Fractional executives offer a unique and valuable growth strategy for startups and emerging growth companies. They distinguish themselves from external consultants by actively exercising executive authority within the organization, aiding in strategy development and execution. These interim leaders are instrumental in building out specific departments, managing growth, and preparing for a seamless transition by hiring full-time replacements. Fractional executives often work across multiple companies simultaneously, adding versatility to their expertise. Brook Janousek of The Grow CMO joins Karen on The Compassionate Capitalist Show to discuss the value of using interim chief level officers to bridge the gap and maximize the value of high level expertise at a ‘fraction’ of the cost.

In more established companies, fractional executives can also serve as a solution for the challenge of prolonged executive leave, ensuring a smooth workflow and preserving job security for valued employees. Moreover, the post-Covid landscape has seen a rise in experienced executives taking on fractional roles, providing access to top-tier talent at a fraction of the traditional compensation cost. 

In marketing, fractional CMOs are gaining traction, particularly as businesses adapt to changing work dynamics. To effectively engage with a fractional CMO, startups and scale-ups should consider the right timing for their involvement, pinpoint their organizational weaknesses, and identify pain points that hinder revenue generation. Additionally, it’s crucial for marketing teams to comprehend the P&L and leverage prior experience to maximize their impact on business growth.

Here are 3 takeaways: 

1. Sales and marketing serve different but complementary roles in the customer journey. Marketing’s primary focus is on generating awareness and interest in a product or service. It aims to create a strong brand presence, educate potential customers, and attract them to the company’s offerings. In contrast, sales steps in to convert these interested leads into paying customers by addressing their specific needs, providing personalized solutions, and closing deals.

2. The customer journey often spans multiple touchpoints and stages. Marketing primarily operates at the top of the funnel, initiating the journey by reaching a broad audience through advertising, content, and social media. It continues nurturing leads through email marketing, content, and other forms of engagement as they progress through the funnel. Sales, on the other hand, plays a more direct role in the later stages, engaging with leads who have expressed a clear interest and are closer to making a purchase.

3. Marketing success is typically measured using metrics like brand awareness, website traffic, engagement rates, and conversion rates. These metrics reflect the effectiveness of marketing efforts in attracting and educating potential customers. In contrast, sales success is measured by more concrete metrics such as revenue generated, deal closure rates, and customer acquisition costs. These metrics directly tie sales efforts to revenue outcomes, making them more transactional and outcome-focused compared to marketing’s broader reach and influence metrics.

Brooke Janousek is a fractional CMO and digital nomad on a journey to intentionally live a joyful life. She is the founder of The Grow CMO, a fractional leadership solution for effective marketing growth that[…]