FAQs
Get straight answers about working with a fractional CMO, positioning sprints, and strategy sprints. Whether you're exploring options or ready to move forward, this should help clarify what to expect.
Fractional CMO FAQs
A fractional CMO is a part-time marketing leader who brings senior expertise without the full-time cost. Here's what you need to know.
A fractional CMO is a part-time, fully embedded marketing leader who sets strategy, guides execution, and helps scale your efforts—without the cost or commitment of a full-time hire. They bring senior-level expertise (typically 1-3 days per week) to companies that need strategic marketing leadership but aren't ready for a full-time executive.
Read: What is a fractional CMO, and how can they help my business? →
A consultant is project-based and outcomes-focused (positioning, messaging, strategy). A fractional CMO is a part-time marketing leader who develops strategy AND guides execution—setting priorities, coaching people, and keeping momentum on track. An advisor provides periodic counsel but isn't hands-on with execution.
Read: How Does a Fractional CMO Differ from a Consultant or Advisor? →
If your company is growing but lacks senior marketing leadership—or your team feels stuck in reactive mode—it's probably time. Common triggers: growth has stalled, the founder/CEO can't keep running marketing, board is asking for a marketing strategy, or you're about to launch something significant without a clear plan.
A fractional CMO addresses strategic gaps like unclear positioning, scattered marketing efforts, weak pipeline quality, long sales cycles, ineffective team coordination, and lack of marketing leadership. They're particularly valuable when you're scaling, entering new markets, launching products, or need to transform random marketing activities into a cohesive strategy.
Read: What Specific Challenges or Gaps Can a Fractional CMO Help a Company Address? →
A good fractional CMO helps you avoid costly misfires, focus limited resources, and build the foundation for scalable growth. The ROI shows up in sharper positioning, better pipeline quality, faster execution, and more strategic use of budget and team. Most companies find the investment pays for itself through eliminated waste and accelerated momentum.
Common pitfalls include hiring someone without true executive experience, failing to integrate them into leadership, micromanaging their work, and providing insufficient resources. Success requires clear goals, organizational buy-in, and treating your fractional CMO as a strategic partner—not a contractor doing tactical tasks.
Read: What Are the Common Pitfalls When Hiring a Fractional CMO? →
Fractional CMO retainers are based on how many days you need (typically 1-3 days per week) and are billed monthly. There's often a 3-month minimum commitment. Final scope depends on your business size, complexity, and goals. Think of it as senior expertise at a fraction of the $150K-$250K+ full-time cost.
Most engagements follow four phases: (1) Diagnose the gaps—assess what's working and what's not, (2) Set the strategy—clarify positioning, goals, and create a focused plan, (3) Guide execution—stay involved to help your team follow through, (4) Track and adjust—measure progress and course-correct as needed.
Read: What does a typical fractional CMO engagement look like? →
The key is proper setup: define clear goals upfront, integrate them into leadership (not treat them as a vendor), give them adequate resources, and measure by business outcomes—not activity. Most waste happens when CEOs hire for the wrong reasons, micromanage execution, or fail to provide the strategic access needed to drive results.
Read: How Can a CEO Avoid Wasting Money on a Fractional CMO? →
Yes. Many clients start with a positioning sprint or strategy sprint to get clarity and focus first, then transition into fractional CMO support for ongoing leadership. You can pause after any stage—the door stays open when you're ready to continue.
For fractional CMO work: typically one standing check-in per week (60-90 min), plus async communication and occasional working sessions. I handle prep and follow-ups so your team doesn't live in meetings. Expect 1-3 days per week of my time, depending on your needs.
Start with clear goals and expectations. Integrate them into your leadership team with access to strategic meetings and business insights. Treat them as an empowered decision-maker, not just another external resource. Provide adequate budget and resources. Measure effectiveness by results, not task completion.
Read more: How Can a CEO Avoid Wasting Money on a Fractional CMO? →
Positioning Sprint FAQs
A positioning sprint clarifies what makes you different and who actually cares—the foundation before any marketing can work.
A positioning sprint is a focused 4-8 week engagement that clarifies your unique value proposition, target audience, and core messaging. You'll walk away with a positioning statement, positioning canvas, and lean messaging framework—giving your team the language to update sales pitches, websites, and marketing materials.
Plan for 4-6 weeks with weekly 60-90 min working sessions. If your business is complex, calendars are tight, or multiple stakeholders are involved, expect 6-8 weeks. We'll set the cadence at kickoff and adjust as needed.
The Positioning Sprint starts at $10,000. Final scope depends on business complexity and the number of stakeholders involved.
Because positioning without messaging is like having a map with no directions. The lean messaging framework bridges positioning to execution—giving your team the language they need to update sales pitches, websites, and marketing materials. It's not final copywriting, but it's the foundation your copywriter (or internal team) needs to get it right.
A messaging refresh tweaks the words. A positioning sprint fixes what's upstream: who you're for, why you're different, and what alternatives you're replacing. Messaging flows from positioning—not the other way around.
Most clients move into a Strategy Sprint to build the roadmap, or jump straight to Fractional CMO support for ongoing leadership. You can pause after positioning—the door stays open.
Your team or your external partners. The deliverables are built for immediate use. If you need ongoing support to implement and evolve the positioning, we can transition into fractional leadership.
Strategy Sprint FAQs
A strategy sprint builds a focused, prioritized roadmap so you know exactly what to do next—and what to ignore.
A strategy sprint creates an objective-aligned roadmap with high-impact priorities and success metrics. You'll get a go-to-market strategy, prioritized plan, and the context to back it up—so your team knows exactly where to focus limited resources.
With weekly 60-90 min sessions, plan for 6-8 weeks. If your business is complex, calendars are tight, or stakeholders are added, expect 10-12+ weeks. We'll set the cadence at kickoff and adjust together if it changes.
The Strategy & Plan Sprint starts at $15,000. Final scope depends on business complexity and the number of stakeholders involved.
Your team or external partners. The roadmap defines owners and next steps. If ongoing leadership and guidance make sense, we can transition into Fractional CMO support.
Working Together FAQs
Here's what you need to know about how we'll work together, timelines, and getting started.
For sprints: expect 3-5 briefing calls (60 min), one workshop (90-120 min), and async feedback loops. I handle the prep and follow-ups so your team doesn't live in meetings.
I typically book 2-4 weeks out. Sprints are calendar-locked once we sign off. Fractional engagements usually start on the 1st or 15th of the month.
Yes. A mutual NDA is standard before we dig in.
Most teams feel the shift within 2-3 weeks—clarity, alignment, decisions made. Tangible assets (positioning document, messaging guide, prioritized plan) are delivered by the end of the sprint. For execution results like leads and pipeline, expect 3-6 months depending on your sales cycle.
That's an Advisory engagement—scheduled counsel for CEOs and boards. I can help with that too.
We start with a 20-minute exploratory call to clarify goals, constraints, and whether a sprint or fractional engagement is the right fit. If there's alignment, I draft a short proposal (1-3 days). Most sprints kick off within 2-4 weeks of agreement.
Yes. Many clients are CEOs/founders and senior leaders in lean B2B teams. If you're early-stage or founder-led, we adapt deliverables toward learning plans and positioning validation.
Still Have Questions?
Let's it through. No pressure. No pitch deck. Just a real conversation about where you are and what makes sense next.