Business growth can be challenging. You need expertise, but you don’t yet have the budget or resources to employ someone full-time, and where do you start with your marketing? Some organisations will choose to go the agency route, but this can lead to a focus on a single area of marketing without taking advantage of wider opportunities, whilst at the same time being expensive and arm’s-length management. Alternatively, fractional marketing services give you the opportunity of expert marketing support that works as part of your in-house team, without the cost of employing someone with the same level of expertise full-time.

What is a Fractional Marketing Manager?

A Fractional Marketing Manager is a seasoned marketing professional who works with businesses on a part-time or project-specific basis. Fractional Marketing Managers work with multiple clients for an agreed time each month. This means a business can access high-level marketing leadership and expertise, helping with strategic direction and roll-your-sleeves-up implementation, without the cost of a full-time hire.

The Growing Demand for Fractional Marketing

The fractional marketing model has seen remarkable growth. According to the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), 68% of businesses in the UK have considered or are currently using fractional marketing services. This trend reflects the increasing complexity of modern marketing and the need for specialised skills in a digital-first world.

A 2024 study by PwC found that 57% of UK businesses reported improved marketing ROI after adopting a fractional approach, with these businesses experiencing 30% faster implementation of marketing strategies compared to those relying solely on in-house teams.

When Do You Need a Fractional Marketing Manager?

Many small business owners aren’t sure when it’s the right time to bring in external marketing support. Clear indicators that a Fractional Marketing Manager could benefit your business include:

• Marketing is being juggled by senior directors who don’t have the time or expertise to execute effectively
• You lack a clear marketing strategy that aligns with your business goals
• Marketing activity is inconsistent or happens in fits and starts
• You’re struggling to measure marketing effectiveness or ROI
• You need specific expertise in areas like social media, SEO, or content marketing without hiring multiple specialists
• You’re ready to grow but aren’t sure how to scale your marketing efforts

5 Benefits of a Fractional Marketing Service

1. Cost-Effectiveness

Hiring a full-time marketing employee is a strategic financial consideration when you consider salaries, benefits, and other costs. Working with a Fractional Marketing Manager gives you access to the knowledge you need at a fraction of the cost, helping your business move forward. Fractional marketing services are typically charged on a day rate with an agreed number of days per month depending on the level of involvement required, potentially significantly less than the £45,000 to £60,000 annual salary for a full-time marketing manager, not including recruitment costs, benefits, and overheads.

2. Specialist Expertise

Fractional Marketing Managers often have experience across a wide range of industries and marketing disciplines. This greater breadth of knowledge means they can bring more specialised skills to tailor solutions to their client’s objectives. Whether you need support with social media strategy, content marketing, SEO, email campaigns, or marketing automation, a Fractional Marketing Manager brings expertise that would typically require hiring multiple specialists.

3. Flexibility & Scalability

Businesses can adjust the level at which a Fractional Marketing Manager works with them based on their current requirements, for example, increasing time if there is a product launch or dialling services down during quieter periods. This flexibility is particularly valuable for growing businesses where marketing needs can change rapidly.

4. Fresh Perspectives

Your Fractional Marketing Manager can bring an external insight that you may not be able to find in-house; this can result in solutions and innovative ideas that internal teams may not have the time to generate. Having worked with multiple businesses and industries, they bring a wealth of best practices and creative approaches to tackle your marketing challenges.

5. Faster Implementation

If you’re juggling marketing between senior directors, it’s common to be frustrated that you have great ideas but you’re still not able to capitalise on them. Fractional Marketing Managers will help you implement your strategies fast. Studies show that businesses leveraging fractional marketing services experienced 30% faster implementation of marketing strategies compared to those relying solely on in-house teams.

What a Fractional Marketing Manager Will Do for You

Understanding exactly what support you’ll receive helps clarify the value of working with a Fractional Marketing Manager. You can typically expect:

• Develop a comprehensive marketing strategy aligned with your business goals for the next 6-12 months
• Audit your current marketing activities and identify quick wins and areas for improvement
• Set up marketing systems and processes to ensure consistent, effective marketing
• Oversee and manage on-going campaigns and marketing activity
• Create or optimise your content marketing approach, including social media, blogging, and email campaigns
• Manage relationships with freelancers, agencies, or junior marketing staff
• Provide monthly reporting on marketing performance with clear metrics and insights
• Train your team on marketing best practices and new tools
• Oversee your marketing budget and ensure efficient allocation of resources

Measuring Marketing Success

One of the key advantages of working with a Fractional Marketing Manager is their focus on measurable results. They’ll help you track the metrics that matter most to your business, such as:

• Website traffic and engagement: Understanding how many people are visiting your site and what they’re doing there
• Lead generation: Tracking how many potential customers you’re attracting
• Conversion rates: Measuring how effectively you’re turning prospects into customers
• Return on Investment (ROI): Calculating the revenue generated from your marketing spend
• Customer acquisition cost: Understanding how much it costs to gain a new customer

Research shows that companies using fractional marketing leadership reported an average 23% increase in marketing ROI within the first six months of engagement, with 68% reporting more efficient budget allocation.

