Two roles that sound the same but are not
Many UK business owners use the terms Fractional CMO and marketing consultant interchangeably. They are not the same thing, and choosing the wrong one can cost you a year of stalled marketing.
The distinction matters now more than ever because, as Marketing Magazine UK has highlighted, Fractional CMOs are becoming a great value option for small businesses across the UK. But only if you actually get a Fractional CMO and not a consultant calling themselves one.
The core difference: accountability
A marketing consultant advises. They assess, recommend and leave. They are not in the room when the recommendation is implemented, and they are not accountable for whether it works.
A Fractional CMO embeds. They join your leadership team, own the marketing strategy, manage the people doing the work and are accountable for commercial outcomes. They are in the room when the plan is implemented, and they adjust it when it is not working.
A consultant hands you a report and walks away. A Fractional CMO stays and makes sure the plan works. That is the difference, and for a growing business, it is the difference that matters.
John JB Russell, Founder, Digital Womble
What each role does
What a marketing consultant does
- Audits your current marketing and produces a report
- Recommends a strategy and a set of tactics
- May project-manage the implementation or may not
- Leaves when the engagement ends
- Is not accountable for the commercial outcome
What a Fractional CMO does
- Joins your leadership team on a part-time basis, typically one to two days a week
- Sets the marketing strategy and owns it
- Manages your team and your agencies
- Reports on commercial outcomes every month
- Stays for as long as the engagement runs, adjusting the plan as things change
- Is accountable for the pipeline and revenue impact
When you need a consultant
A marketing consultant is the right choice when:
- You need a specific piece of work done, like an audit or a market research report
- You have the team to implement the recommendations and just need direction
- You want a second opinion on a strategy you have already written
- The problem is narrow and well-defined
When you need a Fractional CMO
A Fractional CMO is the right choice when:
- You need ongoing senior marketing leadership, not a one-off report
- Nobody in your business is steering the marketing function
- You have agencies in place but nobody is managing them effectively
- You need marketing connected to commercial outcomes every month
- You have outgrown handling marketing between you but cannot justify a full-time director
The cost comparison
A marketing consultant in the UK typically charges 500 to 1,500 per day or 5,000 to 15,000 for a project. A Fractional CMO costs 1,500 to 6,000 per month for ongoing engagement.
The cost per day can look similar. The difference is what you get for it: a report that sits on a shelf, or a senior marketer who stays and makes the plan work.
How to choose
The simplest test is to ask yourself: do I need someone to tell me what to do, or do I need someone to do it with me?
If you need direction and the team to execute it, a consultant may be enough. If you need someone to own the marketing function and be accountable for results, you need a Fractional CMO.
Book a free discovery call with Digital Womble to talk through which option is right for your business.