You've probably seen the term "fractional" popping up more and more: fractional CMO, fractional marketer, outsourced marketing. It's used interchangeably with words like "part-time" and "contracting," but it's not quite the same thing. If you've been wondering what a fractional marketer is and whether it could work for your business, here are the questions I get asked most often.

What is a fractional marketer?

A fractional marketer is a senior marketing professional who works with your business on an ongoing basis, but for a fraction of the hours (and cost) of a full-time hire. The key word there is ongoing; this isn't someone who drops in for a one-off project and disappears. Instead of one business getting 40 hours a week, several businesses get exactly the level of support they need, whether that's two days a week, 20 hours a month, or something else entirely.

Think of it a bit like an architect who stays on through the build. They don't just draw up the plans and hand them over; they stick around to make sure the vision is executed properly, adjusting as things come up along the way. Fractional marketing works in a similar way; experienced strategic input and hands-on execution, without the $150K+ salary.

Historically, (and even now) I use the term 'outsourced' because people are more familiar with that, however I believe the term 'fractional' more accurately describes the close relationships I build with my clients, where I am extension of their teams in this capacity. Sometimes outsource implies external and doesn't reflect the reality of what goes on.

What does a fractional marketer do day-to-day?

This varies depending on the business, but if you were to write a job description for a fractional marketer, it might look something like this:

• Develop and implement marketing strategy aligned to business goals
• Plan and manage campaigns across digital and traditional channels
• Oversee brand positioning and messaging consistency
• Manage relationships with external agencies and suppliers
• Create or oversee content strategy, including SEO-optimised copywriting
• Report on marketing performance and adjust based on results
• Mentor junior marketing staff or coordinate with internal teams
• Advise on marketing spend and budget allocation

The difference between this and a typical contractor arrangement is the level of ownership. A good fractional marketer embeds in your business; they'll use your systems, attend your team meetings, and represent your brand as if they were a permanent member of your team. From the outside, your customers and suppliers wouldn't know the difference.

How is it different from a consultant, contractor, or agency?

These terms get bundled together, but they work quite differently in practice.

A marketing consultant typically provides advice specific to a situation, set of challenges or particularly client need; they'll assess your situation, develop recommendations, and often provide a strategy document or plan. What happens next is up to you.

A contractor handles specific tasks or projects; designing a brochure, writing a batch of blog posts, running a particular campaign. They do the work and move on.

An agency provides specialist services across a team, but they sit outside your business. You're one of many clients, and they're not embedded in your day-to-day operations.

A fractional marketer blends the strategic thinking of a consultant with the hands-on delivery of a contractor, while being embedded in your business in a way an agency can't be. This has been Flex Marketing's, model for over a decade (well before the term 'fractional' started being used); becoming my clients' marketing department, handling everything from strategy through to execution. Clients appreciate the bonus of me being a qualified graphic designer – this comes in handy for lots of things; from creating imagery for content and new branded assets through to helping visually document ideas and help develop or re-vamp branding.

What should I look for when choosing a fractional marketer?

Not all fractional arrangements are created equal. Here are a few things worth considering:

Breadth of experience. Someone who has worked across multiple industries and business types will bring a wider lens to your challenges. They've likely seen what works (and what doesn't) in contexts similar to yours. It's worth mentioning here that I've worked across more than 40 industries during my career to date.

Strategic and executional capability. Can they think big-picture and roll up their sleeves? A marketing strategy that sits in a drawer is worth nothing. You want someone who can plan it and make it happen.

Willingness to embed. Ask how they work. Will they get to know your team, your systems, your customers? The more embedded they are, the more value they'll deliver.

Chemistry. This person is going to be closely involved in how your business presents itself to the world. You need to actually enjoy working with them. If you're wondering whether a fractional marketer might be the right fit for your business, I've written an in-depth article exploring when it makes sense. And if you have a question I haven't covered here, get in touch; I'm always happy to have that conversation.

About Andie Johnson

Andie is the owner of Flex Marketing. Flex Marketing helps businesses grow by allowing them to have the help of senior marketing resource without needing to employ a full time marketing manager. How flexible! We call this outsourced marketing services, however, some refer to it as ‘fractional resourcing’. We help multiple businesses at the same time who can’t yet justify having a permanent senior marketing person, so we become their ‘fractional CMO or senior marketing manager’ for an agreed number of hours per month. Often we drive a particular project or help with a specific business need that may be temporary. Flex Marketing has been helping businesses in this way to grow their businesses since 2011 and is based in Auckland, New Zealand