The Fractional Advantage: Key Comparisons

Fractional Marketing Manager vs. Marketing Agency

Whilst agencies have their place, a Fractional Marketing Manager offers several distinct advantages:

• More deeply integrated with your team and company culture
• Provides broader strategic oversight rather than focusing on a single channel
• Typically more cost-effective for ongoing support
• Acts as your in-house expert who understands your business inside out.

Fractional Marketing Manager vs. Junior In-House Hire

When considering hiring your first marketer, a Fractional Marketing Manager provides:

• Senior-level expertise from day one, with no training curve
• Exposure to best practices from multiple industries
• Strategic thinking combined with hands-on implementation
• Flexibility to scale up or down as your business needs change.

Fractional Marketing Manager vs. Marketing Consultant

Unlike traditional consultants who provide advice and leave, Fractional Marketing Managers:

• Offer hands-on implementation, not just strategy documents
• Embed themselves as part of your team
• Provide ongoing support rather than one-off projects
• Take ownership of results and are accountable for outcomes.

Addressing Common Concerns

We understand that bringing in external support can raise questions. Fractional Marketing Managers typically address the most common concerns as follows:

“Will they understand my business and industry?” Experienced Fractional Marketing Managers make it their priority to deeply understand your business, customers, and market. Their broad experience across industries actually helps them spot opportunities you might miss.

“How do I ensure they’re accountable?” Fractional Marketing Managers work with clear KPIs, regular reporting, and measurable outcomes. Most operate on flexible contracts, meaning they need to deliver results to maintain the relationship.

“What if it doesn’t work out?” Unlike full-time hires, fractional arrangements typically don’t require long-term commitments. You can adjust or end the engagement much more easily than with a permanent employee.

“Can they work with my existing tools and systems?” Professional Fractional Marketing Managers are experienced with a wide range of marketing platforms and can quickly adapt to your existing tech stack.

Consistent Social Media Support

With 48% of customers preferring to use social media to learn about small businesses, having a consistent and effective social media presence is crucial. However, many UK small businesses admit they’re underutilising these platforms. A Fractional Marketing Manager can help you:

• Develop a social media strategy aligned with your business goals
• Identify which platforms are right for your target audience
• Create engaging content that resonates with your customers
• Set up scheduling systems to maintain consistent posting
• Monitor and respond to customer engagement
• Measure social media ROI and adjust strategies accordingly

Getting Started with Fractional Marketing

If you’re considering working with a Fractional Marketing Manager, prepare the following:

1. Clarify your business goals: What do you want to achieve in the next 6-12 months?
2. Understand your current marketing activities: What’s working, what isn’t, and where are the gaps?
3. Define your budget: What can you realistically invest in marketing?
4. Identify your priority areas: Which marketing activities will have the biggest impact on your business?
5. Be ready to commit: Whilst fractional arrangements are flexible, marketing success requires consistent effort.

Realistic Timeframes

It’s important to have realistic expectations about results. Whilst some quick wins can be identified early on, meaningful marketing results typically take time:

• First 30 days: Strategy development, quick wins, and foundation-building
• Months 2-3: Implementation of key initiatives and systems
• Months 3-6: Initial results become measurable, with adjustments and optimisation
• 6-12 months: Significant improvements in traffic, leads, and conversions

Most businesses see initial improvements within the first three months, with more substantial results emerging over 6-12 months as strategies mature and optimise.

Making the Right Investment

Marketing is an investment in your business growth, not just an expense. Research indicates that businesses using Fractional Marketing Managers have seen average revenue growth rates of 29%, compared to 19% for those without. The key is finding the right level of support for your business stage and goals.

Working with a Fractional Marketing Manager, like the Marketing Maven, gives you an advantage. You gain high-level marketing expertise, cost savings, and flexibility to help your business grow to the level where you can start employing your own team full-time.

Ready to take your marketing to the next level? Book a free 30-minute consultation to discuss how fractional marketing services could help you achieve your business objectives.

---

Sources

Intelligent People. (2024). How Fractional Marketing Can Effectively Scale Your Business.

Elite Business Magazine. (2024). Supercharge your startup: How fractional CMOs are revolutionising marketing for British SMEs.

Lagom Consulting. (2025). The Business Impact of Fractional CMOs in Financial Services, Professional Services, and Startups.

Salesforce. Social Media Marketing for Small Businesses.