5 reasons a fractional CMO could be just what you’re looking for

The phrase ‘fractional CMO’ is something that has grown in use and visibility, but how as an organisation do you know if it’s the right way to go? In this blog we explore 5 reasons that it may be just the thing for you.

 

1. Cost Efficiency

Hiring a full-time CMO is a significant financial commitment for any organisation and often means it is a no go for start-ups and small to medium-sized businesses. A fractional CMO makes it possible for organisations of all sizes to access top-tier talent on a part-time basis, in turn significantly reducing the costs associated with salaries, benefits, and overhead expenses. Where access to high-level strategic guidance was once out of reach the fractional CMO makes it possible.

 

2. Specialised Expertise

If you get the right fractional CMO you will gain a diverse skill set and extensive industry experience. Whether it’s developing comprehensive marketing strategies, implementing the best digital marketing tactics, or navigating complex market landscapes, these professionals bring with them the knowledge and insights necessary to drive positive outcomes such as accelerated growth, increased market reach and competitive advantage. 

 

3. Flexible & Scalable

By its very nature a fractional CMO provides organisations with the freedom to adjust the level of engagement in line with their aims and objectives. Whether it’s ramping up marketing efforts during peak seasons or scaling back during periods of transition, fractional CMOs provide the agility to adapt to changing circumstances. 

 

4. Objectivity and fresh perspective

There really is nothing quite like a fresh set of eyes and ideas. Unlike internal hires who may be entrenched in the existing ways of doing things, fractional CMOs offer an objective viewpoint. This fresh perspective can lead to innovative ideas, alternate approaches, and new insights that drive meaningful change within the organisation. Due to their diverse skill set and extensive experience, fractional CMOs also often serve as valuable sounding boards for leadership teams, offering candid feedback and constructive criticism to help drive continuous improvement.

5. A bit of time to breathe 

If you’re in between hires or, at the stage where you are ready to dedicate budget for in-house marketing resource for the first time, using a fractional CMO is a great way to identify the strategic direction of your marketing activity which, in turn allows you to ensure you are recruiting for the right experience and skills. A fractional CMO can also be used to ‘hold the fort’ and provide practical support when it comes to interviews and selecting the perfect individual for the role. 

 

The decision to hire a fractional CMO can be a game-changer for organisations who are looking to elevate their marketing efforts, achieve sustainable growth or, catch a breath before hiring. 

Want to find out more about how The SME Partners can support you? Get in touch

Invest in a CRM software

Developing a CRM strategy is important but alone, it won’t get you very far. To be successful your CRM strategy needs to go hand in hand with a CRM software or system. The CRM strategy will outline and guide your approach but the CRM system is where the action happens. If you don’t already use a CRM software, don’t worry they’re fairly simple to set up. Mailchimp is perfect for SMEs who are just starting up but as your CRM demands grow you may want to look at something with broader capabilities like Hubspot.

Be relevant

If your emails aren’t relevant, you might get people unsubscribing or worse, marking them as spam which will reduce your accounts deliverability. You want to be talking to the right person, about the right thing, at the right time.

There’s a number of easy ways to do this within CRM.

1. Personalise your emails. Customers are far more likely to open and engage with an email that uses their name. This can be done really easily by inserting ‘tags’ in your emails. For example, where you insert the tag [firstname] in your email, each recipient will see their own name. Clever!

2. Segment your customers. Your CRM software should allow you to segment customers by their activity. Using this information you can then tailor the communications for each group. For example, we have been able to target customers who have only bought a sample kit and offer them an exclusive discount as an incentive to repurchase.

3. Automate your CRM. As your business grows it will become more difficult to keep on top of your communications with each customer. Make use of automation to make sure you’re sending relevant messages to people at the right time. A great example of this is setting up an automated welcome email with a discount code that goes to anyone who joins your mailing list, these emails often drive high revenue.

Be mobile compatible

Make sure to preview your emails in both desktop and mobile format before you send them. Today around 81% of emails are read on mobile!

Cover all grounds

As well as anything you send out via CRM, customers receive a number of transactional emails and these often have the highest open rates by a long way. Don’t forget about them! You can turn them into beautiful customer communications and new opportunities to engage customers and drive revenue.

Review and reassess

Keep a close eye on your clicks and open rates to get an idea of what’s working well and what isn’t and then use this to get better!