What Is a Fractional CMO?
A fractional CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) is an experienced marketing executive who works with your company on a part-time or contract basis. Unlike a marketing consultant who delivers reports and recommendations, a fractional CMO takes ownership of your marketing strategy, manages your team, and is accountable for revenue results.
For companies between $1M and $25M in annual revenue, hiring a full-time CMO is often premature — the cost ($200,000–$350,000 per year in salary, benefits, and equity) is difficult to justify when the company is still building its marketing foundation. A fractional CMO gives you the strategic leadership of a seasoned executive at a fraction of the cost, typically $5,000–$15,000 per month.
T2 Consulting's fractional CMO model is different from traditional consulting. Todd and Tara Youngblood are operators who built Chili Technology (ChiliPad/Sleepme) from zero to a KKR investment and three successful exits — earning seven Inc. 5000 recognitions and 50+ patents along the way. When T2 embeds in your business, you get the same operating system they used to build their own companies.
What a T2 Fractional CMO Does in Your Business
Go-to-Market Strategy
ICP definition, positioning, messaging hierarchy, and channel prioritization. We identify the 20% of marketing activities that will drive 80% of your revenue growth.
Revenue Growth Architecture
Full-funnel audit from awareness to close. We find the leaks in your pipeline and install the systems to fix them — lead capture, nurture sequences, conversion optimization.
Team Leadership & Vendor Management
We manage your internal marketing team and external vendors (agencies, freelancers, tools) so you get accountability without micromanagement.
Brand & Content Strategy
Positioning, messaging, SEO content strategy, and AI search readiness. We make sure the right buyers find you before they find your competitors.
How the Engagement Works
Free CROWTH Audit (Week 1)
We run a full 6-pillar CROWTH audit on your website and digital presence. You get a scored report showing exactly where your marketing is leaking revenue and what to fix first.
90-Day Revenue Breakthrough Sprint
We identify the 3–5 highest-leverage opportunities in your business and execute them in 90 days. Most clients see $200K–$2M in recoverable revenue identified in this phase.
Ongoing Fractional CMO Retainer
After the sprint, we move to a monthly retainer where we serve as your embedded CMO — attending leadership meetings, managing your team, and driving continuous improvement.
Exit or Transition
When you're ready to hire a full-time CMO, we help you write the job description, interview candidates, and transition the role — ensuring continuity and no loss of momentum.
What Clients Achieve
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a fractional CMO do?
A fractional CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) provides executive-level marketing leadership on a part-time or contract basis. They build and execute your go-to-market strategy, manage your marketing team, oversee brand positioning, and drive revenue growth — without the cost of a full-time hire. At T2 Consulting, our fractional CMOs are operators who have built and exited businesses, not career consultants.
How much does a fractional CMO cost?
Fractional CMO engagements typically range from $5,000 to $20,000 per month depending on scope, hours, and deliverables. This compares to $200,000–$350,000 per year for a full-time CMO plus benefits and equity. T2 Consulting's fractional CMO engagements start with a 90-Day Revenue Breakthrough Sprint to establish baseline and strategy before moving to ongoing retainer.
How is a fractional CMO different from a marketing consultant?
A marketing consultant delivers recommendations and reports. A fractional CMO takes ownership of outcomes. They sit in your leadership meetings, manage your marketing team, hold vendors accountable, and are measured on revenue results — not deliverables. T2's fractional CMOs are embedded operators, not advisors.
What size company needs a fractional CMO?
Fractional CMOs are most valuable for companies between $1M and $25M in annual revenue that have outgrown founder-led marketing but are not yet ready to justify a $250K+ full-time CMO hire. They are also valuable for companies that have a marketing team but lack strategic leadership to direct it.
How long does a fractional CMO engagement last?
Most fractional CMO engagements run 6–18 months. T2 Consulting starts with a 90-Day Revenue Breakthrough Sprint to identify the highest-leverage opportunities, then transitions to an ongoing monthly retainer. Engagements end when the company is ready to hire a full-time CMO or when the strategic objectives are achieved.
Related Services & Resources
The 6-pillar audit that identifies exactly where your marketing is leaking revenue.
SEO content, blog strategy, and AI search readiness for $1M–$25M businesses.
B2B lead generation and ICP targeting using LinkedIn Sales Navigator.
Read our latest thinking on growth strategy, SEO, and the Breakthrough GROWTH Method.