A term being used more and more on LinkedIn and other social media is the concept of a fractional marketing director (FMD). If you consult Google Trends, it started to really gain steam in 2021. Businesses utilizing fractional marketing directors has been happening for longer than that, however as far as this term’s proliferation 2021 seems to be the real watershed moment. However, what is a fractional marketing director? What types of things do they do? And most importantly can they help your business?
What is a Fractional Marketing Director?
A fractional marketing director is simply the person to whom you outsource your business’s marketing director role. They offer strategic marketing leadership to businesses that may not need or are unable to afford a full-time marketing resource. They can also be thought of as a part-time marketing director. This is similar to if you outsource your social media management to an individual outside your organization or outsource your business’s accounting function. A fractional marketing director is a marketing resource you can access but isn’t full-time or a direct part of your organization.
What Types of Work Does a Fractional Marketing Director Do?
They can do anything you expect an experienced marketing employee to do. Generally, the best projects are ones with defined deliverables and timelines. However any of the following are types of responsibilities a fractional marketing director could do:
- Marketing Strategy Review – An FMD could assess and develop a marketing strategy for your business. Their experience and knowledge of marketing concepts combined with the separation from being ingrained in your business make them uniquely positioned for this task.
- Marketing Audit – They can go through your existing marketing strategy and execution and determine what is working, what isn’t working, and areas for opportunity. Rock Bound Marketing offers a variety of marketing audits.
- Competitive Analysis – An FMD can create a competitive analysis for your business. They could also look at a specific element of your business like social media, SEO, or your website to determine how you compare against your competitors.
- Digital Strategy Development – An FMD is frequently used for digital strategy. Digital strategy is something that evolves and changes, so it is common for a small business to need to look outside their organization for the latest tactics and best practices. An FMD can develop your digital strategy and provide an execution plan for digital marketing.
- Sales and Marketing Alignment – An FMD is a great way to ensure sales and marketing are aligned. Sales and marketing can often be at odds in an organization. So a fresh set of eyes and somebody who isn’t part of either department can come in and assess alignment. They can advise on tools like customer relationship management software, or marketing automation software to ensure these departments are working together and efficiently.
- Vendor Evaluation and Agency Selection – The first step is to understand when you need an agency or outside vendors for help. Now, how do you pick the best one? A fractional marketing director is a great option to evaluate and recommend the type of agency you need and who can best help you grow your business. They have likely worked in an agency or used many agencies before and know what to look for and how to evaluate an agency. Additionally, if you have an existing agency, an FMD can help you understand if they are performing and assist in managing that relationship if it is showing signs of stress.
- Many More – an FMD can help with lead generation, loyalty program implementation, technology stack assessments, training and development of existing staff, and so many more things.
How Can Rock Bound Marketing Help?
Rock Bound Marketing can offer fractional marketing director services to help your business grow. We work with businesses of all sizes on projects big and small. If you’ve got a project you haven’t been able to get to, or are not sure how to start, contact us today.
