Remember when growing your business meant automatically adding another full-time salary to your payroll? That traditional approach is being challenged as more forward-thinking companies discover the strategic advantage of the fractional marketing model. As we've discussed previously, fractional marketing isn't new, but its benefits are increasingly recognised in recent years as business environments put more emphasis on being agile. 

You've reached that critical juncture: your business is growing, marketing needs are expanding, but you're not ready for a full-time CMO’s $150K+ salary. You might be juggling marketing yourself, asking your team to wear multiple hats, or worse - putting off marketing initiatives altogether. Anything starting to sound familiar? 

How a fractional marketer can bridge the gap: expertise without the full-time commitment 

Every growing business faces what I call the "expertise gap" – that awkward stage where you've outgrown DIY marketing but can't justify a senior full-time hire. You need a combination of strategic direction and practical implementation, in a way that satisfies budget requirements. 

This is exactly where fractional marketers shine. We bring senior-level expertise to your business on a flexible, scalable basis – whether that's a day a week, two days a month, or for specific growth projects. The arrangement adapts to your needs, not the other way around. 

Think of it like having access to a high-performance sports car only when you need it, rather than paying for it to sit in your garage most of the time. You get the horsepower exactly when required, without the ongoing maintenance costs. 

Beyond cost savings: strategic advantages 

While the cost benefit is clear when comparing fractional expertise to a full-time senior marketer’s salary, the advantages of this approach go far deeper… 

Reduced risk: Hiring a full-time marketing leader is risky when you’re not certain about your strategy. What if their skills don’t turn out to be the right fit? With the fractional model, you can "test drive" the relationship with lower commitment. Plus, as mentioned previously, continuity can be stronger with fractional arrangements, as in-house marketers typically move on after a couple of years. 

Diverse expertise: We’ve worked across multiple industries and business types over the years, and you’ll leverage that cross-pollination of ideas. We’ve likely solved similar problems in different contexts and can apply those learnings to your specific situation. 

Implementation + strategy: Unlike consultants who leave you with recommendations but no execution, Flex Marketing professionals are very happy to roll up their sleeves and get things done. We can develop the strategy AND help implement it. 

Objective perspective: Fractional marketers bring an outside, objective view that can identify opportunities your team might miss. We also know what to expect from external agencies, and can help ensure they’re delivering value for you. 

Building long-term value 

Perhaps the most underappreciated benefit of working with a fractional marketer is the knowledge transfer that occurs. Beyond delivering marketing services; we help build your organisation's marketing capability. 

This may look different depending on your situation. Perhaps you have a junior employee who just needs a bit of strategic guidance to get the ball rolling. Maybe every member of your sales team is sharing a slightly different slide deck with slightly different messaging, and you need better consistency. Or you may have recently promoted someone without a formal marketing background who needs help putting a plan together.

Over time, we work with our clients to establish systems, train team members, create templates and guidelines, and implement measurement frameworks that continue delivering value long after specific campaigns end. It's this strong foundation that sets the stage for your company’s growth. 

When is hiring a fractional marketer the right call? 

You might benefit from a fractional marketer if you: 

• Find yourself constantly putting off strategic marketing work because you're too busy 
• Struggle to determine which marketing initiatives will deliver the best ROI 
• Want to establish proper marketing systems, processes, and measurement frameworks 
• Require specialised expertise for specific growth projects 

The beauty of the fractional approach is that it evolves with your business. As your needs change, the arrangement can flex accordingly – ramping up during growth phases or product launches and scaling back during quieter periods. 

Take a moment to consider where marketing bottlenecks might be holding your business back, and whether bringing in fractional expertise could help break through to your next level of growth. Get in touch for a chat about how Flex Marketing and a fractional marketer can make a difference.

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.