The demand for outsourced marketing leadership is rising fast - especially in the B2B world where strategic marketing leadership is needed more than ever.
Just look at the numbers:
- 15% annual growth in demand for outsourced marketing leadership in the B2B sector (Forbes, January 2024)
- 20% projected growth in Fractional CMO services over the next five years (Harvard Business Review, March 2024)
- 25% increase in company investment in strategic marketing management to stay competitive (McKinsey & Company, May 2024)
This isn’t just a trend—it’s a shift in how companies think about leadership, resourcing, and performance.
While founders have been early adopters, it’s time HR leaders put this model on their radar too.
What’s a Fractional CMO?
A Fractional Chief Marketing Officer is a senior leader who joins your team in a part time capacity. Think 1, 2 or 3 days per week. They bring strategy, leadership, and commercial thinking- without the cost of a full-time hire.
We covered this shift in our blog: The Rise of Fractional Leadership.
Why It Matters to HR
Here’s how a Fractional CMO supports HR priorities directly:
1. Add Strategic Leadership- Without Adding Full Time Headcount
Hiring a full-time CMO is expensive and time-consuming.
A Fractional CMO helps you:
- Fill the gap now
- Deliver impact faster
- Avoid headcount strain
This model fits into today’s leaner, smarter workforce structures. It’s not a stopgap-it’s a strategic shift. Learn more in Why Smart Companies Are Thinking Smaller to Grow Bigger.
2. Improve Retention by Supporting Your Existing Marketing Team
Without leadership, marketers burn out. And Directors can be a bottleneck.
A Fractional CMO brings structure, mentorship, and clarity. This boosts:
- Retention
- Engagement
- Internal capability
When teams feel guided and empowered, they stay.
3. Create Flexibility in Your Workforce Model
This is a low-risk, high-impact solution. Fast placement. No drawn-out recruitment. Just the right level of senior leadership when you need it.
And if you’re planning a full-time role later? Your Fractional CMO can help scope, recruit, and onboard the right long-term hire.
We explored this idea in Part 3: Is It Time to Hand Over the Marketing Reins?.
4. HR Looks Good to the Board
You're showing the business how to:
- Deliver top talent without a headcount blowout
- Fix marketing leadership fast
- Support cross-functional growth
You’re not just filling a gap-you’re solving a bigger organisational challenge, smarter.
5. Cost Comparison: Fractional vs Full-Time CMO
Hiring a full-time CMO in Australia typically costs $250,000–$300,000 per year once you factor in:
- Salary
- Super
- Bonuses
- Recruitment fees
- Onboarding and benefits
A Fractional CMO from Ask Marketing is a much more cost effective option and you get:
- Executive-level leadership
- Strategic planning and execution
- Hands-on support for your team
With no recruitment overhead, and full flexibility to scale up or down as needed.
Questions to Ask Yourself
- Is our marketing team lacking direction or leadership?
- Are we delaying strategic marketing progress due to hiring constraints?
- Could we benefit from senior support without the full-time cost?
It’s Time to Put This Model on Your Radar
If you’re balancing people, performance, and budget, a Fractional CMO gives you room to move. Strategic, fast, and flexible-it’s what modern workforce planning needs.
Let’s talk about how it could work for you.
With Ask Marketing you can hire a senior marketer, for a fraction of the cost of a full time resource.
Ask was founded by sisters Alexandra & Stephanie King in 2017.
Now with clients in Sydney, Melbourne & Brisbane, B2B and Services Companies come to us for Australia’s Leading Fractional CMOs.
We place an Ask Marketer in your business to lead your marketing in a part-time capacity, ensuring you get the expertise of a marketing leader while keeping costs efficient and flexible.
You’re Not Buying a Service. You’re Hiring a Leader.
Click here to ask us how it could work for you.
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