even for 5-minute Slacks or emails—it all adds up.

It’s your time. Value it accordingly.

5. Plan for the Highs and Lows (a.k.a. The Roller Coaster)

The peaks and valleys of client work are real. Some months are full. Others? Crickets.

That’s why you need:

• Financial cushion (3–6 months of expenses)
• A strong referral network
• Consistent business development habits

I talk more about the mindset shift from in-house marketer to entrepreneur in this blog with Leslie Vickrey. It’s not always glamorous—but it’s incredibly rewarding.

6. When You’re Ready to Scale, Bring in Support (Without Burning Out)

Eventually, you’ll get more work than you can handle. That’s a great problem to have—and you’ve got two solid options:

1. Set up referral agreements. I partner with trusted peers and take 10% commission on passed business (and vice versa). Sloane Barbour talks about this model as well.
2. Hire contractors under your brand. Mark up their rates 10–50% depending on how involved you are.

Just make sure you have clear scopes, solid agreements, and align on client expectations.

Final Thoughts: Design a Fractional Business That Works for You

Whether you’re drawn to part-time marketing roles, advisory consulting, or full-on fractional CMO work, remember: you’re in charge now.

Be intentional about how you work, how you price, and how you scale.

And if you’re still wondering whether fractional work is the right path for you, this episode dives into how to evaluate your next move—whether that’s consulting, full-time leadership, or something in between.

You’ve got options. Now it’s time to build the business (and life) that fits

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